Trimess

Friday, February 28, 2014

LATEST EDITION OF SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET



But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS

TRIMET WANTS BLOOD FROM ITS RETIREES

One of the most moving speeches at the last board meeting was from Trimet retiree Jim Fowler.
I didn't know Mr Fowler during my employment at Trimet but his speech really hit home with me on an emotional level.

There was a very interesting comment on the post where he makes his speech.
Something to the effect of 'Jim Fowler was not a ranting trimet bus driver'. Now I didn't take that comment as an insult to me because I watched his speech in its entirety and was very moved.

WE WIN AGAIN

Trimet's #1 foe (and his cohorts) are able to provide more timely information to the public than the billion dollar agency.
HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME TRIMET!



Vermont Bus Drivers to Strike over Dangerous Schedules

When will Trimet bus drivers get off their collective asses and stop being patsies!

Bus drivers in northern Vermont have voted 53-4 to strike against unsafe conditions, surveillance and discipline, and part-time status. The walkout is set for March 10.

The strong local solidarity they’ve mustered could serve as an example for drivers and transit workers battling similarly extreme conditions around the country. Over the last few decades 85 percent of transit authorities have pushed drivers to accept part-time conditions.
At a pair of February 19 community rallies, an array of unions, Vermont Workers’ Center members, students, politicians, and parents of school kids who ride the buses pledged to “walk with the drivers” if a fair contract is not resolved.

The “long work days, split shifts, and forced overtime” scheduled by the Chittenden County Transit Authority are dangerous, said Teamsters Local 597 member Rob Slingerland at a community speak-out held at the Cherry Street Bus Terminal. The event was organized by rank-and-file drivers together with a coalition of unions and community groups.

Slingerland’s schedule, for example, has him working from 6:50 to 9 a.m., then from 2:20 to 7:20 p.m. So he is paid for only seven hours’ work, but “my day’s total spread is 12.5 hours,” he explained. “The contract says we can be forced up to a 15-hour spread. Because of that, they’re telling us we have to be available for that 15 hours but only being paid for the hours worked.”

He said the drivers want maximum work day hours, real breaks, and better schedules.

“These sound like workplace issues from 1914, not 2014,” said Denise Youngblood, president of the faculty union at the University of Vermont.

Ran into this guy today


Trimet will never have a problem with finding people

Where will anyone that has no advanced specialized education find a job that pays $26/hr around here? Nowhere of course. So even after they strip the benefits which will force all future hires into a life of servitude to the company they will always find plenty of people (or suckers depending on  your point of view) to take the lowly job of union bus driver. I am 60 years old now and spent about 20 of those years driving buses. First in college, then at Santa Rosa Transit, then at Trimet. 
I can tell you that the job of bus driver is not the same job it was ten years or more ago. It used to be a great job and companies actually considered you a person and not a piece of expendable equipment. People should think twice before jumping at this job, it's physically and psychologically brutal and they won't tell you any of that during the interview or the training.

Do you know someone who would be a great operator? Or is looking for a new career path?
  • No experience needed; includes paid training to acquire CDL
  • Starts at a living wage that doubles in three years
  • Full benefits, and more than 20 career paths
Interested applicants can submit applications and participate in a pre-employment orientation and be interviewed by hiring managers. Those interested can also attend the next TriMet Hiring Event to find out how they can become an important part of what makes this place great.

More noise pollution coming to silly Portlandia

PEDESTRIAN WARNING SYSTEM
Next week, 45 buses on the 4, 8, 15, 33, and 75 bus lines will begin testing various pedestrian warning systems. We will be testing the effectiveness of each technology with the goal of avoiding bus-pedestrian collisions by alerting pedestrians that the bus near them is turning.

#2 on Joe Rose's article about fatigued drivers dead of heart attack

Paul Johnson was was #2 on THIS list.

The oligarchs sure get nervous when the voters want a say

This is an Oregonian article and as we know the Oregonian is in the habit of being a mouthpiece for government, especially when it comes to the high levels of government. They have no problem attacking the ones on the bottom (teachers, bus drivers etc) but they always stand with those who control the government itself and who hand out the billions of dollars of contracts.

