Everyone I know that was stuck on the 78/76 that can take WES instead absolutely loves it.
The question remains, was sacrificing other bus service to provide this "luxury" service really something that was a wise investment? Is Robbing Peter to pay Paul a good way to conduct business?
I say no!
TRIMET NEWS RELEASE HERE
What they don't say:
ReplyDelete1. Ridership is STILL 50% below the "first year" projections, after two years.
2. TriMet blew millions on the new fangled Colorado Railcar DMUs when there were Budd RDCs sitting right here in Oregon that TriMet could have paid pennies on the dollar for, and even hired local companies to rehab. Three of those cars are now for sale - with an asking price of less than $100K for all three - in Eastern Oregon. Two are now landlocked in Tillamook, and two are still sitting not too far from the WES tracks behind a warehouse in Tigard.
3. TriMet has still failed to deliver on the promised new bus services in Tigard and Tualatin, including making the 76 bus a "Frequent Service" bus route.
4. TriMet has had to cut back bus services as a result of the funding shortfalls caused DIRECTLY by WES.
5. TriMet has had to make further investments in the WES system (the Tualatin quiet zone and the backup cars) that are off the official $161.5 million WES price tag - money that should have gone to bus replacements, but TriMet continues to disinvest in the bus system.