TriMet
TriMet is a public agency that provides mass transit to the Portland, Oregon metro area. The TriMet system comprises the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light rail system, as well as the region's bus system. TriMet is actually short for Tri-County Metropolitian Transportation District of Oregon, although the full name is almost never used by the general public.TriMet serves portions of Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. The district is divided into three zones. Zone 1 consists of the Portland city center and surrounding area. Zone 2 is a ring around Zone 1 and includes approximately the rest of the city. Zone 3 wraps around Zone 2 and consists of rest of the system, the various suburbs of Portland. Within Zone 1 is the Fairless Square, an area of Downtown Portland within which all rides on the TriMet system are free. Fares are based on the number of zones in which the passenger will travel.[1] MAX and TriMet bus fare instruments are interchangable. TriMet tickets and passes are also valid on the Portland Streetcar (which is operated by the City of Portland).[1]
TriMet was founded in 1969 after disputes between the city and Rose City Transit, the company that previously operated the bus system.[1] Since then, TriMet has been "a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon", with powers to tax, issue bonds, and enact police ordinances. TriMet is governed by a board of directors appointed by the governor of Oregon.[1]
TriMet connects to several other mass transit systems, including C-TRAN, Canby Area Transit (CAT), COLCO, Sandy Area Metro (SAM), South Metro Area Rapid Transit (SMART), the South Clackamas Transportation District, the Tillamook County Transportation District, and Yamhill County Transportation.[1]
