TRIMET EXECUTIVES HAVE THE ETHICS OF A SQUID

DIRECTOR CLARK WANTS TRIMET EXECUTIVES TO EXPLAIN PROCESS

2012-01-29T00:08:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChRpEHP6mas

Director Lerbach uncomfortable with handing out money

2012-01-28T21:00:00.001-08:00

PORTLAND POLICE BRUTALIZE PROTESTERS

2012-01-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

Portland Police Continue To Brutalize Peaceful Occupy Protesters! "One Officer Got A Scratch!!!" - YouTube

In "suicide by cop," collateral damage (Jack Bog's Blog)

Slow moving TriMet bus

2012-01-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

VIDEO

OHSU tram tour

2012-01-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

The OSHU tram turned 5 yesterday, so today they had a birthday party for it in the Center for Health & Healing which is OHSU's South Waterfront location & the bottom terminus for the tram. Inside was tram artwork & photography, a couple of tram operators with some of the tools & tram parts & segments of the cables to see up close, and also cupcakes. Every half hour or so they ran tours of the engine room and control room.

More pictures....

Inside the Center for Health & Healing

In the engine room (very loud in there when the trams were in motion)

In the control room

DIRECTOR LERBACH SAYS TRIMET MANAGMENT IS NOT MONITORING CONTRACTORS PROPERLY!

2012-01-28T17:23:00.000-08:00

2012-01-28T16:41:00.001-08:00

Remember this?

2012-01-28T16:30:00.001-08:00

This was a microphone that was plugged into the main bus speaker so you could call stops without losing your teeth. It turned out to be another failure.

DR BETHEL WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT COST OVER RUNS

2012-01-28T15:15:00.001-08:00

TRIMET UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS $832,000,000

2012-01-28T14:42:00.001-08:00

STEVE CLARK REPORTS ON THE ARBITRATION

2012-01-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

Hearing will be Mid March, decision mid April, but the contract expires THIS COMING NOVEMBER!

STEVE SHOOP PULLS NO PUNCHES!

2012-01-28T14:24:00.001-08:00

2012-01-28T13:59:00.001-08:00

BETH DEHAMMEL SAYS TRIMET AHEAD $10,000,000

2012-01-28T13:35:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY80w4aMJLY

OK MARY FETSCH-LETS SEE YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS

2012-01-28T11:19:00.001-08:00

Toronto transit boss steers image 'undercover' | CTV News

TRANSPARENT TRIMET (hehe)?

2012-01-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Well I guess they do have transparency when it comes to their bus GPS data. Not that that actually means much in terms of what the word TRANSPARENCY is supposed to mean. They are the leader in this sort of technology, but the lagger in the technology that helps secure stations and pay/enforce fares. Which is more important? I say the latter.
Transit transparency: Open data in action ~ Policy by the Numbers

IS MACFARLANE ABOUT TO USE THE TWINKEE DEFENSE?

2012-01-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

Hostess Brands asks to shed union obligations

Associated Press

Posted on January 26, 2012 at 3:00 PM

Updated yesterday at 8:04 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Hostess Brands Inc., the bankrupt maker of Wonder Bread and Twinkies, has asked a judge to slash some of its commitments to union employees, saying it's the only way it can emerge from bankruptcy as a viable company.

The Teamsters union issued a swift rebuke on Thursday, saying Hostess was trying to "bully" its way out of obligations to its employees.

Hostess filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this month, hobbled by Americans' preference for healthier snacks, and stiff competition from other sweets makers like Entenmann's. The announcement came just three years after Hostess emerged from a previous bankruptcy restructuring.

Unions represent more than three-quarters of Hostess' 19,000 employees, the company said.

Hostess is based in Irving, Texas.

LYING&CHEATING YOUR WAY OUT THE THE MESS YOU MADE

2012-01-28T10:28:00.001-08:00

TriMet: Moving Forward while Cutting Back | City Club of Portland

I GOT MY OWN PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN!

2012-01-28T01:13:00.000-08:00

My new blog title "Trimet Executives have the ethics of a Squid" is circulating very well around the net.
You see it numerous times in numerous places:

IF PEOPLE SEE IT OVER AND OVER THEY JUST MIGHT START REPEATING IT THEMSELVES!

FRIDAY

2012-01-28T00:31:00.001-08:00

JACK GETS IT

2012-01-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

Tri-Met collapsing under its own train madness

Making it much more expensive for honest passengers to ride, all the while cutting bus service, is just going to accelerate the death spiral. Goldschmidt crony Fred Hansen parachuted out just before the plunge became obvious. Why his hapless successor took the gig is anybody's guess.
Tri-Met's allowed itself to be Blumenauered into oblivion. You'll have to ride a bike, because there won't be a bus, and the streets will be pretty much blocked to cars.
And now we're up to a five buck minimum entry fee every time we go downtown? The phrase "ghost town" comes immediately to mind.

TRIMET CREATED THEIR OWN FAILURE

2012-01-27T23:57:00.000-08:00

Trimet's transfer system is and has been a miserable failure for a long long time. I have never seen another Transit district allow a ride to and from a destination on the same transfer.

There are very few places that have such unreadable and unenforceable transfers in use. Can drivers actually read the day code? The zone code? The classification code?

Some not too bright drivers actually do attempt to read all of the above and try to enforce what is actually a completely unenforceable methodology.

Passengers can use the same transfer for days, and many do, as a driver I gave up years ago trying to deal with the stupidity of the transfer process.

Trimet created a completely unsecured light rail system. The "honor system". It was all part of the 60's and feel good 70's mantra.

It was a different world back then don't forget for those of you who were actually alive and old enough to remember.

The system was meant to be "friendly" and easy to use.