Tigard ballot measure: Supporters, opponents differ over true meaning of initiative | OregonLive.com

Johnell Bell tows the company line

That is no surprise of course, but I'll say in his defense he is doing what he can over there, he's a decent guy.

Transit plays a vital role in a just and equitable society. For many citizens, transit is a lifeline, which is why the history of civil rights and transit are so deeply intertwined.
At TriMet, we have a long history of not only meeting the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. We are steadfast in our commitment to these equity principles, counter to the recent opinions expressed in The Oregonian by Organizing People Activating Leaders (OPAL’s) Jonathan Ostar.
At the heart of OPAL’s proposal for extended transfer time is the very real impact service cuts have taken on our riders. We are cognizant of how these cuts affect real families and real people, which is why TriMet is prioritizing restoring service on the most traversed and critical lines—we are treating the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.
Read the essay HERE

GREAT STORY FROM A REGULAR READER

First, I want to apologize for posting to your blog.  I know it's not appreciated and my lack of blog protocol is inexcusable.  I'm not into blogging nor much into posting my thoughts on the internet although I read a lot of message boards not only pertaining to transit but other subjects as well.  I realize now that your blog is for Trimet drivers and those who locally may be supporting your efforts in bringing the faults and missteps of Trimet to the forefront.  I do not live in the area nor do I know much about Trimet other than what I'll describe below.

Trimet seems to have UNMLIMITED FUNDS to build Mcfarlanes pork empire



You meet the nicest people when your a Trimet bus driver

That ridiculous street car

Which is another reason why are health care has disappeared
United Streetcar delays: Portland didn't pursue at least $676,430 for related contract expenses | OregonLive.com

I always found it odd that the Trimet board has an anti gay member

When Things Get Awkward for Dr. T Allen Bethel | Blogtown, PDX | Portland Mercury

Thursday, February 27, 2014

QUICK LESSON ON HOW TO USE TRIMET ARRIVAL TIME TRACKER

Everyone knows that the 'real time' arrivals are not actually in true minutes. We want you to know how to calculate the actual time that your bus will arrive. Here's how you do it.

Take the arrival time that your tracker is telling you and plug that number into the following formula:

f=arrival time as displayed by your tracker

Mcfarlane likes to have his six figure cronies behind him when he speaks

Must make him feel powerful to have leverage over all those people who worship at his alter

FROM THE CLACKASTANIS

Heated battle in Tigard
From 34-210 Chief Petitioners Art Crino and Tim Esau

Please send this along to............everyone  
Lot's of stuff --- scroll down 

March 11th Election in Tigard 
Citizens initiative measure measure 34-210 will require
Tigard voter approval of light rail.   

All the details: 

The Trimet General Manager Report


In this episode we will here der  führer say that Dan will be getting his money pronto, Shelly has full power to make deals with the union, the bridge the bridge the bridge, almost 800,000 sold and other assorted  crazy shit!

You already expected delays right?

Julie Doris worries she made the wrong career decision coming to Trimet

It sounds like she is a single mom. I never understood how single moms are even able to make a career at Trimet work. Working at Trimet is very family unfriendly, early mornings, late nights, no weekends off for years and you can forget about Christmas with your family.

OPAL's Jonathan Ostar can't get a straight answer either

OPAL members are getting the same run around as the ATU members. Trimet speaks with forked tongue, they say one thing then do another. OPAL representatives have been way beyond patient in dealing with the scummy Trimet executives who apparently are taking great pleasure with their ability to toy with OPAL members at will. Actually they are doing the same thing to union members.

Light rail screw up of the day

At  least when a bus breaks down or gets stuck the next bus can get by it or detour around it.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

How much more proof do you need that mainstream media is completely against us

Not one mainstream outlet covered any part of the passionate presentations made by union members today.

NOPE, the only coverage was on an obscure blog run by a blogger who operates outside the norms of the transit blog community.

What did the mainstream media cover? Trimet bringing back 15 minute peak our service on some heavy use lines. And they phrased it to appear that Trimet was doing the public 'a favor' and should be thanked for their great efforts towards the public.

No mention that the cuts were over done in the first place. No mention that OPAL, the activist agency that TRIMET officials have so enjoyed toying with called out the cuts as unnecessary.

