Trimess

Saturday, May 28, 2011

WalMart Transit System

http://www.flickr.com/photos/janet/5393902862/

I saw this bus (or one just like it) for the first time today on S.E. Holgate Boulevard headed towards the Eastport Plaza WalMart.  There are signs at the store entrance telling customers to call a toll-free number for shuttle info, but no other info - no brochures or anything inside the store.

Love or hate WalMart, I have to appreciate their ingenuity to bring customers to their store...especially in a city that claims to be so transit-friendly, WalMart is going out of their way to provide an additional service and bringing customers right to the front door instead of TriMet's 72 bus whose stop is 1,140 feet away (for the northbound stop, add another 270 feet for the southbound stop), or 1,170 feet away from the eastbound 17 stop (however the westbound 17 stop is a mere 540 feet away).  Of course, no idea who actually operates the bus, or how much the Operators get paid...

9 comments:

Max said...

Actually the stops are just ~10 feet away, but WalMart chose to put a 1000ft parking lot between the street and their front door. That's hardly TriMet's fault.

In fact, if you go to a less-moronic business like Fred Meyer on 39th & Hawthorne; you'll see that the 75 stops just 15 feet away from the front door because they put an entrance right on the street and the parking lot in the back (duh).

Al M said...

So this shuttle doesn't actually take people to the front door?

And I hate wal mart, never shop there!

Jason McHuff said...

but WalMart chose to put a 1000ft parking lot between the street and their front door

As well as position the main doors away from the closest street.

or how much the Operators get paid...

Hmm. I thought you didn't care what people got paid. Specifically that you dislike others saying that they [people] cannot shop at WalMart when it works for them, in other words you dislike people not being able to choose, say, employing slaves if "it works for them". How do you think it makes people like Al think that you believe they should be subject to the whims of what the employer wants to pay instead of having government, and maybe union, protections?

Overall, the service is no different than what many retirement homes provide. And BTW, I see you haven't responded to my e-mail showing that you were wrong about Green Line funding.

Jason McHuff said...

One other related thing:

I know you've complained about how Line 76 was rerouted in Tualatin further from the Fred Meyer store (so it could serve the WES station). However, the distance to the new stops isn't any farther than the distance between the Hollywood West Free Meyer and the eastbound Line 73/77 stop.

Erik H. said...

Actually the stops are just ~10 feet away, but WalMart chose to put a 1000ft parking lot between the street and their front door. That's hardly TriMet's fault.

That's because there are other businesses there...should those businesses be hidden from view off of the prime transportation corridor?

As well as position the main doors away from the closest street.

Well, they could have positioned the doors next to S.E. 86th Avenue...but who travels down 86th Avenue?

I thought you didn't care what people got paid

You can think all you want Jason, because you don't take the time to open up that metal skull of yours. Why don't you stop making ASSumptions about people and listen?

All I did was state a question. I did not state an opinion. But, that's what happens when you make an ASS(umption) (of yourself).

the service is no different than what many retirement homes provide.

Is WalMart a retirement home? No. Does Freddy's offer this service? No. Does Target offer this service? No. Does Pioneer Place, IKEA, H&M, Lowe's, Home Depot, Costco, Clackamas Town Center, Washington Square, Safeway, Albertson's, New Seasons, Whole Foods, etc. offer this service? No.

But, then again, what can I expect from someone that makes an ASS(umption).

I see you haven't responded to my e-mail showing that you were wrong about Green Line funding.

What e-mail? What was I wrong about?

I know you've complained about how Line 76 was rerouted in Tualatin further from the Fred Meyer store (so it could serve the WES station). However, the distance to the new stops isn't any farther than the distance between the Hollywood West Free Meyer and the eastbound Line 73/77 stop.

What the hell are you talking about? Free Meyer? Hollywood West? 73/77 stop?

So, let's see. Eastbound 76 stop to Freddy's is 1,285 feet for the stop at Warm Springs and Martinazzi, or 2,396 feet for the stop at Boones Ferry & Martinazzi (which requires a dangerous crossing of Tualatin-Sherwood Road.)

Westbound 73/77 stop for Hollywood West is 735 feet or 876 feet for the eastbound stop.

You're short 400 feet. Did you make an ASS(umption) on your calculation?

Jason McHuff said...

That's because there are other businesses there

It's true that there's not just the parking lot between the store and 82nd. But what about putting the other stores on a second level above (or vice versa)?

Well, they could have positioned the doors next to S.E. 86th Avenue

They could have positioned the doors on the same side of the building but towards the south, Holgate end. Though it's true that it would mean a farther walk to/from other stores in the shopping center.

but who travels down 86th Avenue?

Some people do. There are houses and other places down that way. But I thought the idea was to place the doors closest to the bus stop.

I did not state an opinion

"I appreciate that statement very much." sounds like an opinion to me. (That was in reply to "I believe we are all welcome to make our own choices and vote with our wallets. That's one of many american ways.") So does "But I dislike others saying that they cannot shop at WalMart when it works for them".

Both of which can be re-written as "I believe people should be allowed choose businesses that pay poorly (as in not enough for the employees to be able to provide for their families without government assistance)".

Does Freddy's [or many other stores] offer this service?

What's to stop them from doing it? They, too, could have the mobile advertising, PR value, and increased sales. Spirit Mountain Casino provides extensive transportation to bring people in.

And some of those places have programs that provide a comparable service but the opposite way, bringing the goods home to the people. And some of them are specifically for the elderly and disabled, like STORE TO DOOR OF OREGON.

What was I wrong about?

Wasn't it you that claimed (on the way to Gresham) that funding for the Green Line came from property taxes? And I know that Al got the same e-mail and read it all the way to the bottom.

76 stop to Freddy's is 1,285 feet for the stop

I'd like to see evidence of that calculation. Using measure tool in the TriMet Interactive Map, I get about 950 feet from the store entrance on the southwest side to the Line 76 to Beaverton stop on Warm Springs. And about 850 feet from the eastbound stop at NE Broadway & 32nd to 30th and down to the entrance on the northern corner. So, at most, its a 100 foot difference--half a small block.

Anonymous said...

WalMart SUCKS period! Shopping there is like taking money from a loan shark, you save a few pennies now to sell out your future.

Cora Potter said...

As a result of the Lents Neighborhood Assoc's lobbying, with additional help from the Mayor's office, Walmart will be adding a south entrance, right off Holgate adjacent to the westbound stop for the 17, when they build their expansion.

Ride Connection in partnership with MFS also have operated a shopping shuttle for older adults and people with disabilities, that stops at Walmart (as well as FM and any other store at Eastport or nearby) every Thursday, for three years.

Chris Smith said...

I saw one of the Walmart shuttles on the transit mall a few weeks ago.