I WAS IN THE PIONEER SQ OFFICE FOR TRIMET

And what did I see? The schedule rack was completely empty

TRIMET SCANNER WINS AGAIN

When it comes to real time alerts TRIMETSCANNER is the place to be. When the scanner is being monitored and tweeted by the three main volunteers who keep this going it is the only place you can get 'real time' alerts. Trimet, being a bureaucracy,  is unable to do almost anything in 'real time' due to multiple levels of management that insist on making 'declarations' only from their office.

In this particular incident Scanner won's hands down on Trimet with its alert  but when the incident was over there was no chatter on the scanner. (unless we missed it) so Trimet got exclusive rights to that tweet. Trimet never had twitter alerts on weekends or M-F after 4:30pm. Lately we have been seeing Trimet step into off time alerts, which you would think they would have been doing all along.
We think that Trimet instructs personnel to keep service resumption notices off the air so Trimet can be the first to announce it. Obviously in response to Scanner's performance that shows how badly Trimet is dropping the ball.

Longshore Union Quits the AFL-CIO

“[The AFL-CIO] wants to organize these big conventions, and rally to pat themselves on the back, doing nothing to promote the working-class,” said ILWU Coast Committeeman, Leal Sundet, who supported the union’s decision to disaffiliate.

The ILWU supports a national single-payer health care system, while the AFL-CIO is “in lockstep with Obama,” Sundet said. He criticized the federation for being unwilling to discuss the shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act, which discriminates against union Taft-Hartley benefit plans and will impose a so-called “Cadillac tax” on generous benefit plans.

Sundet also chided the federation’s position on immigration reform. The AFL-CIO is backing a bill that he contends will only make things harder for working-class immigrants, because it is “designed to give [only] highly-paid workers a real path to citizenship.”
- See more at: http://www.labornotes.org/2013/08/longshore-union-quits-afl-cio#sthash.2vB83OLy.dpuf

Patrick Stanley (written last June)

Transit Rider PDX: Nudepocolypse 2013: Nothing makes me more mad than a bunch of people expressing their "rights" to something at the expense of everyone else. Saturda...

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Friday, August 30, 2013

The latest Lane Jensen show

Also starring me  of course. In this episode we debate how much influence us bloggers really have with Trimet, is Trimet really 'scared of us' and Did Shelly Lomax set up the Lane Jensen interview to make him look bad?

CLICK HERE!

Portland Transport to get makover

This picture will soon be extinct

 My all time favorite site in Portland

Portland's only real transit discussion blog.

Ive been suspended, chastised, laughed at, and even threatened with permanent termination on a regular basis! I do believe they are directly responsible for the creation of Rantings as I remember that this blog was started the same week I was on suspension from Portland Transport!

 Sad to see the old site disappear.

Comments Off

The ability to add new comments is now turned off in preparation for our site conversion. Hold all those good thoughts for next week!

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
3h
How the hell does an entire bus just not show up? Was there a dragon? Did a Hellmouth open up and swallow it?

FUNNY ABOUT THIS GLOBAL SHERP APP

They are gonna get a % of each sale (think it's 7%) but its interesting that this for profit company (with several former Trimet execs on its board) is getting the benefit of Trimet's tax funded propaganda machine doing all the advertising for them! 

That seems sorta weird to me

ERIK MAKES A VALID POINT

The smart phone Sherpa app will definitely  be useless to the elderly and the poorest among us since neither segment of that populaton will be using smart phones with 3g access

GREAT COMMENT ON THE KGW STORY ON TEXTING

Karla Oviatt Pixler · Bartender at Looking for a new gigI have seen drivers talking on their phones while driving, often to dispatch, so while Trimet might be saying one thing publicy they are doing another privately. In the above photo it appears that the driver is stopped at a bus transit center but no one seemed to notice that. There is even another bus in front of it pulling away from thw curb. Sounds suspect to me. Anyone who haa reas anything about Trimet or knows anyone who works there they know that they are famous for the old bait & switch, trying to draw our attention in one direction so we are looking at the folly of the drivers rather than at what Trimet is trying to get past the commission so they are able to expand into areas in which they are not wanted all in the name of personal profit. I am less concerned about a driver texting at a light or while on break at a stop than I am about Trimet infringing on the public that does not always want them