NOPE, nothing at all resembling facts about anything going on at Trimet.

And there is only a handful of people that understand just how great the lie actually is and how Trimet is destroying peoples lives every day.

I want to congratulate all the union members that took time out of their day to address that board of sock puppets.

They didn't need me today to make the point, they made it themselves and for someone like me to see people step up to the plate  lifts my spirits and gives me energy to keep this blog going.

Alex Hawk fights the good fight

Alex has tried hard to communicate to the bozo's at Trimet that they have ruined the route 12 for everybody

Al Thomas illustrates Trimet management failures

This guy is definitely not Portland "cool", he's the old Oregon back from bygone days

Will Trimet ever allow ATU to be part of the process?


Union Again Pleads for A Partnering Role in Solving TriMet’s Problems


Today TriMet’s Board meeting included yet another plea from the transit union president that the workforce be allowed to partner with the Board in solving TriMet’s alleged financial woes.
“One enormous hurdle we can’t get over is the fact that TriMet management won’t give us adequate information that we can use to verify their claim of financial problems,” says Bruce Hansen, president of ATU 757. “We see TriMet spending millions in ways we think are imprudent. And we suspect they use deliberately inflated numbers to support their claim of financial stress. The problem is, we don’t know and can’t know, until we can really look at the books and talk to the people coming up with those numbers.” Hansen says the Union needs accurate numbers in order to determine the most effective way to lessen TriMet’s financial problems while protecting the workforce and retirees.

Gary Nelson understands the seriousness of the situation

Bus driving is a hazardous job

Protest signs at todays board meeting




Trimet elite at Today's board meeting


TRIMET GETS MOSTLY GOOD GRADES FROM ME HERE

The board meeting presentations are actually done very well. Kudo's to whoever is in charge of that.

But I still have complaints. (of course)

No embedding is allowed and no comments are allowed.

A few employees cared enough to show up at Todays board meeting


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

GIVE THOSE SOCK PUPPETS HELL TOMORROW


Dedicated Trimet employees love the trimet leader

Trimet loyalty theme song from al m on Vimeo.

That tree branch really did a number on that little light rail line

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A tree fell into overhead wires and onto a MAX train late Tuesday afternoon, damaging the train and causing delays along the MAX Blue Line that could last for hours.
The train was damaged on the east end of the Blue Line between the Gresham Central Transit Center and the Cleveland Avenue MAX station. TriMet officials said crews will continue to work through the night to make the repairs, but no estimate was given for completion of the repairs.
Shuttle buses are taking riders between Cleveland and Ruby Junction.
While some of the passengers were understanding, others weren’t happy at all.
“I think everyone understands the weather, and what are you going to do?” passenger Mary Hartel told KOIN 6 News. “Got to get back to your car and finish getting home.”
Passengers Zech Cordova, Rebecca West and Jessica Fuentes are with Job Corps and only had a limited time to be together.
One said, “It’s good they’re making an effort to get us going,” but another said, “This should never have happened. They should have watched that tree before it fell down.”
Tree hits wires, delays MAX Blue Line | KOIN.com

Trimet is so wonderful at communications??

That's what THIS  little essay tried to convey after the snow event. We had another 'event' today, that went of for several hours. Here is the sum total of Trimet wonderful communications.

We are not all stupid and taken in by the absurd propaganda.

Trimet continues trying to hide public records

 Oregon lawmakers make public records secret - SFGate

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Legislature is looking at two bills that would curtail access to public records.
Both measures have advanced through the legislative process without opposition at any stage. Lawmakers say they're protecting people's privacy, but government transparency advocates worry about adding even more exemptions to Oregon's public records law.

The two new exemptions would join more than 400 that already exist in Oregon's public records law, up from just 55 when the law was first adopted in 1973 in the midst of the Watergate scandal.
Access to information is critical for the public to know what public officials are up to, what decisions are being made and whether government is operating efficiently, said Tim Gleason, former dean of the University of Oregon journalism school who is now special assistant to the provost.

