General Manager Fred Hansen

Fred Hansen was appointed General Manager of TriMet on October 5, 1998. 

General Manager Hansen is recognized as a leader in the transit world, having lectured and participated on panels throughout the U.S. as well as around the world. He has carried the message that land use and transportation must be fully integrated if we are to address global climate change as well as the mobility needs of our citizens. He has been asked to chair the sustainability work on behalf of APTA (American Public Transportation Association) as well as appearing on many other venues dealing with public transportation.

Since becoming General Manager, Hansen has embarked upon an aggressive agenda to expand transit and transportation options in the greater Portland region.  The launching of light rail expansion with the first train to the plane on the West Coast in 2001 (Red Line), followed by the opening of the Interstate line in 2004 (Yellow Line) and the expected Portland Mall/South Corridor line in September of 2009 (Green Line) has resulted in dramatic increases in transit ridership.  General Manager Hansen also created "Frequent Service Bus" lines.  These high quality, frequent, seven-day a week lines carry the bulk of all transit bus riders while utilizing fewer than half of TriMet's bus fleet. 

In addition, Hansen created the "Total Transit System" as one of nine guiding principles covering all investments for TriMet.  This included innovations such as online trip planning, real time bus and train arrival times accessible by cell phone or computer.  The "Total Transit System" also included expanding the number of bus shelters with solar lighting, better customer information at stops, more safe street crossing to access transit stops and the construction of more sidewalks to connect where people live and work.

Recognizing that transit in the greater Portland region is as much about quality of life as it is moving people from point A to point B, Hansen sees investments in transit as transformational infrastructure.  This means that transit investments need to build new, or revitalize existing, neighborhoods, making places where people want to live, work and recreate. 

Prior to his appointment as General Manager, Hansen served as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the number two person appointed by the President charged with protecting the environment, 1994-1998).  Previously, Hansen directed the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality from 1984-1994.  He also served as Oregon's Deputy State Treasurer, Executive Officer of the Peace Corps and as Chief of Staff to a Member of Congress from Oregon.

As an active member in his community and profession, Hansen serves on numerous boards and task forces, including Providence Health System Governing Council – Portland Service Area (Chair), Portland Workplace Diversity Task Force, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland Streetcar, Inc., CALSTART (Chair), and the Eno Foundation Board of Advisors.

A native of Beaverton, Oregon, Hansen attended Sunset High School, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon, earned a master's degree from McMaster University and completed a year of doctoral work at the Johns Hopkins University.