Portland ‘Frequent Express’ Bus Speeding Travel Times

TriMet’s newest line is improving service and reducing travel times for riders as ridership slowly recovers.

1 minute read

September 17, 2023, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Green TriMet express bus in Portland, Oregon

Mattsjc / Wikimedia Commons

A Frequent Express bus line launched in Portland, Oregon in September 2022 is “delivering fast, frequent and more reliable bus service,” according to the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet). As Jim Redden reports for KOIN, the agency announced that morning median travel times are more than 20 percent shorter, with riders experiencing 5 to 6 minutes of travel savings during morning and afternoon peaks.

After seeing ridership plummet to 34 percent of pre-pandemic levels, TriMet’s ridership rose again to 1.14 million in March of this year. The agency has launched “a ‘Forward Together’ realignment of bus lines that deemphasizes traditional work commutes and increases service outside downtown Portland.”

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 in KOIN6

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