TriMet asks its drivers to put phones away | kgw.com Portland

JOE ROSE GOT IT RIGHT

TRIMET ALWAYS HIRING MORE PEOPLE TO BE IN CHARGE

Never seem to have enough bureaucrats at Trimet. All these people in charge and they have to contract out everything that actually does evaluations. What waste in government, nobody beat Trimet at wasting tax payer funds

$58,514.00 - $87,772.00 Annually 

Is this an example of bus driver solidarity?

Eight Paraguayan bus drivers and a woman have submitted to crucifixion in a protest against being sacked.
The men have been nailed to crosses through their hands for 20 days, and have vowed to continue their protest until they are reinstated.

BBC News - Sacked Paraguay bus drivers stage crucifixion protest

LANE APOLOGIZES FOR HIS KOIN INTERVIEW?

After light of recent events and the story on KOIN Local 6, I need to issue an apology to everyone I have been fighting with. The ATU 757, the rider activists, and especially my supporters. I was backed into a corner with no way out. This was TriMet’s way of getting back at me for the newsletter I’ve been distributing on buses. I was unaware of all the facts when I went on camera. I can promise you that an incident like this will not Galen again without knowing all the facts first.
With regrets,
Lane Jensen
Portland Transit Lane

I was backed into a corner with no way out.
~~~What? Did somebody force you to do that interview?

This was TriMet’s way of getting back at me for the newsletter I’ve been distributing on buses. 
 Trimet's way of getting back at you? And how is that possible? I support Lane and the work he does but sometimes Lane's motives for doing things become a little fuzzy. This is the latest example of that. Did you speak the truth or not Lane? If you did why are you apologizing?

AMERICAN BUS DRIVERS HAVE IT EASY

In some places driving a bus is literally risking your life

TRIMET-MASTER OF THEFT-CLASSIC TWEETS

MORE EVIDENCE THAT THIS LAST STORY ON TEXTING WAS A PLANT

I stopped publishing internal documents from Trimet because they want me to pay over a thousand dollars for the same info I used to get for free . They also create problems for people that provide me with documents so the hell with their documents. While the internal documents are interesting they are hardly anything that Trimet needs to keep secret so their paranoia is completely ridiculous. But we know how they roll don't we.

In any even they allow retirees to get some material without charge, its the usual useless crap, you know the Hooray for us material. But today they sent some material which is just too coincidental to be ignored.

The fact that this article was all ready to go  immediately after the news stories is hardly  a coincidence. We already know how they use the mainstream media to do their dirty work and here we have more evidence to support that. The texting story looks like a plant

Earlier this month TriMet Executive Director of Operations Shelly Lomax sent a memo out to all bus and rail operators reinforcing the concerns of distracted driving and stressing that operators must put rider safety first. This is a reminder for the entire workforce to put safety first. Using a phone or other personal electronic device while driving violates Oregon law and TriMet policy, and it is dangerous. Operators are allowed to have cell phones and other electronic devices with them during their working day that they can use before or after their shifts or while on a break. However, they must not use them when in the driver’s seat of the bus or in the operating cab of a train whether in motion or not. Employees are instructed that electronic devices must be turned off and stowed at all times when operating a TriMet vehicle. For more on distracted driving and TriMet statistics visit the TriMet news feed at news.trimet.org.

WEIRD TRIMET ALERTS

#15 Line 15: THURMAN LOOP ONLY.Your stop at Thurman & 26th Ave. will be closed as of 8pm tonite. This will be both directions Do not service that stop under any circumstances.

#4 Line 4 Division Please continue to do the detour at Division and Chavez. It may look open but you need to remain on detour Thanks.

#76 Line 76 due to the construction, buses are authorized to leave the Tualatin Transit Center 3 minutes early.

#16 Line 16 Back to regular route on Naito. Train Is Gone!!!

#12 Line 12 Westbound ONLY: Regular route to 230th and Sandy, right 230th, left Townsend Way, left 223rd, right Sandy, & Regular route UNTIL: 5p.
#12 Line 12 - please disregard the 230th and Sandy detour.