But he said lawmakers have steadily added exemptions to the public records law without any analysis about "the impact of this bill-by-bill erosion of public access."
"In isolation, each one of these seems like a good idea," Gleason said. "It's only when you look at the cumulative effect that you begin to see the serious problem."

Trimet of course says they are 'protecting the public'
We believe them of course (NOT!)

Trees? What trees?

BRUCE HANSEN CLARIFIES UNION ACTION TOMORROW (corrected)

There will be people holding signs inside the meeting. (it is not a picket, i misquoted Bruce)

 The President, Vice President and Treasurer will be addressing the board.

LIGHT RAIL IS FRAGILE AS ALL HECK

http://t.co/tjNmqaTd6R
pic.twitter.com/RBQzcGb4HA
pic.twitter.com/KqxV6n1dBp

Bus driving is dangerous to your health


BUSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF PORTLAND AREA TRANSIT

No picketing planned?

Trimet dirty tricks


Bus driving is a hazardous profession

They don't tell you this when you take the job. With the destruction of health care benefits people should really think twice before giving up their whole life to work in an urban bus district. The job requires your whole life too

Patrick Stanly reporting on the bridge closure

And he was up in the wee hours of the morning to report on this!

Steel Bridge Closure 2/24

Monday, February 24, 2014

Milwaukie voters get a 'choice' cut service or raise taxes

They were given no choice about the light rail going in but now the oligarchs are pretending to give them a choice on how to pay for it. What a bunch of crap. They should have asked the voters if they wanted the light rail and what the cost would be up front. This is BS

City councilors unanimously decided last week to ask voters to accept an extra $36 tax on the average property to pay off TriMet for Milwaukie’s light-rail debt.
If voters don’t pass the $4 million bond measure, Milwaukie would have to cut two or three staff members next year, estimated Finance Director Casey Camors at the Feb. 18 meeting. But passage of the bond wouldn’t guarantee no cuts; it would only reduce the amount of cuts needed, Camors noted.
“It’s important that our citizens be given a choice as to how services are provided within the community,” said Mayor Jeremy Ferguson. 

Voters to decide on more Milwaukie light-rail cuts

ATU 757 calls for support


Trimet to squeeze every nickel out of the disabled they can

Remember, only big business gets a free lunch from our wonderful government, citizens pay and pay and pay

TriMet may raise paratransit fares - News - METRO Magazine

Great article explaing WHY LR costs so damn much

A sizable fraction of the cost difference between then and now is the proliferation of governmental requirements, and with them endless studies (paralysis by analysis, some say). The streetcar or interurban company then had essentially one government requirement to meet: obtaining a franchise. Now, the hoops to be jumped through before construction can begin seem endless. Obtaining a franchise usually took weeks or months. Today’s process requires years. I remember Congressman Oberstar telling me it now takes 14 years to bring a rail transit project from conception to conclusion. Then it was less than 14 months. One fact does not change. Time is money.
This phenomenon, everything getting more complicated, is not limited to rail transit. We see it everywhere across our society. It is a classic symptom of decay and decline. If we look at the rise and fall of other countries, we almost always find increasing complexity marking the downward path. It can reach a point where nobody can do anything: welcome to 17th century Spain.
Costs appear to vary enormously, often for little or no visible reason, i.e., tunneling. For Salt Lake City’s UTA Frontlines effort, the total Light Rail share of the program came in at $57.8 million per mile. An extension of Charlotte’s Blue Line LYNX Light Rail is estimated to cost $123.4 million per mile. What gives?
What gives is that nowhere in the process of building rail transit is there any player who has an interest in keeping costs down. There are, however, many players who have no interest in keeping costs down; indeed, they may have an incentive to drive costs up, because they make more money.
Mass Transit Advocates Must Address the Cost Problem | Smart Growth for Conservatives

Sunday, February 23, 2014

EXTRA! EXTRA! YOU WON'T READ ALL ABOUT IT

HEY! HEY! HO! HO! MCFARLANE'S GOT TO GO!

Let's give these oligarchs hell! They might hold all the cards in a game that is rigged but that doesn't mean we should take the abuse they are shoving down our throats lying down. We need another union action like this one!

