Trimess

Monday, September 30, 2013

Actually I have been out of town

In Colorado Springs to be exact where the weather is gorgeous.
Embedded image permalink 
Embedded image permalink

A READER WRITES

 Slow weekend for blogging on your part, eh? That was a good re post of HB's comment tho. Still hard to believe that  GM McF got away with with those Tricky Dick Nixon maneuvers, doubling the rainy day fund and giving hidden bonuses to the top 50 managers then claiming a budget crisis. HB is right on point and apparently the Union and public outcry was not loud enough to hold him accountable.





"I am not a crook" Neil Mcfarlane explains

A DRIVER WRITES

Al check out the new schedule & route for the 47 line. 15 minute service most of the day & just to orenco station. You carry none. Its meant to appease intel I guess. While the 57 goes from 15 prior sept 2012 to 20min prior sept 2013 to 23 & 25 now. Very interesting!  Please do all the work & risk ur lively hood & get these basturds

Sunday, September 29, 2013

'HB' ON THE TRIMET STATEGIC PLAN

"Should TriMet create a separate reserve fund"
They did that before with the "Contingency fund" and had $20 million stored there, while claiming to have a $14 million in shortfall, while cutting service, while taking a 3% raise for the top 50 (all non-union of course) wage earners, while blaming the union contract for the shortfall (made up all that), while continuing to expand beyond the capacity of Portland metro area, while ridership falls, while spending UN-godly like sums on the newest and liability ridden items, while ignoring the constant complaints from those riders, while robbing the union pensions to pay for the "many" shiny things, while can't keep a dime to their name, while beholden to WallSteet and Shareholders' call for return on their investments, while......WELL YOU GET THE POINT.
HB

Friday, September 27, 2013

ANOTHER OPERATOR ASSAULTED

That's two today!

DISPATCH HERE

NICK GETS NO SATISFACTION

TRIMET from al m on Vimeo.

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
frick kitten @fetalkitty
I hate Trimet so much right now I could cry. I'm about to feel very irrational.

TRIMET PULLED ANOTHER ONE OVER THE PUBLICS EYES

Oh Trimet management, you wonderful devious slobs, we love how you just love to pull the wool over the eyes of your beloved public.
Before the ticket printers everyone on buses got transfers, You either got one or two hours from the end of the line.
Then the wonderful printers came into being (at the cost of several million dollars) and somehow the Trimet code got amended, nobody knew about the change in trimet code until today!
They just snuck it right through. Basically that wonderful board of directors, composed of the elites of the Portland scene, decided they would rip off riders yet again. No more time from end of line, you get the transfer from the time you get on. Too bad if the bus gets stuck, or breaks down, you, the rider lose again.
Sorry, but that is HOW THEY ROLL

AT TRIMET ONLY EXECUTIVES ARE ALLOWED TO ROB THE BANK

Fred is smiling for a reason, he's RICH off Trimet
Nobody is complaining  about Fred Hansen's life of luxury after only working at Trimet for 10 years. $16,000 a month apparently is ok with everybody. Or Mcfarlanes $221,000 a year salary ($106/hr) Or the fact that both David Auxier and Bob Nelson already getting big fat pensions are allowed the luxury of double dipping the tax payers are getting richer and richer. See those people are 'insiders' and get the advantage that nobody else can have
But decent health insurance for current and retired employees, NO WAYYYY!
See only the executives are allowed to rip off the tax payers, everybody else has to eat shit and die

THAT WONDERFUL PHONE APP IS MAKING PLENTY OF PEOPLE MISERABLE

TRIMET OLIGARCHS COME UP WITH THEIR USUAL BULLSHIT

They are ripping off riders, end of discussion, read their lame ass excuse:

Implementing the bus ticket printers was not a fare hike, rather it was an operational improvement

Trimet lame ass shit here

TRIMET'S PHONY 'STRATEGIC PLAN'

Gawd love these bureaucrats,  I hate to say it but they are brilliant. Their last attempts at bashing their employees pretty much failed miserably, so they are approaching this from another angle, and their title for this is THE STRATEGIC FINANCIAL PLAN.

Look closely at the 'priorities' they list:

TRIMET BUS DRIVER ASSAULTED

DISPATCH HERE

ROBERTA ALDSTADT DOESN'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT TRIMET RULES

Ticket printers rip off riders

The readers of this blog already knew that of course.

