Free TriMet, Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN service are available New Year's Eve
(Dec. 29, 2025) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is offering discounts on Uber and Lyft rides for New Year's Eve revelers, part of the bureau's on-going push for safe travel. Coupons for $10 off rides will be available for download on the Safe Ride Home New Year's Eve – Welcome to 2026 webpage on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Rides must begin in Portland and are valid from 7 p.m. Dec. 31, 2025 to 4 a.m. Jan. 1, 2026, while supplies last.
PBOT provides the Safe Ride Home Program as a way to curb impaired driving, a top contributing factor to traffic deaths on Portland streets. Seventy percent of deadly crashes in Portland between 2019 and 2023 involved alcohol and/or drug impairment. In that same period, 470 people died or suffered life-altering injuries due to impairment.
Want to get home using public transit instead? Hop on any TriMet bus or MAX or Portland Streetcar after 8 p.m. for free service. C-TRAN will also provide free rides starting at 6 p.m. through the end of the service day.
The Safe Ride Home Program started in 2017 and provides travel options for people celebrating New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day, and Cinco de Mayo. Last year, Safe Ride Home helped over 2,100 partygoers celebrate New Year's Eve in Portland responsibly and get home safely. The Safe Ride Home program is partially funded by the permit charges to taxi companies and the city fee charged for every Uber and Lyft ride in Portland. These fees also pay for safety inspections and the PDX WAV program, which seeks to improve service for people who use a wheelchair or mobility device traveling in Portland.
Nighttime travel is especially dangerous
Incentives for ridesharing will reduce dangerous driving at a risky time for everyone on our streets. New Year's Eve is one of the shortest days of the year, so more people are traveling when it is dark and visibility is limited. Last year, 86% of pedestrian deaths and 83% of all traffic deaths occurred in darker conditions (from dusk to dawn).
Historically, pedestrian crashes increase sharply in the winter months as daylight hours shrink, and more people travel in dark conditions. For 10 years, through 2023, Portland averaged 20 traffic crashes a month involving pedestrians with spikes in December (27), nearly twice as high as in July (14).
PBOT urges everyone to use caution, look out for one another, and practice safe travel behaviors:
- Slow down and travel at or below the speed limit
- Take care when making turns and approaching crosswalks and watch for others
- Always turn on headlights
- Maintain a safe distance between vehicles
- Stay alert and avoid distractions – it's illegal to drive while holding and using a cell phone
- When traveling outside of a motor vehicle, dress as visibly as possible or use a light or safety reflector
Learn more about Vision Zero, the City of Portland's goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on our streets, at www.portland.gov/transportation/vision-zero.
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ThePortland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city's transportation systemand acommunitypartner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage,and maintain an effectiveand safe transportation system that provides accessand mobility.