(Portland, OR) -- Spitting on a TriMet employee can get you banned from the transit system for life. It's one of several new changes the TriMet Board has approved. The new rules take effect February 25th. Spitting on someone is already a crime, and TriMet has now included it as an offense that can get a long-term exclusion. The Board is also prohibiting police from checking fares. In 2018, TriMet removed criminal penalties for not having fare. The Board also dropped criminal penalties for possessing a small amount of drugs or drug use. People can get a citation or an exclusion for drug use or possession.