A fare-less square gave riders easy access to buses and trains and allowed for very simple fare evasion.

When you think about it, it seems the planners INTENTIONALLY created a system that was destined to have problems.

Why would they do that?

I think they did it because they wanted to BRAG ABOUT PORTLAND HAVING THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA RIDERSHIP IN THE COUNTRY.

They achieved that goal by creating a unworkable transfer product and a 'fare FREE' zone where people could easily get on the system without having to pay.

AND THEN THE BEAN COUNTERS GOT TO DO THEIR MAGIC.

Abracadabra, LOADS OF BOARDING RIDES, LOADS OF THEM.

And then the planners started using those numbers to show PAPA FED that PORTLAND IS THE PLACE TO PLUNK DOWN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS for silly little projects that basically served people of wealth.

And the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FELL IN LOVE WITH PORTLAND because we HAD THE MOST RIDES PER CAPITA!

And even more money flowed into PORTLANDIA!

Then one day PAPA FED SAID, sorry Portlandia, we can't give you any more money.

And all those 'fake' boarding rides became somewhat irrelevant, because the PORTLAND BIG SHOTS couldn't turn boarding rides into cold hard cash.

AND THEN THEY WERE IN TROUBLE;

HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY PAY TO USE OUR SERVICE wondered the big shots?

AND NOW THEY ARE IN BIG BIG TROUBLE, THEY SEE THE FUTURE, AND IT IS BLEAK.

Women Use Public Transit More than Men

2012-01-27T22:53:00.001-08:00

PORTLAND MERCURY

MERCURY ON THE NEW FARE IDEA

2012-01-27T22:51:00.001-08:00

TriMet Looks Into Getting Rid of all Zones and Roundtrip Transfers | Blogtown, PDX

Union vote by proxy?

2012-01-27T19:31:00.001-08:00

According to a very knowledgable source unless specifically prohibited in the bylaws-union members should be able to by designating a proxy.

NO WORD ON MY REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION

2012-01-27T15:19:00.000-08:00

HOW MUCH ARE THEIR RETIREMENT PACKAGES WORTH?

TRIMET GOOD GUYS

2012-01-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

NEW MILWAUKIE LIGHT RAIL STATIONS WILL STILL BE WALK ON HONOR SYSTEM

2012-01-27T14:48:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElPqg5eIVnA

BUS DRIVERS STILL ACTING LIKE FARE INSPECTORS

2012-01-27T14:07:00.001-08:00

I can't #@$%ing believe it, really. (dispatch)

Union to TriMet: Cut managers, not drivers

2012-01-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

Hunt’s Board testimony was a rare face-to-face with general manager McFarlane. Local 757 picketed McFarlane’s West Hills home Nov. 19. Hunt says the general manager has refused to meet with him, instead referring him to Randy Stedman, who was hired Nov. 14 as TriMet Executive Director of Labor Relations and Human Resources.
Stedman’s background is as a labor relations consultant. He takes credit on his web site for defeating a union campaign. In 2011 he represented Mt. Hood Community College, where he won concessions from faculty after a near-strike.

Full article is HERE!

CUT MACFARLANE/NOT ESTACADA

2012-01-27T13:54:00.001-08:00

Estacada residents respond to TriMet

NOBODY WANTS TO DRIVE THE BUSES OVER HERE

2012-01-27T13:46:00.001-08:00

Manpower crunch causes bus staff stress | Deccan Chronicle

HOLY COW-KIDS IN AMERIKA THINK NOTHING OF INFLICTING VIOLENCE ON EACH OTHER

2012-01-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

Even though our ignorant management refuses to put audio into the video on buses, this clip shows how vital that is to capture the full extent of things going on in a bus:

As a school bus loaded with 67 students headed along a foggy, narrow southwest Marion County road at daybreak a few weeks ago, seven middle school students jumped a 13-year-old, the new girl on the bus that morning.
Within two minutes, the Liberty Middle School child was beaten unconscious. Though the community was concerned by the Jan. 6 attack, it wasn't until Wednesday's release of a security video, which showed the attack, did people become outraged.
The video, released Wednesday by the State Attorney's Office, turned an already-alarming event into a movie of sorts, one where viewers could get their own look at what happened instead of relying only a written interpretation.
Judith Tellerman, a clinical professor of psychology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, watched the video and said the reason community reaction has escalated is simple: The incident came to life.
A newspaper article simply states a beating occurred. An Ernest Hemingway novel, on the other hand, captures sights, smells and sounds. In this case, the video gives that kind of context.

DRIVER GETS CALLED "A BUTCH"

2012-01-27T13:02:00.001-08:00

Passenger dispute on dispatch right now!

COUPLE OF GUYS DOWNTOWN VIDEOTAPING BUSES AND BUS DRIVERS

2012-01-27T12:55:00.001-08:00

On dispatch right now!

Watch this guy get lucky while he is working on the Rail

2012-01-27T12:52:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dwh4H3KK28&feature=colike

TIFFANY SWEITZER NEEDS TO RESIGN RIGHT NOW!

2012-01-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Ms Sweitzer has questionable ethics after revelations about her illegal parking lot that collected hundreds of thousands of dollars, which I understand, is still making money for her!

HERE is my complaint to the government ethics commission

HERE is the Portland A-Foot article on this subject.

HERE is the Tribune article on this subject.

