A private collection of material focusing on the never ending joys of the Trimet industrial complex-Follow the Twitter feed for complete coverage and trimet scanner calls
https://twitter.com/AlYourPalster
Trimess
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Free rides when you get out of jail is an urban legend and not true
So what constitutes jail? What if you are going to/from work release? Or parole? Juvenile detention? Late from school? Being detained by police as a material witness? And how is it proven - do you get a pass, or does the Operator take your word for it?
We're going to have a fare system, so what is so difficult about "you ride, you pay"? Everyone should pay. Yes, youth and seniors can ride with a reduced fare, but that's about it. Either it's free for everyone, or for no one. Since the lack of a fare will inevitably cause problems (i.e. homeless people taking up residence in the buses), it's better to have a minimal fare, and assess it equally and equitably among everyone using the system.
Otherwise, we get into the debates such as "Why do PPS students, but not Parkrose or David Douglass or Centennial or Beaverton or Hillsboro or North Clackamas students, get a free ride?" or "Why do downtown Portland residents, but not downtown Oregon City residents, get a free ride?" or "Why do rail riders, but not bus riders, get a free ride?"
I have some people who get on and say "This is all I got for bus fare" showing me a handful of change, I tell them to drop it in and all is good. They were honest right up front, and at least try, I'm good with that. So far all my freeloaders only perform their fare evasion on the "Pay as you leave" portion of my run.....I'll say "Pay as you leave?" as they walk by w/o producing fare...some keep going, some just forgot and flip around and tap their card, either way I leave it at that.
I don't buy that argument, because there are people that abuse the "I don't have any money" line. They don't have any money, someone gives them money, they then blow the money on garbage and ask for more. They look the part.
TriMet is not a social service agency. It is a transportation agency. There are agencies out there whose sole purpose is to help people in need. And I have no problem with that. But TriMet is not one of those agencies. What's next, should TriMet open up the LIFT program to anyone who claims they can't walk to the bus stop? Should LIFT give a chartered limo ride from Forest Grove to Troutdale on a whim? There has to be a limit to what TriMet does, because TriMet can't be all things to all people. And part of that is requiring a minimal and nominal fare to ride.
If they "truly have no money", there are plenty of places they can go for help whether it be a place to spend the night, food, a place to shower...I hear they'll even give you bus fare.
5 comments:
My thoughts exactly
So what constitutes jail? What if you are going to/from work release? Or parole? Juvenile detention? Late from school? Being detained by police as a material witness? And how is it proven - do you get a pass, or does the Operator take your word for it?
We're going to have a fare system, so what is so difficult about "you ride, you pay"? Everyone should pay. Yes, youth and seniors can ride with a reduced fare, but that's about it. Either it's free for everyone, or for no one. Since the lack of a fare will inevitably cause problems (i.e. homeless people taking up residence in the buses), it's better to have a minimal fare, and assess it equally and equitably among everyone using the system.
Otherwise, we get into the debates such as "Why do PPS students, but not Parkrose or David Douglass or Centennial or Beaverton or Hillsboro or North Clackamas students, get a free ride?" or "Why do downtown Portland residents, but not downtown Oregon City residents, get a free ride?" or "Why do rail riders, but not bus riders, get a free ride?"
Erik-some people actually have no money.
You gotta have a heart sometime.
I have some people who get on and say "This is all I got for bus fare" showing me a handful of change, I tell them to drop it in and all is good. They were honest right up front, and at least try, I'm good with that. So far all my freeloaders only perform their fare evasion on the "Pay as you leave" portion of my run.....I'll say "Pay as you leave?" as they walk by w/o producing fare...some keep going, some just forgot and flip around and tap their card, either way I leave it at that.
I don't buy that argument, because there are people that abuse the "I don't have any money" line. They don't have any money, someone gives them money, they then blow the money on garbage and ask for more. They look the part.
TriMet is not a social service agency. It is a transportation agency. There are agencies out there whose sole purpose is to help people in need. And I have no problem with that. But TriMet is not one of those agencies. What's next, should TriMet open up the LIFT program to anyone who claims they can't walk to the bus stop? Should LIFT give a chartered limo ride from Forest Grove to Troutdale on a whim? There has to be a limit to what TriMet does, because TriMet can't be all things to all people. And part of that is requiring a minimal and nominal fare to ride.
If they "truly have no money", there are plenty of places they can go for help whether it be a place to spend the night, food, a place to shower...I hear they'll even give you bus fare.
Post a Comment