Case study: TriMet enables same-day paratransit through an innovative partnership

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transit District of Oregon (“TriMet”) is at the heart of Metro Portland’s public transport system. Dedicated to flexible and fair transport, this agency isn’t afraid to think outside the box to keep its customers moving. 

In 2024, TriMet established an innovative partnership with Uber, fleet operator TransDev, and software provider Trapeze, launching an integration that improved their LIFT paratransit service with same-day capabilities. Let’s take a look at this significant step forward. 

Agency goals

• Offer same-day paratransit services 
• Reduce operational costs and burden
• Enhance passenger experience 

How it began

Before the partnership, TriMet’s LIFT paratransit service struggled with inefficiency. Trip management was split between multiple systems. Cancellations and unexpected issues often resulted in a below-par passenger experience, while operational teams were burdened with manual trip coordination and unable to focus on real-time service needs.

TriMet needed a cost-effective solution to streamline operations, improve service quality, and enable same-day bookings. The answer? An innovative three-way partnership that harnessed the power of dedicated fleet operator TransDev, Trapeze’s PASS platform, and Uber’s unrivalled on-demand network. 

“At TriMet, we don’t like doing things the way they’ve always been done. We want to find new and improved ways to better serve our community and create better value for our passengers,” says Eileen Collins-Turvey, TriMet’s Director of Accessible Transport Programmes. “We had an opportunity to serve our [paratransit] journeys on the same day, if we could get the information integrated. This partnership has become magic.”

Launching with LIFT+

In April 2024, TriMet launched LIFT+, a flexible alternative to the traditional LIFT service. Through this programme, TriMet LIFT riders can choose to have eligible journeys fulfilled by Uber. 

The process is straightforward: riders book journeys through LIFT’s web platform or TriMet’s call centre. TriMet then decides whether each journey is best served by LIFT’s dedicated vehicles or an Uber trip. If an Uber is assigned, riders receive a text or phone call from Uber with journey details, including driver information, vehicle make and model, and estimated arrival time. 

This approach meets paratransit riders where they are, rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all model. The LIFT+ programme enables TriMet to expand its fleet and increase driver capacity, ensuring reliable service during near-constant high demand periods. By offloading certain journeys to non-dedicated vehicles, TriMet streamlines operations and enhances convenience for riders and operators.

“Through the LIFT+ programme with Uber,  we can choose the most appropriate journey for our riders based on what they've selected as journey options. [Riders] can see and communicate about exactly when [their] vehicle is arriving—it’s not just, ‘Here’s a 30-minute window and you have to guess when in that 30 minutes your vehicle's coming.’ People can wait safely inside, or they can wait at the kerb if they wish. We like to think about the dignity of choice for our riders, and this programme gives them that.” — Eileen Collins-Turvey, Director of Accessible Services, TriMet

Scheduling made effortless

With Uber’s full API integration with Trapese PASS TripBroker, intelligent scheduling takes place within a single system, making trip management effortless. TripBroker’s Uber Plug-in makes scheduling decisions based on rider profiles, on-demand requests, trip efficiency and fleet capacity—then automatically assigns trips to Uber’s network when needed. The plug-in also adapts to issues such as cancellations and delayed rides, rescheduling trips instantly.

“Our plug-in with Uber makes everything seamless. Dispatchers no longer have to worry about managing those journeys, sending faxes, calling agencies, and so on,” says Gina Angiollo, Client Success Manager at Trapeze. “Riders don’t have to use ten different apps or call ten different numbers.”

“What we [at Trapeze] were hearing from agencies, as well as [paratransit] riders, was the need and desire for an Uber-like experience. We said, why shouldn't they have an Uber-like experience? So we spoke to Uber, and now they have that Uber-like experience. That's where the integration and partnership are important—to be able to give our riders what they deserve.” — Gina Angiollo, Client Success Manager, Trapeze

Consolidated reporting enables TriMet administrators to monitor data across dedicated and non-dedicated fleets, providing complete visibility into trip activity and programme performance. 

How it’s going 

Since the partnership began, TriMet has completed over 47,300 trips with Uber—while achieving significant cost savings. “Before [this partnership], our cost per trip was $78. Now, we’ve reduced that to $54,” says Collins-Turvey. “When we return to pre-COVID service in about a year, that’s $20 million that [we’ll] be saving.” 

As well as streamlining operations, the partnership has significantly improved the rider experience. LIFT users now benefit from same-day flexibility and ease of planning, enabling them to travel to medical appointments, work, family commitments, and more across Metropolitan Portland. 

“The ultimate aim is for our customers to feel seen, heard and valued,” notes Collins-Turvey. “We want to bring that sense of value to the service. It’s not just a journey. It’s a good journey. It’s a comfortable journey. It’s a meaningful journey that’s on time, safe, [and] reliable— and we achieve that through our partnership [with Uber.]” 

“In the past, when you would simply send trips over the fence with no visibility until days later,  [then] you'd receive an invoice and hopefully try to reconcile it through some post-trip data process. [With this partnership with Uber and Trapeze], there are significant efficiencies from an operational perspective, a model for many providers, but also real-time benefits for our passengers.” — John Lewis, General Manager, TransDev North America

Looking forward

For Collins-Turvey, the partnership is a model for the future of transport: “It’s a win for everyone—our contractors, our riders, the agency, our technology partners. And there aren't many scenarios where everyone gets to win. We’re trying to build a world-class system at TriMet and help [others] learn from where we left off. Let’s work more closely together to build on what we’ve learned together.” 

In numbers

Agency stats*

• Number of trips on Uber: 47,300+
• Average trip distance on Uber: 12.5 miles 
• Average wait time on Uber: <1 min

Service area

• 533 square miles

Agency cost

• Average cost per trip: $22.75

More information

If you’re interested in enhancing your service offerings with Uber Transit, please visit uber.com/transit.

*Uber data as of 29 May 2026.