PORTLAND, Ore — In another 2020 anomaly, TriMet won't be offering free rides on New Year's Eve.
It's been a years-long tradition for the public transit service to give fareless bus and MAX rides on the last day of the year starting around 8 p.m., as people celebrate with perhaps a few too many drinks to drive home safely.
In a press release, spokesperson Roberta Altstadt said health experts are urging people to avoid large gatherings for the New Year holiday, and TriMet is joining them by "urging everyone to make safety a priority for this year's celebration."
To help discourage drinking and driving, TriMet is extending service on most MAX lines to about 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. Fares will be required.
"We look forward to 2021 as the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and the gradual return of normalcy, as vaccines roll out and become more widely available," Altstadt said.
To plan a trip in advance, visit TriMet's online Trip Planner.