#17 Line 17 there is a detour at 27th and Saratoga. If you did NOT get the detour send a PRTT message. Thanks.

#9 #17 #19 Lines 9,17,19 Westbound: there is an accident blocking the right lane at the crest of the Ross Island Bridge. Please use left lane after clearing last stop on the east end of the bridge.

#8 Line 8 is back to regular route at 15th & Killingsworth - construction has ended early - advise to hold back at traffic light as signs will remain in place for a time.

Drivers texting/talking on cell phones back in the news

Seems this story is manufactured to me because the incidents are not well documented. It's still stupid of any driver that does do it. No sympathy from me

MCFARLANE SAYS HE NEEDS TO BRING UNION HEALTH CARE COSTS TO 'MARKET' VALUE

Interesting that the man that runs a transit agency is talking about our benefits and 'markets'

Let's take a look at some of the 'market' salaries and compare Mcfarlanes

As reported in the Oregonian newspaper, the official mayoral salary for Portland was $118,273 in the budget year ending June 30, 2010. According to the Oregon government salary database maintained by the Oregonian, that salary did not include any premium pay or overtime. For perspective, the mayoral salary is substantially higher than the estimated Portland per capita income of $29,147, as well as the estimated Portland median household income of $50,203.

BEAVERTON -- Being Beaverton's mayor no longer means cashing the city's biggest paycheck.
Not for Denny Doyle, at least.
Doyle in 2008 campaigned that he would cut mayoral salary by 10 percent if he defeated incumbent Rob Drake. And in 2009, Doyle's first year as mayor, he did just that -- earning $132,297, which includes a $4,200 vehicle allowance. SOURCE


McRats pay is $221,00 way above market for this area
 

GOTTA LOVE TRIMETS PUBLIC RECORDS DEPT

These A-Holes in charge of Trimess just forked over $70k to two attorneys for a few hours work to white wash the Trimet public records department.

Funny how there is always money available for the things that Trimet management wants, but zero  for  the public.  This tax payer funded agency that exists on the backs of the tax payers has the nerve to charge $40/hr to access public records. One more obscenity that citizens can do nothing about.


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

GLOBAL SHERPA IS STEALING THE NAME OF AN ETHNIC PEOPLE

Sherpa family
This was brought to my attention by a TWITTER MEMBER and its a very good point.
How ethical is it for these people to name themselves after the SHERPA PEOPLE?

GLOBAL SHERPA TRIMET PARTNERSHIP ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF TRIMET CRONYISM

Why would Carolyn Young leave a nice pork barrel job that pays $160k for basically doing nothing? 
Well, why make $160k when you can make a million by 'owing' something, like a piece of Global Sherpa.
No wonder Trimet is dragging its feet on the tap card technology, they are letting one of their cronies reap in some $$$$$ first. Basically Global Sherpa has at least a 5 year exclusivity contract with Trimet with absolutely no competition guaranteed. Of course people at Global Sherpa deny any sort of 'collusion' and her connection with them 'happened by accident'

Sure it did, we believe you, we were all born yesterday.
It has also come to my attention that another former Trimet employee who was in the IT department also has a stake in this.

It's how they roll, cronyism.

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECK' HEALTH INSURANCE

Fact: True. As allowed by the collective bargaining law, as of January 1, active union employees and retirees temporarily began paying more – the increased cost of health care over 2011 rates – until a new contract is in place. That means, on average, union members are paying 9.25 percent for their preferred provider plan or 6.25 percent for their Kaiser plan while the contract is unresolved. The union plan is a richer benefit than the non-union plan. Non-union employees pay 6 percent of the premiums, which is what TriMet has offered to the union for the upcoming contract yet to be negotiated.

operators/retirees temporarily began paying more

CLASSIC TWEETS

TRIMET MARKETING FAILS

They put up a picture of the Portland Streetcar to announce the Trimet mobile phone app. 
Pretty stupid error and illustrates how little the marketing department knows about transit. For those of you that don't know, the street car is not owned by trimet


Mobile Ticketing Launch Party

Seattle bus drivers go on the attack facing same issues as Trimet operators

