Hillsboro-area bus riders will face earlier last buses and rerouted connections starting Sunday, Aug. 23, when TriMet's largest service overhaul in years takes effect across the Portland region.

Two routes are affected.

Line 19, which runs along Canyon Road toward Beaverton, will merge with Line 58 into a single route running between Beaverton and Gateway transit centers. Weekday service will end around 9:30 p.m., and weekend buses will run only about every 60 minutes.

Line 20, the Burnside/Stark route, will no longer serve the segment between Beaverton Transit Center and Sunset Transit Center. Line 76 (Hall/Greenburg) will take over that stretch instead.

Both changes affect riders who transfer at Beaverton Transit Center to reach Hillsboro via MAX Blue Line.

$158 million gap drives the cuts

TriMet said the overhaul is driven by a budget gap of $158 million for the current fiscal year, which took effect July 1, according to the Portland Tribune. Operating costs rose an average of 56% between 2019 and 2025, while revenue failed to keep pace.

The agency has eliminated more than 500 positions since July 2025, dropping from 3,708 to 3,204 staff. About 170 employees were laid off this year. TriMet is also drawing $187.4 million from reserves to cover the shortfall and has cut $44.4 million in administrative spending this fiscal year.

In all, 34 bus and MAX lines are being altered, consolidated or eliminated Sunday. Two routes are disappearing entirely due to low ridership: Line 82 (South Gresham) and Line 153 (Stafford/Salamo).

Rider feedback shaped final plan

TriMet received 8,138 responses to a public feedback survey conducted through 16 open houses in January and adjusted proposals affecting 12 bus lines. Separately, the agency said it kept Line 19 service along Northeast Glisan because riders depend on it to reach medical facilities, disability programs and senior housing, KATU reported.

Bruce Hansen, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, told KATU he worries about riders who depend on paratransit, which only operates within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed route. "I think what you're going to see is a lot of paratransit folks that aren't going to have access," Hansen said.

No Hillsboro city officials or Washington County commissioners have commented publicly on how the cuts will affect local riders.

More cuts ahead

TriMet said it must reduce service levels by at least 10% by July 2028 to align spending with revenue. The agency plans community outreach this fall on additional cuts proposed for 2027, though no specific dates or locations have been announced.

As we reported Aug. 20, Washington County is separately surveying Hillsboro riders about transit priorities.

Riders can plan new routes at trimet.org or call TriMet customer service at 503-238-7433.