News Release

For Immediate Release

June 30, 2025

Contact: Patrick Sieng, Executive Director, 503-558-5815, patrick@oregontransit.com 

Oregon Transit Association Thanks Lawmakers for Support of Transit Funding, Will Continue Call to Action

Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package did not pass this legislative session, placing transit riders at risk of losing vital service

The Oregon Transit Association (OTA) is deeply disappointed that House Bill 2025 did not pass this legislative session. The OTA thanks members of the Oregon Legislature who helped to craft the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package (TRIP). This bold package was proposed to balance the needs of transportation users across the state, including the many Oregonians who ride transit.

The outcome of this legislative session is devastating for transit agencies and the riders who depend on their services. But OTA is hopeful that the Legislature can build on these negotiations and approve stable, sufficient funding for transit in a future session.

The financial challenges that transit agencies face are not going away. Without strong action by the Oregon Legislature to protect transit service, tens of thousands of Oregonians will lose access to reliable public transportation. In many communities, this outcome will be devastating for the local economy, cause significant strain on service providers, and place many transit-dependent riders at risk, especially those who rely on transit to access lifesaving services.

Although this outcome is deeply disappointing for OTA members and devastating for riders who depend on transit, the OTA applauds lawmakers who worked together to negotiate and put forward a strong proposal to invest in transportation and meet Oregonians’ needs. The OTA is hopeful that the Legislature can build on these negotiations and approve stable, sufficient funding for transit in a future session.

Transit service is in danger

Rural and urban transit agencies alike have faced a sharp increase in operating costs in recent years, driven mainly by inflation. The cost of operating a transit vehicle increased by more than 50% from 2019 to 2024. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic brought lasting changes to Oregonians’ work situations and travel patterns. Oregon has one of the highest rates of remote work in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Transit agencies have been working to adapt to the changes that Oregon has seen coming out of the pandemic. They have reallocated resources and streamlined service to meet riders’ needs. While operating efficiently is a priority for OTA members, from urban areas to rural communities, these savings are limited in comparison to the fiscal cliff they now face in the coming years. Without any action from the lawmakers, widespread service cuts are inevitable.

Without stable, sufficient funding from the Oregon Legislature for transit, agencies will be forced to make deep cuts to transit service within the next few years. This funding shortfall jeopardizes the progress that transit agencies have made in rebuilding ridership and realigning service to meet the current needs. In many cases, transit agencies may have no choice but to eliminate service that connects transit-dependent riders to jobs, school and services. Tens of thousands of Oregonians will lose transit access in the absence of more funding from the Legislature.

Many benefits of transit

Transit benefits every Oregonian, even those who aren’t regular riders.

Buses and trains effectively replace car trips, in both rural and urban areas — reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality and making streets safer.

Transit attracts development, fostering smart growth in areas where people can live, work and recreate without driving.

Many transit riders in Oregon rely on public transportation to get where they need to go. Transit serves commuters, students, seniors, people with disabilities, people on low or limited incomes, and many more from all backgrounds. About 1 in 4 people in Oregon can’t or don’t drive. For them, transit is a lifeline, connecting them with jobs, school and services, including health care. Without stable, sufficient funding for transit service, that lifeline will be cut off for many transit-dependent Oregonians.

The path forward

It is important for members of the Oregon Legislature, as well as the public, to understand that the financial challenges that transit agencies face are not going away. Without strong action by lawmakers to protect transit service, tens of thousands of Oregonians will lose access to reliable public transportation. In many communities, this outcome will be devastating for the local economy, cause significant strain on service providers, and place many transit-dependent riders at risk, especially those who rely on transit to access lifesaving services.

The OTA is grateful for the support that transit received during this legislative session, including from pro-transit lawmakers and members of the public who joined us in urging the Legislature to provide more funding for transit. The phased 0.2% increase in the employee payroll tax proposed in HB 2025 represents a compromise that will help to protect transit access for tens of thousands of Oregonians, and the OTA hopes that this increase will serve as the starting point in any future legislative work on a transportation package.

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