HOW TO FIX THE TRANSIT SYSTEM-BY AL M

2012-01-27T10:25:00.001-08:00

As posted to the Joe Rose blog:

Here's my idea, after driving Trimet and studying Trimet for the last 15 years.
All executives, their staffs, be immediately dismissed.
Capital projects dissolved completely.
Trimet board of directors DISSOLVED and a new board created that should be elected or appointed by LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
Expansion ideas all terminated until such time that Trimet becomes financially stable.
Rides cost $1 per vehicle, no time limits, no zones, no classifications, no transfers.
Each boarding will cost an additional $1, a smart card system can be used as a debit card or $1 cash will be accepted by on board fare boxes on buses, rail stations will be secured so that riders must pay BEFORE entering any station.
The only passes that will be issued are to the disabled, $25 per month unlimited rides on Trimet or Lift.
There will be one manager for every 100 operators, that would be about 15 managers. (that includes road supervisors as well as station managers)
The General Manager will be appointed by the elected board of directors, his staff will be limited to one administrative assistant.
Legal department will be limited to 3 attorneys and three assistants.
HR will have one director with one assistant.
Mechanics division will employ based on free market principles.
Marketing department immediately dissolved as Trimet is a monopoly and does not need marketing.

Communications department immediately dissolved as unnecessary.
IT department dissolved until such time that Trimet is financially solvent and can afford luxuries.

Citizens advisory committee to be comprised of CITIZENS THAT USE TRANSIT.

PROBLEMS ALL SOLVED.....

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

2012-01-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

I have no issue paying for part of my benefits as long as I know our collective dollars going back to TM are being spent WISELY. TriMet has a long track record of scary (and FUEL-ish) spending. (A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS for a big deer art statue? Really?) Another $120k MANAGER? Has anyone really researched the organizational chart? There must be one manager/director/leadership position for every 5-10 non manager employee (I don’t know the exact figure but TM is top heavy)
2) WE DIDN’T BREAK THE LAW in our negotiations. TRIMET DID. AND, we haven’t slung anywhere near the mud TM has slung at us. Negotiating in good faith? The TM talk internally has been butterflies and rainbows…but that’s not the message the media and the public get.

Read the entire article at MAX FAQ's!

JACK BOGDANSKI-telling it like it really is in Portland

2012-01-27T08:41:00.001-08:00

Just as we wrote when it happened, it was a smart move on the other passengers' part to shut the heck up and get off at the next stop. Check out the latest MAX shocker from the PoPo:

THURSDAY

2012-01-27T00:37:00.000-08:00

11-year-old boy arrested after allegedly threatening woman with gun on MAX train

2012-01-27T00:09:00.001-08:00

CLICK HERE!

Just some examples

2012-01-27T00:00:00.001-08:00

{Editors note: Jason Mchuff and Erik Halstead have had a long running feud, Jason insists his point of view is the correct one and Erik insists his point of view is the correct one. I'm of the opinion that both points of view have validity}

Just a few examples of what could be an extensive collection showing how comments made by Erik Halstead (a.k.a. SP Red Electric, wigwagfan, erikaren, others) do not tell the full, true story.

Claim: Someone hopping a stop or two downtown should pay exactly the same as someone short-hopping in Tigard, Oregon City, or Forest Grove on a bus.

Reality: Someone taking a bus for even a stop or two in downtown Portland does have to pay the same price as in those cities.

In addition, Downtown Portland has done much, much more to encourage transit ridership than any of those cities. They do not have the density, pedestrian environment or other qualities found in downtown Portland. And someone who decides to go to those cities should have to pay for their parking and not get it 100% subsidized, just like in downtown Portland.

Also, TriMet has had a policy in place regarding free-service areas and, ignoring budget issues, would probably be willing to offer free service to other deserving cities.

Claim: Portland Streetcar should be forced to go along with TriMet's fare plan OR lose the funding from TriMet

Reality: As the Portland Streetcar is a city of Portland operation and not run by TriMet, it has it's own fare plan. While it is true that TriMet does fund a portion of it, the city also contributes and should be able to do what it wants with it's money. In addition, Portland Streetcar allows all TriMet fare holders to ride at no extra cost and provides service that TriMet might otherwise have to fund.

Claim: This should also demand the elimination of the "$100 Streetcar + Tram Annual Pass"

Reality: Streetcar advocate Chris Smith has argued for pushing the price upwards. In addition, it should be noted that, forgetting about the tram, it provides limited benefit seeing that much of the streetcar route is free. Moreover, the price of the pass is slated to increase once the expansion to the east side opens.

Claim: I as a bus rider have to pay close to $1,000 a year for my annual pass.

Reality: Annual All-Zone passes are now over $1000, even including discount and not including mailing. Moreover, it appears he pays a total of $0 for his pass, not close to $1000.

And in any case, that pass provides a lot more value than the streetcar-only one since it can be used to get all the way to either Forest Grove, Sherwood, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Estacada, Gresham, Washougal, Yacolt, La Center or Sauvie Island.

Claim: WES is a "premium service" and should charge a premium fare.

Reality: WES does require a premium fare. The entire route is within one fare zone, yet an all-zone fare is required to ride.

In addition, WES is not a true, typical commuter rail service. It does not serve a central business district where there is a dense employment hub and where parking is expensive. It is only built as commuter rail due to Federal regulations.

Claim: WES should cost at least $5 per boarding with no transfer.

Reality: Given that most trips involving WES require a further transfer to another mode, given that the other mode may not have high-frequency service, given that the other mode may require a fare, given that the overall time involved may be lengthier than driving, given that most of those trips would be to places with free (100% subsidized) parking and given that the parallel highway is not that congested, charging high fares could cause ridership to drop. Given that the costs would stay roughly the same, a move would be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Claim: TriMet isn't charging to park at park-and-ride lots

Reality: TriMet does offer paid parking at it's busiest park and ride lots. In addition, proposals to charge on a wider basis have been opposed in the past but, given the budget situation, are now on the table.

Claim: Riders who don't use the park-and-ride lots shouldn't be paying for them.

