TriMet says it’s back to collecting fares as usual today.
Earlier this week the Portland-area transit agency waived ticket charges for trains and buses because of delays caused by extreme heat. Trains are still slow today due to higher-than-normal temperatures, and problems are expected to continue until temperatures fall back below about 90 degrees.
We'll be collecting fares as usual (sorry), and trains may slow down due to heat in the afternoon. Thanks for riding!
— TriMet (@trimet) August 4, 2017
TriMet’s public information officer said the MAX system was built for average temperatures in Portland, not extreme weather patterns. Extreme heat can cause the overhead copper wire to droop and can even deform the steel rail tracks.
The transit agency suffered from other technological problems this week that left ticket vending machines unusable and, for a time, took down TriMet emails and the computerized Transit Tracker system.
TriMet also suffered from weather-related delays and outages during the heavy snow and ice of this past winter.