It could get noisy along Portland rails and roadways at noon Thursday, though for a good cause.

TriMet and Amtrak are participating in “Sound The Horn”, a campaign of solidarity to honor transportation workers and others involved essential employees during the coronavirus outbreak.

Operators of buses, light rail and trains will sound their horns twice at noon as the campaign’s centerpiece. It is a coordinated nationwide effort, as modes of public transportation in the Eastern time zone will sound horns at 3 p.m.

As long as it’s safe to do so, TriMet will honk horns twice on its buses, MAX, WES commuter rail, and LIFT vehicles. Amtrak will participate in a similar manner with its trains going throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. A TriMet spokesperson said that operators would not sound their horns if they were in a place in their route where it would be unsafe.

The plan is for all transportation providers to sound their horns at precisely the same time.

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“I’m grateful for this opportunity to recognize and thank essential employees working throughout Oregon’s transportation system,” ODOT Director Kris Strickler said in a statement. “These individuals are on the front-line, providing critical services to help us get through the COVID-19 challenges. By joining with others across the country in this campaign, we’re making our message loud and clear: ‘We couldn’t do it without you.’”

Sound The Horn is encouraging community members to promote the campaign by posting videos on social media and using the hashtags #SoundTheHorn and #Heroesmovingheroes.

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