Reality: We have a society that does not necessarily directly charge individual users the cost of providing them a service.

Claim: Park and rides should not be considered part of the transit system cost

Reality: Since they are used by transit users and since they are what get some people to ride, they are part of the transit system.

Claim: A bus is a computer

Reality: A bus is not a computer and while some of the computer components inside them (the dispatch system) are out of date, they are currently being upgraded. In addition, the upgrade delays have resulted in saved service. It's possible Erik would be complaining about money being wasted if there were attempts to keep up-to-date with technology.

Claim: Operators do not get access to phones or computers while administrative employees can make free long-distance calls

Reality: Break rooms and all garages do have phones, garages have computer access for operators, and not every administrative job comes with a computer. In addition, I am not sure employees are allowed to make long-distance calls.

Claim: Tigard's reverse-911 system would work for Portland.

Reality: It is not known whether it can scale to the size Portland needs, and it is not known if Tigard's system can call cell phones, send e-mails or send text messages (all Portland requirements).

Claim: Work to make the Hawthorne Bridge "light rail ready" was thrown away when the powers-that-be decided to waste hundreds of millions of dollars on a new bridge.

Reality: Light rail or streetcars may eventually cross the bridge and a streetcar on Hawthorne has been actively proposed. In addition, it was discovered that there were multiple issues with using the bridge for light rail, including capacity reduction, location and service interruptions due to frequent bridge lifts.

Claim: The streetcar should cross the Hawthorne Bridge instead of the Sellwood Bridge

Reality: The two bridges are far enough apart that they are not alternatives. It is like arguing that I-5 should not have been built since there already were highways 99W and 99E.

HOLY COW! TriMet considering major fare changes, eliminating zones

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

JOE ROSE BLOG

MACFARLANE APPEARS TO DO SOMETHING LOGICAL

2012-01-26T14:47:00.001-08:00

TriMet expresses support for delay of Lake Oswego streetcar plans | OregonLive.com

What TriMet Should do re: Healthcare Costs

2012-01-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

I think if TriMet wants to fix the healthcare problem, all they need to do is pass the $$ for health care to the union & tell the union that they're in charge of providing health care coverage in whatever way they see fit.

At that point the union/employees are directly in charge of what their plan looks like, how much they do/don't pay, retiree benefits, etc. When the plan costs goes up, then the union has to deal with collecting more money from the employees, reducing benefits, finding cost savings, explaining the cost rise to the employees, etc.

Seems like everybody wins.

DEBUNKING MACFARLANE

2012-01-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

DEBUNKING MACFARLANE-3 HOUR TRANSFER
DEBUNKING MACFARLANE-BUDGET TASK FORCE
DEBUNKING MACFARLANE-TSA
DEBUNKING MACFARLANE-'SNOW' EVENT'
DEBUNKING MACFARLANE-attacks on Trimet

THE CHANGE IN MY BLOG TITLE HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION

2012-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

Many of my associates have been asking me about the name change for my blog.

I try to explain to them that since TRIMET is using its WEB SITE to basically defame and demean its union personnel I thought it was appropriate to use my web site to return the favor to TRIMET EXECUTIVES.

I would have never thought of doing such a thing as this in the past, but the past is gone, we have a whole new bunch of tyrants ruling the roost and apparently the gloves are off.

L.O. SAYS BYE BYE TO PIE IN THE SKY

2012-01-26T12:10:00.001-08:00

Lake Oswego officially suspends streetcar plans with goal of retaining Willamette Shore right-of-way for future transit use | OregonLive.com

TWITTER IS THE TRUE WAY TO JUDGE PUBLICS PERCEPTION OF A TRANSIT AGENCY

2012-01-26T12:08:00.000-08:00

Forget high priced consultants and studies, just keep an eye on Twitter!

"The most interesting thing we found is that transit riders do not give any positive sentiment at a particular time. They only give negative sentiment," he said. Now, this may seem depressing if you work for one of these agencies. "But that’s not very disappointing," Hasan said, "because we found that the lack of negative sentiment is basically what transit authorities should look for. If there’s no negative sentiment at any given time, that means that things are running smoothly."

Science Confirms What We Know About the CTA and Twitter - The 312 - January 2012 - Chicago

FED'S CHANGE RULES

2012-01-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

‘Social Equity’ to Be Weighed in U.S. Transit Funding Rule - Businessweek

Edward Wytkind: Giving Up My Seat on the Bus

HEAD SQUID TO HOST MEET YOUR CRONIES LUNCHEON

2012-01-26T10:51:00.001-08:00

RSVP: ELGL Forum with TriMet General Manager | Oregon Emerging Local Government Leaders Network

TRIMET'S PLAN FOR THE DISABLED

2012-01-26T10:40:00.000-08:00

LIFT - PortlandAfoot

TIFFANY SWEITZER NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE TRIMET BOARD

2012-01-26T10:22:00.000-08:00

The senior member of TriMet’s board said Wednesday that she knew her development company wasn’t allowed to pave a Pearl District parking lot when tenants started asking about it in 2008.

But the prominent Portland developer said she did it anyway, because she disagrees with the city’s ban on adding surface auto parking downtown. Her company charged $100 a month per space in the illegal 112-space lot for three years.

TriMet board member says she knowingly violated city code with Pearl parking lot | Portland Afoot

I can point to several THOUSAND Trimet riders who object to paying the EXORBITANT Trimet fares,but THEY ARE BEING HAULED INTO COURT AND EXCLUDED FROM TRIMET.

This SQUID thinks she is above the law!