Liars and thieves in charge of your transit system

I know its old news now but those liars in charge of Trimet enjoy stringing the OPAL activists out. So OPAL asks for an extended transfer time and those scummy selfish careerists running the place decide to use their authority to stop the decision on extending the transfer time because OPAL made a title 6 complaint.

This was Trimet's bullshit excuse:

If the board had approved the 2.5 hour transfer today, it might still require a transit equity analysis if the FTA decides that a change in transfer time is in effect a fare change.

Excuse my language but those fucking pieces of shit who take great pleasure out of distorting policies, procedures and laws to suit their purpose  made that up out of thin air.


Would the FTA have an issue with a fare decrease across the entire Trimet region? NO!
Liars and thieves in charge of your transit system.

Portland #1 biking city in America

But good old TRIMET always finds excuses for things they do not want to deal with!
Cleveland RTA Bus Racks to Carry Three Bikes Instead of Two
Posted by on Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 5:07 PM
Cleveland's RTA fleet is about to spend a nice chunk of change (up to $250,000) to update front-of-the-bus bicycle racks allowing for one more bike per ride.
Whoa, so that's… three bikes, instead of two? You bet.
Big changes are coming our way, Cleveland.

Rich Jones-classic delay tweets

Here we go again


Classic spam

Occasionally spam gets through the filter and ends up on the blog. It's very amusing.
This appeared on Steve Fungs last trolley ride movie!

BART DERAILS-DISPATCH!


Saturday, February 22, 2014

WE MAY BE LOSING THE WAR BUT WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER


Just think soon there will be a whole nother line to screw up

Did you miss the "penny lane" exclusion hearing?

You can listen to this fascinating hearing HERE!

Trimet bus coin counters very unreliable

After about the fourth time of questioning people only to have the coins drop down later  I totally gave up on trusting the bus coin box. It was just one other reason to make sure everybody had all zones (back when they had them). It appears the coin counters are still screwing riders

Red flags

Whenever I see that the board is allowing an exemption to the standard request for bids it raises red flags.

http://trimet.org/pdfs/meetings/board/2014-2-26/Res_14-02-10.pdf

And I for the life of me don't understand why they bother bidding at all since they routinely allow the 'bids' to be exceeded at will. In this resolution they DOUBLE the original bid from $3 million to
 $7 million . Nice to have unlimited funds to give away at will to things that don't actually provide riders with anything. But we don't have the resources for this, or that, or the other.
 RED FLAGS!

http://trimet.org/pdfs/meetings/board/2014-2-26/Res_14-02-11.pdf

(the debate that ensues in the comments between me and Jason is the SOP for Jason when it comes to me and Erik, he finds it entertaining to challenge everything either one of us says, since Jason is a pal of mine I tolerate this shit from him)

Scanner calls from last night that were not on Trimetscanner Twitter account


Will it ever die?

When the Washington state Senate passed Sen. Don Benton’s bill blocking the transfer of seized property to an agency of another state — a clear shot at the Columbia River Crossing — supporters likely knew it may not go anywhere in the House.
It may not need to.
Senate Bill 6125 appears to have achieved the desired effect on at least one Oregon lawmaker.
Oregon Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Hillsboro, directly cited Benton’s bill in a statement this week announcing that he won’t support the proposed Interstate 5 Bridge replacement if it comes to a vote in Salem this year.
“Based on the Washington legislature’s demonstrated unwillingness to engage in a bi-state process, as seen by the Washington Senate’s recent passage of Senate Bill 6125, it is clear that the co-operation we need to build this bridge is not going to materialize,” Starr said.
Did Benton’s bill seal the CRC’s fate in Salem? | Political Beat

Friday, February 21, 2014

The Future of Transit


Straight from http://http://www.trimet.org/sos/

(Note how WES is protected, but Lake Oswego and Sherwood, Fairview, Wood Village, Troutdale, Clackamas, West Linn and Estacada are completely wiped off the map, as is everything between Milwaukie and Oregon City.  No service on McLoughlin Boulevard south of Milwaukie, Oregon City residents will be forced to go up 82nd Avenue to get to downtown.)

ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRIMET TWEETERS

Nice blocked me cause she thought I was a  Trimet plant

OH MY LORD

Mcfarlane's stupid face is plastered everywhere!