Members of the local bus rider's union say the change did something else: It cut the value of a weekend bus transfer by an hour.

And organizers with Bus Riders Unite say that amounts to a quiet fare hike for TriMet's poorest riders in East Portland, who are no longer able to travel downtown and back on a single $2.50 bus transfer.

"They're stealing our precious time," says Nicole Johnson, youth organizer for OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, which runs Bus Riders Unite.

WILLY WEEK HERE! 

 Joe Rose Here

MERLO MARS HAS TO RETIRE

Mars Bringas, one of the more colorful characters to drive a Trimet bus is now retired after 32 years  It appears he was given an offer he couldn't refuse!

Mars gets an offer he can't refuse from al m on Vimeo.

COMMENTS ON TRIMET'S FACEBOOK POST ON RESTORING 'FREQUENT' SERVICE


HOW TO KILL THE STREETCAR

Some people argue the money being spent on the streetcar could be going to other transportation priorities, from bike lanes to potholes.
To help fill the streetcar revenue gap, board members are discussing a fare hike. One option would take a ticket from $1 to $2.50 — the same as a TriMet two-hour ticket.
While the goal is to increase revenue, a fare hike may hurt ridership. In June 2011, when the streetcar began charging for tickets, ridership decreased despite the opening of a new eastside line.
“Increasing the price can always make ridership go down,” Gustafson said. “There is well-documented information about that.”

Do people ride if Streetcar fare rises? | KOIN.com

State treasurer Ted Wheeler knows the whole reborn CRC is a bunch of hooey

Under an Oregon-led scenario, Oregon would be responsible for the collection of tolls, so I cannot over-state the importance of a legally enforceable tolling agreement with Washington that includes clear authority for Oregon to establish tolls, surcharges and late fees over the life of the bonds.
These agreements must withstand economic and political changes over three decades. These provisions must be satisfied before an Oregon-led project could be considered financially viable.
Wheeler Kicks CRC Can Down the Road

Virtually impossible to stop the light rail mafia

The funny thing about light rail to Vancouver is that a Vancouver to Portland connection by light rail actually does make sense. The green line, this new orange line are examples of wasting money on boondoggle projects that are not really necessary. But a light rail connection to Vancouver? Logical.  It's no surprise that there is so much resistance to it. People object to Trimet, and they have every right to do that. Trimet is a rouge agency with an obscenely overpaid executive staff than runs roughshod over everyone who opposes them. It's completely understandable why there is so much opposition to them.

The C-Tran Board of Directors on Thursday approved a hastily prepared plan to operate light rail in Vancouver as part of the Columbia River Crossing.
The 5-4 vote allows C-Tran to move forward on a set of draft agreements with TriMet under the proposed Interstate 5 Bridge replacement. That includes a plan to pay C-Tran’s annual share of financing a light rail extension to Clark College.
The vote came over strong objections by Clark County Commissioner David Madore and other CRC opponents on the board and in the audience. It also came after some confusion, as actual copies of the resolution — summarizing a proposal made public earlier this week — were passed out minutes before the vote was taken.
“I hardly know what to say. This is about the most stupid thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Madore said. “Big decisions of this magnitude, this is not the way you make them.
C-Tran board approves light rail financing plan | The Columbian

TRIMET PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN SCREWED UP SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF FRED HANSEN

Thursday, September 26, 2013

TRIMET OPEN DATA SEMINAR

We have a weak audio of that meeting if you're interested

TRIMET SERVICE SURVEY

No I did not take the survey, nothing there that would benefit me. No equity in this proposal at all

Feedback: Frequent Service Restoration Survey

OUR OLD PAL CAMERON JOHNSON

We miss seeing him around.

THE MCFARLANE GANG

Mcfarlanes million dollar staff sitting  behind him at the last board meeting, there were more 6 figure executives to the right that are not in this shot


This whole strategic plan is a ruse


Trimet director Stovall just can't get to the point

The guy just has to go on and on and on

LOOK AT THIS TRIMET PROPAGANDA

It's incredible! It's a constant bombardment of ongoing propaganda coming out of there! Their influence is HUGE!