DESTROYING TRIMET LIES AND DISTORTIONS

2012-01-25T23:52:00.001-08:00

But okay, fine. You want to bring union workers in line with non-union workers? Well then, we’ll just take that to its logical conclusion. Let’s see… about 30% of our buses have no air conditioning, so to help save money, we’ll disable the A/C in about 30% of TriMet offices, like, oh I don’t know, the top floor of Center Street to start. And just like operators use seniority to sign good runs, non-union employees can use how long they’ve been at TriMet to bid for a good office. So to the newly hired Executive Director of HR? Sorry my friend, you’ll probably get stuck with no air conditioning. Good thing Oregon summers are more or less mild. But don’t worry! Every hour or so you’ll be allowed to get up, drink some ice water, and use the bathroom, as long as you don’t take more than 10 minutes to do all that.

“Empower. Trust. Stand Behind.” | MAX FAQs

JANUARY MEETING OF TRIMET ENABLERS AND SOCK PUPPETS

2012-01-25T23:38:00.001-08:00

Wednesday

2012-01-25T23:29:00.000-08:00

Dueling disabilities on the 48

2012-01-25T19:32:00.001-08:00

A man with a cane who had limited mobility got into a fight with a man in a wheelchair when he wouldn't move so the wheelchair could board! The wheelchair ran over the feet of the man with a cane and the fight was on!

Knives drawn on the MAX!

2012-01-25T19:27:00.001-08:00

8 police units Beaverton!

PROUD TO BE PART OF THE RAG TAG ARMY THAT IS FIGHTING THE SUPERPOWER

2012-01-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

I watch the testimony of those of us who are struggling to fight the unstoppable power of the behemoth known at TRIMET, and I gotta say we are a rag tag bunch very dedicated activists.

I think we should all stand proud even though it appears we are talking to a light post!

We FIGHT THE POWER!

MICHAEL LEVINE SAYS TRIMET NEEDS TO START TELLING THE TRUTH

2012-01-25T15:08:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk1xmIGS_xo

CAMERON JOHNSON OUTS TRIMET'S 'BUDGET TOOL' AS A FRAUD

2012-01-25T14:59:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v__RRkaX-U

OPAL'S KEITH SHULTZ WEARS HIS SIGNATURE RAIN COAT TO PROTEST TRIMET SECRECY

2012-01-25T14:49:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJQlq-Kk2Iw

MY VOTE FOR THE BEST ESSAY ON THE LABOR PROBLEMS AT TRIMET

2012-01-25T14:17:00.001-08:00

CLICK HERE TO READ!

But okay, fine. You want to bring union workers in line with non-union workers? Well then, we’ll just take that to its logical conclusion. Let’s see… about 30% of our buses have no air conditioning, so to help save money, we’ll disable the A/C in about 30% of TriMet offices, like, oh I don’t know, the top floor of Center Street to start. And just like operators use seniority to sign good runs, non-union employees can use how long they’ve been at TriMet to bid for a good office. So to the newly hired Executive Director of HR? Sorry my friend, you’ll probably get stuck with no air conditioning. Good thing Oregon summers are more or less mild. But don’t worry! Every hour or so you’ll be allowed to get up, drink some ice water, and use the bathroom, as long as you don’t take more than 10 minutes to do all that.

JASON MCHUFF AT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2012-01-25T14:16:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuzZky2VZnQ

Photos from Todays Picket

2012-01-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

ATU PRESIDENT JON HUNT ADDRESSES THE TRIMET BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2012-01-25T13:40:00.001-08:00

READ THE TRANSCRIPT HERE!

ANOTHER DRIVER ASSAULT?

2012-01-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

Guess why?
TriMet driver assaulted in SW Portland | kgw.com Portland
TriMet driver punched over fare dispute

LONG TIME UNION ACTIVIST AND 67 RIDER STUART FISHMAN SPEAKS TO THE BOARD

2012-01-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

GOING TO THE BOARD MEETING

2012-01-25T12:26:00.001-08:00

2828282828282828282828282

“Empower. Trust. Stand Behind.”

2012-01-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

This has been kicking around in my head since the budget tool was released. In part, as previously mentioned, because I thought that was a poor representation of possible options to save money. But more than that, all the sniping little comments in there taking shots at the union made me feel very uncomfortable. Personally I think that is grossly unprofessional for an official TriMet release. It’s not empowering, it doesn’t show trust, and it certainly isn’t standing behind union workers.

Accusing the union of refusing to be reasonable: present
Acknowledging that TriMet broke the law: curiously absent

Read the entire article at MAX FAQ's

Michael Connor and Joe Ruffin-candidates for VP ATU 757

2012-01-25T11:21:00.001-08:00

BEST OF PALS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RNP9cnm54c

BEKKI WITTS REPLACEMENT

2012-01-25T11:16:00.001-08:00

Roberta Altstadt on right, Mary Festch center, Joe Rose left

ATU PRESIDENT JON HUNT ADDRESSES SUPPORTERS

2012-01-25T11:03:00.001-08:00

JEFF ACKERSON POSES A QUESTION TO ONLOOKERS!

2012-01-25T10:54:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMgeUALttlk

LYN LERBACH SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIS BEING REPLACED

2012-01-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YbHj6cbM_0

STEVE FUNG SCHMOOZES WITH KXL NEWS MAN

2012-01-25T10:45:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqBuq_ZEktw

A SMALL BUT DEDICATED GROUP OF ACTIVISTS SHOWED UP IN SUPPORT OF ATU 757

2012-01-25T10:41:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGAOoMw77X4

MICHAEL LEVINE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AT TRIMET

2012-01-25T10:39:00.001-08:00

He showed up in support of ATU 757 workers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECGaYnzA4j4

2012-01-25T08:08:00.001-08:00

Heading to Portland bldg

WE LOVE LIGHT RAIL

2012-01-25T07:26:00.001-08:00

Due to police activity, service is disrupted on MAX Blue and Red line trains in Downtown Portland. Shuttle buses will service light rail stops from the Rose Quarter Transit Center to the JELD-WEN Field MAX station. The disruption may also cause delays to bus service. Riders should expect delays.

