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TriMet will offer fareless bus and train service to warming shelters during the upcoming snowstorm and cold snap, local officials announced Friday.
“We will not turn away anyone traveling to and from a warming site who is unable to pay fare,” says TriMet spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt. “People should let the bus operator know they’re going to or from a warming site.”
Forecasters say Portland is likely to get more than 2 inches of snow between Dec. 25 and 27, followed by temperatures staying below freezing for much of the week. Those are especially dangerous conditions for people living outdoors.
After great feedback about our possible range of snow amounts graphic posted yesterday, here is an updated one with several locations across the forecast area, including some that may impact travel. Still a large range due to part of this storm being convective.#WAwx #ORwx pic.twitter.com/oPyA2ezYdJ
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) December 24, 2021
Altstadt says the free transit service is not a one-time decision: It’s part of a policy change the regional transit agency made following criticism of how it handled heat waves last summer.
“TriMet has developed a policy that when a state of emergency is declared in our service area due to extreme weather and shelters are being opened, our general manager may declare that TriMet will not collect fare from riders traveling to or from a cooling or warming site and are unable to pay fare,” Altstadt tells WW. “This policy was established in August as TriMet and others looked at lessons learned from the extreme heat wave.”
That switch follows intense criticism of TriMet in July, when the agency said it would offer free rides only if temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit. TriMet swiftly rescinded that standard, and has now set a policy of free fare to shelter during a state of emergency. (Gov. Kate Brown, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury all declared states of emergency effective Dec. 24.)
Warming shelter locations can be found here. Any weather disruptions to bus and train service will be announced here.
People with housing instability may not be the only Portlanders needing a warm place in the coming week. Pacific Power and Portland General Electric have urged customers to prepare for power outages from wind and heavy, wet snow.
“Winter storms can cause issues that lead to power outages,” said Justin Bukartek, director of emergency management at Pacific Power, in a Dec. 24 statement. “We are always prepared to respond with crews ready to repair damage as fast as possible to reduce the amount of time any customer is without service.”
On Thursday, Kafoury said local utilities pledged not to shut off electricity or gas service for nonpayment until Jan. 3.