FOR REAL

Tailgating at the Portland State/Cal Poly football game

Good times at the Kingston

CLASSIC TWEETS

Nice historical post by Trimet

Red fish. Purple raindrop. Green leaf. Which one did you ride? | How We Roll

ATLANTIC CITIES DEBUNK THE NOTION THAT LIGHT RAIL SPURS INVESTMENT

So what's the lesson here? Well, the basic takeaway is that cities seeking TOD investments should build that desire around a strong plan for government intervention first and foremost, then identify a corridor with great potential as a secondary act. The type or quality of the transit system itself need only be a third consideration; indeed, ITDP concludes that light rail, BRT, and streetcars "all led to similar TOD investment outcomes under similar conditions."

The Surprising Key to Making Transit-Oriented Development Work - Eric Jaffe - The Atlantic Cities

What the hell does this have to do with Trimet, really

TriMet cop shows Texas couple a little Portland hospitality

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
Manuel Magaña @manuel_mg
@HoracePhairy aeroplane itinerary confirmed. is TriMet still fucked?













































TRIMET SCREWS UP THE ALERT

TriMet thinks Line 77 stops at the NE 60th Ave MAX Station.  It actually stops a little ways north.

Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 7:38 AM
Subject: Service Alert: Elevators out at 42nd Ave and 82nd Ave MAX stations

Elevators at Hollywood TC/42nd Ave and 82nd Ave MAX stations are not working. Those reliant on elevators can take Line 77 buses between the 60th Ave MAX station and the 42nd Ave or 82nd Ave stations.

Unsubscribe or change settings
trimet.org · m.trimet.org
503-238-RIDE (7433)
TriMet: See where it takes you TriMet on FacebookTriMet on TwitterTriMet on YouTubeTriMet on Flickr
1800 SW 1st Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201

DAN THE BUS DRIVER MAN

ADVICE FOR THE INCOMPETENT TRIMET HR DEPARTMENT

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A CAREER AT TRIMET AWAITS YOU!

Work in the agency that publicly  calls you UNSUSTAINABLE!
Watch the movie below to find out what your missing by not being a Trimet bus driver!

MCFARLANE WONT BE HAPPY TILL HE DECIMATES TRIMET DRIVERS MEDICAL COVERAGE

Mcfarlane could never perform the duties of a bus driver.
Watch this video and see if you could handle this job. This is actually the dispatch call that ended up ending my career at Trimet. While the public can post this sort of thing Trimet employees cannot. When you work at Trimet you agree to give up your civil rights

DISCUSSION WITH LANE ABOUT TODAYS BOARD MEETING

THE TRIMET YOU DON'T READ ABOUT

I know I know, people are tired of hearing me complain about Trimet but this stuff is important.
It's hard to open the eyes of some people but the truth is TRIMET has plenty of money for all the things the executives want, like rehabbing buildings and giving themselves raises, but when it comes to a three hour transfer or increasing bus service they have to 'dig' for it. In the item below you see they were able to come up with $9 million for the dumb 'moving together' project which includes this little line item: "professional services". Some nice bonus for one of their cronies I am sure.


THE COMPLETE TRIMET BOARD OF SOCK PUPPETS MEETING


THANK GOD I AM DONE PUTTING UP WITH TRIMET BULLSHIT

This year’s training is set to begin on October 28th.
“TriMet’s core value is safety and it guides each decision we as an agency make, and it needs to guide each decision our operators make on the streets,” says TriMet Executive Director of Safety, Security and Environmental Services Harry Saporta.(AKA HARRY 'THE HACK' SAPPORTA)
The goals and objectives of the annual recertification are to:
  • promote safety,
  • encourage exceptional customer service,
  • reinforce/update standard operating procedures and driving and ADA laws,
  • increase caution around pedestrians and cyclists.
Trainers and fellow operators will accompany an operator on the road to evaluate his/her abilities and provide coaching. Each of our operators will then go through a driving skills assessment. The skills assessment is based on the same standards as the Oregon Commercial Driver’s License testing with additional elements unique to transit

TriMet bus operators retrain, recertify with focus on safety and customer service | TriMet News and Media Releases.

THE WONDERFUL TRIMET PHONE APP AND THE FARE NAZI'S

Well. I just witnessed some poor guy on the MAX get hassled by ticketing enforcement as he begged them to please let him get to a work meeting. From what I saw/heard the app had crashed on his phone & the ticket wasn't showing. He pretty obviously had paid his fare beforehand & validated. He got cited. Enforcement obviously didn't care about there being a legitimate issue.
Damn I am glad I don't bother with the new app. Yeesh. 