TUESDAY-part 2

2012-01-25T07:14:00.001-08:00

28282828282 (what am i doing up at this hour?)

JASON MCHUFF'S SPEECH

2012-01-25T06:57:00.001-08:00

Speech

I'd like to thank you all for the opportunity to speak and Iwish President VanBeveren well with his kitchen.

I've sent you a video presentation on my budget thoughts andideas and I'd like for all of you to watch it and give any feedback. I know Neil has and I'd like to publically thankhim for doing so.

I've submitted the script to it and I'd like to go over justa few of the ideas.

Regarding LIFT costs, I realize appearances can bedeceiving, but it seems many LIFT users could potentially ride regular serviceif given some help.

Why not provide travel assistants who can get them to theirdestinations successfully and safely without a full-on LIFT ride? People might even volunteer to do it inexchange for free tickets, saving the costs of the driver, fuel and vehiclemaintenance.

Why not look into setting up remote overnight bus parking toeliminate the dozens of buses that run empty for long distances each weekday, suchas between the garage in southeast Portland and routes in Sherwood or northWilsonville?

To keep costs low these could be used for rush hour-onlyruns so the vehicles can be serviced at regular garages during the mid-day.

But the big budget issue, of course, is health care.

And as a rider, I don't want to see more district moneygoing towards health care, but I don't think employees deserve what amounts toa pay cut either.

In Neil's response to my presentation, he said "thekey—and I think most if not all health analysts agree with this—is thatemployees have 'skin in the game,' (such as) financial incentives for makinggood decisions", and that this "requires a different kind of healthplan than" is currently in effect.

Now I don't know what insurance you have since, unlike him,you don't get compensated to come here, but when you go to the doctor, how doyou know if you are getting the best value? And this goes for the employees, too.

But, unless I'm missing something, I haven't seen discussionof alternate plans from either side. AllI've seen is bickering over who's going to be stuck paying ever-increasinginsurance payments to Regence and Keiser. And what has the district or the employees gotten in exchange for hugerate hikes?

What I envision is a system where everybody is given anaccount and is responsible for their care. They could either choose the insurance plan they want or, I believe evenbetter, pay for care directly as they go and choose the best values.

Costs would be controlled by requiring co-insurance based onincome above a certain level or borrowing from future benefits, andparticipants could be given a percentage of any remaining balance at year's endin cash.

In addition, patients and providers would no longer have tospend time and money hassling with insurers to get them to pay for care.

Why not work together, and with other unions and employers whomay also be suffering and hate dealing with insurance, and try to solve theproblem? Make it so health care doesn'thave to be bargained for and parties don't have to bargain over it. Make it so the district isn't responsible forretiree health care but retirees are assured care.

Furthermore, how much has the high per-employee cost ofhealth insurance factored into the extensive overtime the district givesout? Eliminating the cost link would allowthe district to have more employees and create more jobs per dollar. Even if less than half of overtime premiumscould be cut, the district could save $1-2 million.

And there may be many other organizations that would createnew jobs, commuters and payroll taxes if it weren't for the health care burden.

I request that the district work with me to help make thesesavings a reality, and make it so we can possibly expand instead of looking forplaces to cut.

JASON MCHUFF'S BUDGET PROPOSAL

2012-01-25T06:55:00.000-08:00

TriMet budget thoughts and savings ideas
By Jason McHuff, jm@jasonmchuff.net

Overall, while the district may have its problems like many large or government organizations do, it does a decent job. If I had to give it a grade, I'd give it a "B". With Transit Tracker it was, I believe, one of the first agencies to provide real-time arrival information for thousands of stops. And now, it basically co-created Google Transit, which is used worldwide, as well as provides data to 3rd-parties like me.

In addition, for better or worse, lots of Federal money has been brought to the region, and the region is near the top on many national lists relating to transit.

We have an environment that actively discourages transit use. For example, much of costly Big Pipe project has gone to treat street runoff, yet no money for it came from street users. Much parking has been required, and appears to receive favorable tax treatment.

Properties with even just a one-story building are taxed 60-80% higher than adjacent ones used only for parking. To a certain extent, it seems that land is land and should be taxed the same, instead of punishing better economic uses of it.

Nationally, much military funding has arguably gone towards defending oil supplies, yet none of it has come from the gas tax. In addition, the Federal government has funded highways long before transit, and at higher rates.

Thanks to these and other governmental policies and subsidies, suburban development is often hostile to transit and pedestrians who want to use it.

And there are inefficiencies in the transit system. Portions of the MAX lines could be faster, more reliable and better serve destinations. All of these factors can either reduce costs or increase revenues, lowering the amount of subsidy needed.

On the eastside, due mainly to the Willamette River bridges, there are three bus lines in the mile from Hawthorne to Glisan instead of the two that should be needed. People are willing to walk up to 1/4th mile to a bus, and to the south bus lines are spaced ½ mile apart.

Now, the bottom has been taken out from under the district. This graphic does not factor inflation or separate the money from tax rate increases that the district has received for new services, but still shows that revenues have gone down. This is in addition to lowered funding from the Feds and increased costs for things like fuel and health care.

In theory, if jobs are declining, it would be an acceptable time to cut a service for commuters, but the problem is that others still want to ride, to their job or for other purposes.

Even in this crisis, I see opportunities--ways to achieve the "more and better transit" that Neil has been talking about.
For example, instead of just bickering with the union over who's going to be stuck paying for ever-increasing costs, why not work with them to solve the problem? After all, what has the district gotten in exchange for huge rate hikes? Shouldn't one expect something more in exchange for unusually higher prices (beyond inflation)?

