Trimess

Monday, July 11, 2011

TRIMET CONTINUES CONFUSING US WITH ITS MYRIAD TRANSIT PASSES

TriMet: Honored Citizen Downtown Portland Bus Pass

(Thanks to Chris Day for telling us about this because I had no idea this existed)

14 comments:

Jason McHuff said...

Well, it's only in effect in the downtown area (but not in the Lloyd District) and only for people who qualify for the Honored Citizens fares as well as live in the downtown area.

Steve Fung said...

What about all the C-Tran transfers
that I have been accepting as well as the C-Tran passes?It is so confusing.

Jason McHuff said...

C-TRAN transfers are the same as TriMet transfers, and always all-zone. But they do have C-zone and college passes which are not valid on TriMet.

Al M said...

TriMet: Fares (Tickets and Passes)

Confusion or what?

Jason McHuff said...

I didn't say it wasn't confusing. I was just trying Steve's question.

Chris Day said...

it also looks like C-Tran has some type of Triangle sticker that they use as their yearly sticker

Erik H. said...

In what other industry/profession is a single person single handedly all of the below tasks:

1. Customer Service Representative
2. Security Guard
3. Cashier
4. Heavy Equipment Operator
5. Motor Vehicle Operator
6. Radio Operator
7. Public Speaker
8. Personal Assistant

And does so with little or no assistance from other staff?

Operators already have a shitty job. There's absolutely NO reason to justify a complicated and convoluted fare structure. Complicated fares are a known public dissatisfier with public transit (do I have enough change? What if I'm a nickel short? What is a zone? How far will this fare get me?) versus the absolute known cost of a motor vehicle (I know I get 300 miles per gallon on a tank of gas that'll cost me $40, and I have a little gauge in front of me that tells me how much more fuel I have.)

Instead of justifying the system, it should be fixed. It's a known problem. Yet it has been punted and punted and punted down the field for so long...TriMet is far behind the pack when it comes to leading transit agencies across North America and Europe that are making it easier to travel by public transit.

Max said...

Erik:
I agree this is overly complicated. What is your solution to this problem?

Max said...

BTW:
This special HC card was created in response to elderly folks who complained that they lived downtown and used fareless square to run errands/etc. They said having free rail wasn't enough because it didn't go everywhere they needed to go.

This is the bone that TriMet threw them.

Jason McHuff said...

2. Security Guard

Operators aren't trained and certified to do that (though they probably do it to some extent)

4. Heavy Equipment Operator
5. Motor Vehicle Operator


Wouldn't those be the same thing? I mean, isn't the motor vehicle the heavy equipment?

6. Radio Operator

No different than using a telephone. It's not like they have to set up or maintain the equipment.

7. Public Speaker

What task are you thinking of that puts operators in this category? I can't think of any speeches they give.



But (instead of just complaining on Web sites) I actually proposed a simpler and easier-to-understand fare system to TriMet and got a response thanking me for it and saying that they would consider it when they switch to electronic fares (it should be noted that my proposal required replacing the current transfers).

Erik H. said...

But (instead of just complaining on Web sites) I actually proposed a simpler and easier-to-understand fare system to TriMet and got a response thanking me for it and saying that they would consider it when they switch to electronic fares (it should be noted that my proposal required replacing the current transfers).

That's funny. I've suggested stuff to. But I guess only Jason McHuff's opinion matters, and anyone else's opinion doesn't.

The world revolves around Jason McHuff. All hail Jason McHuff, supreme ruler of the world. The rest of us are just peons whose opinions don't care.

Oh, by the way:

2. Yes, Bus Drivers due function as security guards as they must at times enforce rules on the bus, including fares. Are they trained to do it? No. But must they act in the role? Absolutely.

4./5. Do you really want to get in a "whose dick is biggest" competition over sementics?

6. So you're saying that anyone can drive heavy equipment AND operate a radio at the same time? Let's see you do it. Oh, wait, you don't have a driver's license.

7. Bus drivers ARE required to call out stops so that the front of the bus can hear the announcement. It is FEDERAL LAW.

Nedwell said...

The fare/passes mess is due to a desire by Trimet to be loved by the public in all its splinter group forms. Give any loud group a special fare or pass to buy their silence.

Trimet, in its secret management heart, actually doesn't expect operators to effectively sort through all this avalanche of poorly designed paper.

Problem is- give the operators an impossible task and some will kill themselves trying to do it. Others will just give up completely.

Jason McHuff said...

That's funny. I've suggested stuff to

What exactly did you suggest, and to who? What kind of (if any) response did you get? If you want, I'd be willing to share with you the response I got.

But must they act in the role? Absolutely.

And as I said, "they probably do it to some extent". But I would expect a formal security guard to be able to do more, like exclude people. Overseer (teacher-like) might be a better title.

Do you really want to get in a "whose dick is biggest" competition over sementics?

Lets calm down. I was asking an honest question there.

So you're saying that anyone can drive heavy equipment AND operate a radio at the same time?

Operators can pull over to communicate. And, for better or worse, many people do use their telephones and drive at the same time. It's not a specialized skill.

Oh, wait, you don't have a driver's license.

If I wanted one, I fully believe I would have no trouble getting one. But I object to how drivers aren't made to pay for what they use and the problems that causes. And I have found that I am able to do without one.

Bus drivers ARE required to call out stops

But does that amount to "public speaking"? I think of public speakers as those who give long speeches.

Max said...

Erik is right that operators do all of those things to some degree. Jason is right that operators don't do any of those things (except operate the vehicle) to a full degree.

Also thus far Erik has whined about the fare structure without actually putting forward an alternative proposal.