Be really careful using the new TRIMET ticket app. : Portland

Decent article on the Trimet drop in ridership

TriMet ridership declined 5 percent over summer, even as more workers took WES | OregonLive.com



Still, she said, total recorded bus rides of just under 60 million during fiscal year 2013, which ended June 30, was almost exactly the same as the year before.

As for the increase in WES ridership, TriMet said the relocation of the Stream Global Services call center to Wilsonville played a major role.

Stream offered a 100 percent commuter benefit subsidy for the first 6 months of the relocation from Beaverton, TriMet said.

TRIMET OVERPAID EXECS CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THEY ARE LOSING RIDERSHIP

OPALS JARED FRANZ SAYS HE'S INSULTED WHEN OFFICE PEOPLE TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM


SHAMELESS PROPAGANDA ABOUT A LITTLE TRAIN THAT CARRIES NOBODY

TriMet's commuter rail reaches record ridership | TriMet News and ...
WES ridership jumps 10.3 percent during summer quarter; Systemwide ridership down for the quarter. WES Commuter Rail ridership set a record this past ...
news.trimet.org/.../trimets-commuter-rail-reaches-record-riders...

LANE SPEAKS ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE RETIREES

And he blasts the nepotism involved with the Auxier family

BRUCE WARNER ENDS UP APOLOGIZING TO LANE JENSEN

And Lane questions Trimet priorities

LANE JENSEN SAYS MAKE BUSES RELIABLE BEFORE ADDING FREQUENCY


TRIMET BRAGS ABOUT ITS PUNY WES RIDERSHIP

 WES Commuter Rail ridership set a record this past quarter with weekly ridership jumping 10.3 percent compared to 2012. WES averaged 1,930 (800 riders per day round trip is nothing to brag about) rides per weekday during the summer quarter (June through August). Additionally, weekend bus ridership saw minor gains.
TriMet’s commuter rail reaches record ridership | TriMet News and Media Releases

The hijacking of public transit funds for real estate developers

Study: TriMet MAX Blue Line nation's top transit system for spurring development | OregonLive.com

ATTENTION CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES

Trimet is planning on cutting your medical benefits by 50%! That's huge and should not go unchallenged. The greed monger executives, who have no problem handing themselves raises while screwing the public and their employees are attempting to decimate their previous contractual obligations.Wake up and smell the coffee. This has been brought to the your attention numerous times now. From the Trimet 'strategic financial plan' (code for 'how we plan to screw our workforce)

Funny how Fred Hansen's $16k a month pension is sustainable but the people that do the actual work is unsustainable.


LANE JENSEN DOING MORE FOR TRIMET TRANSPARENCY THAN ONE 6 FIGURE EXECUTIVE


Trimet ridership still falling

Bucking national trends Trimet ridership is actually going down. This time they can't blame it completely on the loss of fare less square as even bus ridership has decreased. Where is the media on reporting this trend that has gone on for quite awhile now.

In the real world people get fired when their performance is lacking, at Trimet bad management gets raises. Oh yea WES ridership is up, but there ridereship on that is so low that it really shouldn't be counted at all but you know HOW THEY ROLL.


TRIMET SOCK PUPPETS MEETING TODAY

Another scripted stage show starring Portland's power elite where they hand out millions and millions of dollars without barely
 a question. It's pathetic.
  What you do see there is the real Trimet, and it has nothing to do with transit.

TriMet Board of Directors Meetings

Board Meeting

Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 9 a.m.

Location 

Portland Building

Room C
1120 SW 5th Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
Agenda

COINCIDENCE OR ANOTHER PROPAGANDA PUSH


Portland has once again become the 'talk of the industry', this time its about the amount of 'investment' that the blue line has encouraged.

Interesting this comes out after the uproar in Washington state about the Trimet light rail programs. Citizens of the greater Portland area are pretty fed up with Trimet BS cutting services but installing light rail . Can't fool the public forever.

The Blue Line — TriMet’s light rail route from Gresham to Hillsboro  — attracted the biggest real estate investments of any surface transit system in the country, according to a new study.

The study doesn't mention the decimation of Trimet bus service, nor does it mention that Trimet is bucking national trends and actually losing ridership.