Overall, as a rider, I don't want to see more district money going towards health care, but I don't think employees deserve what amounts to a pay cut either.

Why not work towards a system where people are given an account and are responsible for their care. People could either choose the comprehensive insurance plan they want or, I believe even better, pay for care directly as they go. Now, how do employees know that they are getting the best value in their care? Are they encouraged to be healthy and avoid needing it?

I've seen multiple offers where the rate charged for cash customers is much less than for those with insurance. Are the doctors being charitable, believing that those without insurance can not afford it, or is dealing with insurers that much of a hassle? How many would love to take the equivalent of a debit card?

To further control costs, there could be co-insurance based on income above a certain level, and participants given a percentage of the remaining balance at year's end.

Why not get together with other unions and employers, who may also be suffering, and make that happen? How many businesses would love to give up a hopefully-predictable portion of their revenues in exchange for being guaranteed healthy employees and not needing to deal with the costs or hassles of insurance?

Furthermore, how much has the high per-employee cost of health insurance factored in the extensive overtime the district gives out? Are the tight schedules that operators complain about written to reduce the number of employees needed? Eliminating the cost link would allow the district to have more employees and create more jobs. Even if less than half of overtime premiums could be cut, the district could save $1-2 million.

And there may be many other organizations that would create new jobs, commuters and payroll taxes if it weren't for the health care burden.

Why not eliminate the zone system for fares? It is confusing, unenforceable, unfair and a hurdle that discourages ridership. I don't think even I understood it at first. Why not replace it with time-based fares instead, maybe charging $2 for one hour of riding and $2.50 or $3 for 3 hours? This could be seen as a price reduction, but for many it would actually be a fare increase. It would give the transit riders union the 3-hour fares they want, but makes the users pay for them.

Now, this trip from Sauvie Island all the way to Estacada is actually cheaper than this ride a short way up McLoughlin Blvd.
Also consider implementing discount 7-day passes to replace the 14-day ones and combining the youth/student and honored citizen fares.

For the youth pass, urge the state legislature to fix the law and give Portland Public Schools, and Eugene, the student transportation funding that every other district gets and allow alternatives to yellow buses. It would allow other metro districts to participate, and even rural districts might be able to link up with social service agencies that want to save money in providing transportation.

As for the Free Rail Zone, how about replacing it with free tickets given to customers, as an alternative to validated parking, as well as social service agencies? Give access to the whole system and not just a small part of it.

Why not give a payroll tax credit to employers who purchase passes for all of their employees? Get them to take advantage of tax savings and provide parity to free parking.

Why not give a payroll tax credit to employers who run shuttles for their employees? Limit it to 50% of the costs so that the employer is invested too and require that the service be open to all visitors, not duplicate TriMet and be approved by the district. Remind them that they contributed to the transit problem through poor development.

Plus, they can provide the service much cheaper, yet the issue of contracting out can be avoided. And if people decide to buy passes and ride transit, the district may come out even.

I understand that the district is worried about increases in LIFT costs. I realize appearances can be deceiving, but it seems many LIFT users could potentially ride regular service. The problem is that, today, the only options are a full-on LIFT ride or braving the fixed-route system on their own.

Why not have a middle ground and provide travel assistants who help the disabled get to their destinations successfully and safely? Even if the assistants have to be paid, the costs of fuel and vehicle maintenance could be saved. But there may be many people would volunteer in exchange for tickets or passes.

Why not look into setting up remote overnight parking for buses? Each weekday dozens of buses run empty from a garage in western Beaverton or southeast Portland to reach routes in Tigard, King City, Sherwood, Tualatin, Lake Oswego or north Wilsonville and then do the reverse in the evening. The operator gets full pay and fuel is burned but no passengers are carried.

To keep costs low, vehicles that are used only during rush hours would be fueled and serviced at regular garages during the mid-day and others would be switched out with what are now rush hour-only ones.

In addition, for operators who wish to start or end at one of the garages, some buses could still deadhead and drop off or pick up other operators at the satellite facilities along the way.

Why not see about contracting with C-Tran and offering daytime parking at Center Garage or elsewhere, in exchange for some of the savings from not having to deadhead all the way to and from Vancouver? This is done in Seattle and other big cities.

When the Eastside Streetcar opens consider extending Line 14 to Goose Hollow to combine Lines 6 & 70. It would create a direct connection between southeast Portland and Westside MAX, and there would still be quality service on MLK and Grand.

Why not reduce the overly-abundant Line 94 service to Sherwood? Based on ridership data, as well as anecdotal observations, very few people ride all the way, and operators must then deadhead back. Even if every other trip ended in Tigard or King City, there would still be service every 15 minutes.

Why not consider running Line 10 in a one-way loop past SE 92nd and the MAX Green Line? Time on inbound trips spent backtracking to 136th Avenue could instead be used to improve service and, before the Green Line, it did run in a loop past 122nd.

Why not combine Lines 22 and 23 in the Parkrose area, providing through service and possibly a connection to Parkrose TC?

Why not create through service in the West Hills by combining Lines 51, 55 and 39? A former long-time operator on those routes has suggested this, and it would provide a connection to Wilson High School for Youth Pass users, as well as Lewis & Clark College.

As for capital projects, consider working with Metro on a ballot measure to build sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure. It could include the stop improvement projects that the failed measure did, but also go beyond just transit and provide connections to stops.

And consider the option of a lower-cost Lake Oswego rail line. It's been argued that travel time on the proposed streetcar service will be much longer than on the through-routed Line 35, and that Highway 43 is not likely to get congested. In addition, the streetcar vehicles are designed for circulating and not commuting.

