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In October, the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) registered 8.8 million rail and bus trips, down 4.8 percent compared with October 2008, when the agency set a ridership record. The ongoing sluggish economy and a double-digit unemployment rate continued to impact ridership, according to TriMet.

Weekly MAX light-rail, WES commuter-rail and bus trips totaled 2 million, down 3.1 percent. Overall weekday trips declined 3.7 percent to 328,300, weekend trips dipped 0.3 percent to 359,900 and rush-hour trips fell 7.1 percent to 104,800.

During its first full month of operation, the MAX Green Line averaged 17,800 weekday trips and 23,500 weekend trips. Total MAX weekday trips rose 8.7 percent to 121,000, rush-hour trips increased 6.7 percent to 35,900, weekly trips went up 9.2 percent to 763,900 and weekend trips jumped 11 percent to 158,900 compared with October 2008 figures.

Weekly WES trips totaled 5,950 and weekday/rush-hour trips averaged 1,190 boardings.