Portland City Council to Vote on Providing Free Transit Passes for 9,000 City Employees

The administration announced that the program would cost the city between $245,000 and $495,000 more than current spending, which equates to approximately $55 per employee. The immediate goal of the pilot is to help employees navigate the five-week southbound Interstate 5 shutdown starting September 11. The city aims to make it easier for workers to maintain staffing levels and keep services running during the repaving project. Long-term, the city intends to use the passes to encourage more employees to use public transit and other modes of transportation. Currently, only about 500 employees participate in the Trip Reduction Incentive Program, which offers a 50% discount. A 2024 survey showed that 80% of employees not currently enrolled in the program would consider participating if transit were fully subsidized.