I propose either an upgraded version of the trolley that already exists, running half-hourly and designed for tourists and possibly local travelers, or possibly a commuter rail-type line.

Lastly, why not have a riders' advisory committee? It would provide a way for riders to discuss issues and provide ideas besides having to go to the Board of Directors and a way for the district to provide information.

TriMet TV?

2012-01-25T06:33:00.000-08:00

TriMet Diaries

Tuesday (28)

2012-01-24T23:11:00.001-08:00

PART 1-we are losing the war

SHOW UP AT THE BOARD MEETING TOMORROW

2012-01-24T23:02:00.001-08:00

Neil Macfarlane and First Transit are conspiring to destroy the human rights of transit workers in the Greater Portland Area.

They practice UNION BUSTING, NOT BUDGET REPAIR.

We need as many people as possible to show up for the next Trimet Board of Directors meeting Wednesday, January 25, City of Portland Building, Auditorium, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Room C starting at 7AM. The board meeting starts at 9:00 am

LABOR RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

BYE BYE LYN LERBACH

2012-01-24T22:50:00.001-08:00

Objective and Fresh Thinking at TriMet????

Bad management

2012-01-24T18:46:00.001-08:00

headach, neckache and windshield wiper on passenger side is broken..they want maintenance to look at it instead of a new bus!..i can tell motor is broken!

HARD STOP BUS 17

2012-01-24T14:45:00.001-08:00

Downtown, several people got jostled around, medical called

THE TRIMET WAY-MANAGMENT BY INTIMIDATION

2012-01-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

TRIMET managers continue their reign of terror using Stalinisttactics in its ongoing effort to humiliate and demoralize its employees.

FIRST TRANSITUNION BUSTER SPIES ride the system posing as actual riders and send in “secret”reports which management then takes as gospel truth to harass its operators.

There is the never ending “YOU DIDN’T CALL YOUR STOPS” violations that never seem toend . The management squids won’t define which stops to call, and don’t tellyou how to do the job correctly, they jus t continue down their path of endlessintimidation of its employees like we are “mind readers” and are supposed to knowwhat they actually want.

The whole thing has turned into a comedy show, this neverending persecution has led me to just do the best job I can and laugh when theycall me in for one of their phony meetings. I have taken steps to protectmyself from the libelous ‘secret liars’ and I would encourage others to do thesame.

Your employer is against you and the public has been turnedagainst you!

PROTECT YOURSELF!Nobody else will. The union is powerless in the face of management bullying!

The ‘secret liars’ are not only making up lies regarding thecall stop nonsense, which in reality is happening because TRIMET MANAGEMENT DID NOT FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN UPGRADINGITS EQUIPMENT TO ADA COMPLIANT, but they are also making up nonsensesuch as “operator didn’t scan”.

Unless the ‘secret liars’ are sitting right across from adriver, they have no way to know what we are doing.

It’s just another STALINISTINTIMIDATION TACTIC.

BEWARE! SECRET LIARS ARE ON YOUR BUS! PROTECT YOURSELF FROMTHESE LIARS.

DON’T BACK DOWN TO THE MANAGEMENT IF YOU’RE DOING THE JOBCORRECTLY.

The ‘secret liars” are reporting every single thing they don’tlike about you:

“Operator braked too hard”

“Operator was not friendly”

“Operator ran a red light”

“Operator drove to close to bike”
"Operator is over weight"

IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON!

MANAGEMENT BYINTIMIDATION AND INNUENDO, STALIN WOULD BE PROUD.

The only part that Trimet has not included is the GULAGS and the firing squads.

MAN HIT BY CAR ON LINE 15

2012-01-24T13:57:00.001-08:00

Ambulance requested by operator!

SUPPORT THE TRANSIT WORKERS-FIGHT THE OLIGARCHY!

2012-01-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

BUMBLING GOVERNMENT-JENKINS AND MURRAY

2012-01-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

The idiots that control the traffic signals at Jenkins and Murray have provided for DAILY huge traffic jams and tons of air pollution because the light is never properly timed.
Congratulations to the bumbling bureaucrats that have responsibility for creating this huge daily mess.

KINDA SOUNDS LIKE PORTLAND-DESTROYED IN SECONDS

2012-01-24T12:31:00.001-08:00

Man spits in TriMet drivers face

2012-01-24T12:20:00.001-08:00

PORTLAND -- Police were looking Tuesday morning for a man who spit in the face of a TriMet driver on NE 122nd, north of Halsey.

The passenger ran from the bus. His girlfriend was detained, according to TriMet officials.
The couple boarded the bus without valid transfers, said Sgt. Pete Simpson. They were asked by the driver to leave the bus when the man spit on the driver.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46118886/ns/local_news-portland_or/t/man-spits-trimet-drivers-face/#.Tx8Sbvkr4jV

Wheelchair getting off bus runs over ladys foot

2012-01-24T12:14:00.000-08:00

Lady wants to report it for "later" via dispatch

TRAINING RIDERS TO COMPLAIN

2012-01-24T12:06:00.001-08:00

(Someone called customer service complaining an operator was talking on a
cell phone when they were actually using the bus phone. The dispatcher
called the operator to tell them, and was noting that the caller should
realize it wasn't a cell phone because he didn't think there were cell phone
handsets that look like the old-style ones found in the buses.)

The Old Burger King Layover

2012-01-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

I finally visited the remodeled Burlingame Fred Meyer yesterday.Back in the fall of 2007,I had a morning piece consisting of a 64,65 and 68.I used to have a 15 minute break at the Burger King.With the new remodel/demolition of the BK,the spot has been eliminated.

185th blocked at willow creek

2012-01-24T12:03:00.001-08:00

via dispatch