 A couple of big things this week: the FTA matched our money dollar for dollar with a check of $100M for the Red Line to the Airport. That's $200M total.
Second, TriMet working with City of Portland has offered a portion of our Menlo Park and Ride lot for temporary housing. The idea is to get people off sidewalks, parks and underpasses and into a safe area with services. It's for community livability and to help people get back on their feet.
 Construction on A Better Red is officially underway!
FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez joined us in breaking ground on the project that will make MAX Red Line – and our entire MAX system – a more convenient and reliable way to get around.
We’ll extend MAX Red Line into Hillsboro and add a second set of tracks to two sections of Red Line between Gateway and PDX. That will help keep trains running on time and increase reliability throughout the MAX system.
 More track improvements are on the way for the MAX system this October. The Lloyd MAX Improvements project will rebuild a section of track just east of the Lloyd Center/NE 11th Ave Station. This will increase reliability while creating a smoother ride.
MAX Blue, Green and Red lines will be disrupted Sunday, Oct. 10 through Saturday, Oct. 23 while crews complete this important work. Learn more at trimet.org/lloyd.
 Working for TriMet is a rewarding experience – you play a vital role in keeping your community moving. Know anyone who wants to do good for a good salary? We just raised starting wages for bus operators by more than $4 an hour to $21.36.
See all our openings at trimet.org.careers.
Once you join Team TriMet, the door opens to other opportunities inside our agency. In fact, 38 people who came to work here as temporary cleaners last summer have found permanent roles with us!
 We’re changing how we deploy the cleaners we hired last year in order to improve the overall cleanliness of our system.
These cleaners had previously been hired to disinfect touch points on our buses, trains and platforms. The CDC now says the risk of contracting the virus from surfaces is low. We will still disinfect vehicles nightly, but by focusing on the overall condition of our trains, buses and stations, our transit system will be more pleasant and welcoming for everyone.
We’re working with Portland Community College and Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center to make it easy for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
We are hosting three vaccine clinics at the Willow Creek/SW 185th Ave Transit Center Park & Ride in October:
- Friday, Oct. 8: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 12: 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 14: 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
No appointment, insurance or ID required, and bilingual support staff will be on hand. Centro Cultural is even handing out $50 Walmart gift cards for receiving a vaccination.
TriMet is partnering with the City of Portland as it works to address the regional houseless crisis.
We're allowing temporary use of part of our under-used Menlo Park Park & Ride for a Safe Rest Village. This will give people who are living in tents on neighborhood sidewalks and parks a place to go, with social services right next door at Central City Concern's Blackburn Center.
 We finally got some rain, and a ‘Desert Rose’ bloomed.
What is believed to be a first-of-its-kind-in-the-world transit vehicle arrived in Portland this week. The 60-foot articulated bus has been fully converted from a diesel to electric power system.
Dubbed “Desert Rose” due to its connection to Phoenix and Portland, the bus served riders in Arizona for more than a decade before we purchased it and made its transformation to electric. Road testing is already underway!
 We’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a special bus. It features Oregon Court of Appeals judge Darleen Ortega, Metro Councilor Juan Carlos González and performance artist Joaquin Lopez, among other inspiring local leaders. It’s one of several unique buses that celebrate the diversity of our community.
 Did you know that to become a MAX operator, you need to first learn how to operate a bus?
After about a year of clean, safe driving, a bus operator can apply to make the switch to trains. Sign up to become a bus operator today!
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