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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
WHY DON'T THEY USE THOSE JUNK BUSES AS SHELTERS
I made that recommendation to Fred Hansen years ago, of course I was ignored:
The problem is reconfiguring the buses to be a useful shelter. I think it's a good idea but needs to be fully thought out.
Are there "rooms" set up like an Amtrak train's sleeping car - small compartments with one or two beds each? What about toilet facilities - would the buses be equipped with a restroom?
Before long, the cost of rebuilding a bus would approach the cost of a brand new motorcoach. And there would have to be a good number of these buses stationed throughout the area...and then that gets outside of what TriMet should be providing and what the cities, or the Red Cross, should be doing.
I think that TriMet really shouldn't be the agency doing this...at best, TriMet could certainly donate retired vehicles for the cause, and even donate mechanical services (just as TriMet did for the Portland Parks & Recreation; there is a TriMet 900 series bus at Powell Garage that TriMet maintains but the vehicle is now owned by Portland Parks & Rec for various day camps and other activities).
The problem is reconfiguring the buses to be a useful shelter. I think it's a good idea but needs to be fully thought out.
ReplyDeleteAre there "rooms" set up like an Amtrak train's sleeping car - small compartments with one or two beds each? What about toilet facilities - would the buses be equipped with a restroom?
Before long, the cost of rebuilding a bus would approach the cost of a brand new motorcoach. And there would have to be a good number of these buses stationed throughout the area...and then that gets outside of what TriMet should be providing and what the cities, or the Red Cross, should be doing.
I think that TriMet really shouldn't be the agency doing this...at best, TriMet could certainly donate retired vehicles for the cause, and even donate mechanical services (just as TriMet did for the Portland Parks & Recreation; there is a TriMet 900 series bus at Powell Garage that TriMet maintains but the vehicle is now owned by Portland Parks & Rec for various day camps and other activities).