Handing public money to facilitate developers is how our government has been hijacked by special interest. Trimet is no longer a transit service, but a real estate development company. Everybody involved with Trimet gets rich along the way, but the poor citizens that actually need transit eat shit, hey, its the American way. The rich get richer and the poor, well, you know how that story ends.

Study: Portland's 'Blue Line' Attracts Most Investment Of U.S. Transit Projects - WNYC

Years after Steve Fung recommended it, Trimet is considering 'clean fuel'

And it would be the Merlo Garage that would have the honor of having the natural gas buses housed there.        Steve Fung gives advice on purchasing buses 


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

20 million to renovate a building, 2 million to provide bus 'improvements'

Trimet priorities are definitely not transit related no matter what the propaganda machine tries to pump

Resolution 13-09-57 Authorizing a Modification to the Contract with Hoffman Construction Company of Oregon for Renovation of the Center Street Building - Res_13-09-57.pdf

WES is still a joke

STOVAL LIKES TESLA'S


Another lane jensen creative picture

Definitely not work safe HERE!

TRIMET PLANNERS ALWAYS THINK BIG

Where they are going to get the funds to double service in 20 years when they have said previously they were going to cut service  by 70%

Seen on Facebook


Tigard voters will decide if they should approve high-capacity transit

Tigard voters will decide if they should approve high-capacity transit | OregonLive.com

Tigard residents are poised to vote on whether the city should oppose a high-capacity transit corridor, accommodating the likes of a MAX line or a bus rapid transit system. The citizen-initiated measure received the necessary 4,122 signatures to go on the March 11 ballot. Chief petitioner, Arthur Crino, fell 46 votes shy of enough signatures to put a similar measure on the 2012 ballot.

This comes amid the Southwest Corridor Plan, a Metro-led regional planning effort to improve transportation connections between Portland and the cities to its southwest. Under this plan, government agencies are studying potentially bringing light rail or a rapid bus system from Portland to Tigard. The latest measure goes beyond the anti-light rail measures approved by voters elsewhere in the Portland-area. It prohibits Tigard from amending its comprehensive plan or land use regulations to accommodate either a new light rail line or high-capacity bus system, unless voters approve with a pricetag and change in road capacity and housing density explained.
But in August 2012, Tigard already updated its land use regulations with high-capacity transit in mind. City Manager Marty Wine said earlier this summer she wasn't sure how the measure, if passed, would affect those plans.
Tigard voters did approve a measure last year requiring a public vote on increased taxes or fees to pay for light rail.
Councilors will vote on formally referring the measure to the ballot at its Tuesday night meeting. Check back oregonlive.com/tigard Wednesday morning for more information.

DAN THE BUS DRIVER MAN




It turns out Trimet didn't break the law on notices

They published the required notice at the required time, just not on line which is curious since most people learn about public meetings on line not through the cumbersome legal notices section of the newspaper.

'ART TECHNICIAN' IS 'MISSION CRITICAL' TO TRANSIT OPERATIONS

NumberFO140289JB
TitleArt Technician Services
Bids Due Date/Time10/07/2013 2:00:00 PM Pacific
ContactJackie Blyn
Tel (503) 962-2218
Fax 503-962-2298
blynj@trimet.org
Solicitation TypeFormal Quote
DescriptionRequest for Formal Quotes for an Art Technician

TriMet: Bidding Opportunities

JUST LOOK AT HOW MUCH $$$ GOES OUT THE DOOR FOR SUB CONTRACTS

I like the 'on call market research services', all sorts of nonsense there, millions and millions and not a drop for bus service

DO TRIMET MANAGERS DO ANYTHING AT ALL?

Why is it necessary to contract out this? This should be an internal function.

NumberRS140280BW
TitleTriMet Continuity of Operations Plan
Bids Due Date/Time 10/14/2013 2:00:00 PM Pacific
Contact Brian Woodall
Tel (503) 962-3055
Fax (503) 962-2298
woodallb@trimet.org
Solicitation Type Request for Proposal
Description The Tri-County Metropolitan transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) invites sealed proposals for a TriMet Continuity of Operations Plan  

TriMet: Bidding Opportunities

WTF IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE?

Trimet always has millions and millions to fund all sorts of things, except actual transit.

