TriMet will likely cut the frequency and number of trains and buses it runs across the Portland region later this week and the transit agency estimates ridership will plunge more than 45% as officials brace for more people to stay home in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order that people stay home unless absolutely necessary.

But the tri-county transit agency, which typically sees more than 300,000 trips every day, isn’t hinting at a complete shutdown.

In a statement issued roughly two hours following Brown’s order, TriMet said it is classified as an essential service and will keep running trains and buses to help other workers get around the metro area.

“As more restrictions are placed on the daily lives of those in our area and more people follow the stay-at-home directive, we will continue to see fewer and fewer riders using TriMet’s buses and trains,” Roberta Altstadt, a TriMet spokeswoman said in a statement. “However, there are nurses and doctors, social service workers, childcare workers, grocery store employees, first responders, transit employees and others who remain in critical jobs. Many of those rely on transit to get them where they need to go to help people, protect our community and keep the essential services of the community going.”

TriMet has said for more than a week that it would consider service cuts, if necessary.

Now those cuts appear to be more of a when, not if.

And officials are directly urging riders to avoid the system unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“By avoiding unnecessary trips, people help make space for the medical staff, first responders and other essential staff that serve the community and count on TriMet to get where they need to go,” Altstadt said.

King County Metro and Sound Transit, the bus and rail agencies in the Seattle area, cut service back considerably amid the public health crisis in the past week. Seattle area ridership had plunged some 70%, according to the Seattle Times.

Altstadt said TriMet would announce its service cuts later in the week. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757, which represents some 2,800 TriMet employees, has braced for cuts as well.

Last week, the union said it was concerned about the public health ramifications for its workforce and how TriMet was handling sanitation behind the scenes at its own garages and employee break rooms.

TriMet said it expects ridership this week to be down some 45% from the typically February ridership.

But according to a one-day snapshot from last Wednesday, the number of trips was already down 55% from February figures.

Portland Streetcar officials said Monday normal service will continue. “We also serve multiple hospitals and many vital businesses and services in Portland, so we will continue to operate regular service,” the agency said.

-- Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen

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