NumberRO140267JF
TitleBuy America Audit and Vehicle Inspection Services
Bids Due Date/Time 10/18/2013 2:00:00 PM Pacific
Contact Jim Fronk
Tel (503) 962-4953
Fax (503) 962-2298
fronkj@trimet.org
Solicitation Type Request for Proposal
Description The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) requests proposals from qualified firms interested in providing Buy America Audit and Vehicle Inspection Services.
TriMet: Bidding Opportunities

TRANSIT IS FOR DEVELOPERS NOT RIDERS

So says THIS report which says blue line and streetcar was a developers dream come true.

Another Oregon rail system came out well in the new report: the Portland Streetcar was among the country's most cost-effective transit systems, with a $41 return per transit dollar spent.

Monday, September 23, 2013

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ALREADY?

The app hasn't been up for even a month yet

RUMORS

There is talk amongst the drivers that the union has agreed to union members paying %50 of the medical. I'm not sure what that means but its scary if they agreed to that.

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
Why do I keep giving Trimet a chance? It was TWENTY fucking minutes late and the job crew had to leave without me. Fuck my life. @_BlaknBlu_

ANOTHER DAY-ANOTHER TRIMET 'NEWS' RELEASE

Completely of no actual value or concern to anybody its not news.

Shelter installation begins for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project

 

Lane Jensen investigates the missing agenda

CLASSIC TWEETS!

TRIMET BREAKS THE LAW-AGAIN

Our top Trimet 'reporter', LANE JENSEN has once again discovered that the beloved oligarchs in charge of Trimess are breaking the law, this time they are breaking their very own Trimet code. The board meeting is next Wednesday and Trimet just published its notice 2 days ahead even though the Trimet code specifies no less than 4 days ahead. Will there be any penalty? Of course not, Trimet doesn't follow rules or laws, they just do what they want. Try to stop them, you can't.


THE MYTH OF THE MAGICAL PHONE APP HAS BEEN SHATTERED

For all the stupid publicity, hoopla, and self congratulations, it turns out the new cell phone app has plenty of flaws. It also was a 'back door' fare increase by forcing riders to make $5 purchases.
In the end it turned out to have plenty of problems as I expected. As usual Trimet takes no responsibility. The article below offers a very close look at this new app.

Rules & Rhetoric - Thoughts on Trimet’s Imperfect Mobile Payment Experience
And how about that registration experience? It would have been nice if they’d considered social registration to make that process a little easier (shameless plug for my line of work) and offered options like making Amazon or Paypal as payment method or making it an in-App purchase. Sure, they’re sharing revenue at that point, but they’d also gain more customers through convenience.
As for me, I’m still hopeful that this app will reach it’s potential, but it’s been a bitter pill so far. Even if the judge is lenient, I’m likely to get my fine cut in half at best and I’m going to miss a half-day of work to boot. That’s a hell of a way to treat a loyal and engaged customer. It’s also one hell of an expensive commute.

TRIMET-WHERE SECRECY RULES

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CAREFULLY HIDDEN ANTI UNION PROPAGANDA

The Portland Tribune has become the most apparent cheer leader for the Trimet oligarchs, spewing their propaganda constantly.

Just take a look at this piece TriMet looks at service improvements, cleaner buses (sorry about the wrong link being posted earlier)
When you read through it you see this zinger:  According to McFarlane, the service increase will be funded by $1 million in non-union health care cost savings and $1 million in additional revenue from a new advertising contract. TriMet fares will fund the balance of $800,000, McFarlane says. 

That is an obvious attempt to paint unionized workers as 'bad guys' as has been MCFARLANES standard operating procedure since he became the new czar  of Trimess.

The man and his methods are a plague against the union workers, the fact that he has total support from the sock puppets and the governor is very disturbing. And of course Trimet workers have no right to strike so what the hell does he think he is accomplishing with his never ending union bashing?

Oregon government damage cap protects the careless:

ESSAY HERE!

TriMet's news release after the settlement said it "accepted responsibility for the negligent driving of the bus operator." TriMet omitted to say that, by law, the responsibility it accepted was for a fraction of the harm it actually caused.
Oregon state and local officials want these damage-responsibility caps to protect their budgets from catastrophic claims. But that is the job of umbrella insurance, which is the most inexpensive liability insurance on the market
TriMet is a unit of local government, and the Oregon Tort Claims Act at that time capped TriMet's liability at $500,000 per person and $1 million for all injuries and deaths resulting from one crash -- whichever is less.