Factors beyond the control of Operators have created an explosion of complaints. These factors include: rising demand for public transit; cuts in service hours; “schedule efficiencies” that save Metro millions of dollars, delay service and overcrowd buses putting more stress on drivers; ever-changing fare structures and policies; cuts in Customer Service, bus-cleaning and mechanical support. In general Operators are being asked to do more with less, placing unrealistic expectations of “customer service” delivery on front line workers. Operators are being turned into frontline scapegoats for a transit system under pressure – at a cost to our health and safety.

Bus drivers’ petition says job stress getting worse | The Today File | Seattle Times

SO TRIMET WAS NOT THE FIRST TO DO MOBILE TICKETING

Of course they lied, because they always lie. Oh wait, Trimet has it so you can use it on buses and trains so that makes them the first. Gimme a freaking break!

MBTA already has this going

Trimet throws a bone at bus service

My how things change. Just a year ago they slashed service and raised fares and issued dire warnings.
OPAL called the fake budget crisis, nobody listened.
I think the only reason Mcfarlane added service is that he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Can't very plead poverty after handing out a million dollars in raises to people that hardly needed it.
(Don't forget, Trimet will be slashing service by 70% ten years from now, but what the hey, they can do whatever they want and there is not one damn thing any member of the public can do about it.)

TriMet adding new Sherwood-Tigard bus line, improving 17 routes (poll) | OregonLive.com

HB

Comment on Portland Transit Lane regarding locations of fare missions:

In this climate of “fare is fare” that’s being run by the company; we have to take a closer look at this situation and draw a couple of things by this, one: the target area and the population and the ability to pay fares that are on the rise consistently as service is lessen, two: what type of impact that this will have on the communities the company services.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

MAX FAQ's

and here’s how that area looks as of this month.
 Long story short, frontline workers had been trying to address long-standing safety issues at TriMet, including damage to the alignment that had gone unrepaired for months (example – the switches just west of the Lloyd Center platform, pictured here in July of 2012 and again in January 2013 with no repairs made). Nothing was being done internally, so the union brought it to the media, which then led to ODOT announcing an inspection. Cue a flurry of activity at TriMet which largely consisted of throwing asphalt on everything to patch the alignment up before the inspection (here are the same switches in mid-March 2013). As a result, the ODOT report didn’t find any major safety concerns. TriMet claimed this as a victory and accused the union of making up safety issues to draw attention away from the negotiations. Though really, it’s a dubious victory if you have to do a bunch of last minute work right before an inspection to fix problems that had been around for months – doesn’t that just mean the union was right?
  
In with the new, disregard the old

HELLO TRIMET EMPLOYEE WE HAVE AN AWARD FOR YOU

"We are so pleased that you have won this award we want to give it to you in person. Please come in the office to one of the managers so we can do that!"

If they actually meant that they would come out into the field and present the award to the operator in this fashion "Hi Operator X, we want to present this award to you and thank you for the great job your doing" and then leave. Simple and fast. The fact that the managers want operators to take their personal time and go see them is very indicative of the management at Trimet. It all about them. 

 It would also be nice if they actually gave the best performing operators a little something, say a $50 gift certificate since the best operators cost the company zero in claims. But Trimet doesn't do that anymore. They spend millions and millions on boondoggles but can't find the loose change to hand tiny awards to operators

When the operator finally made time to go back into the office there were no managers around and the secretary took it out of the file cabinet and handed it to the operator. And they can't put it in the mail because 'they care'?

Can't beat the Trimet propaganda machine

One of the best, if not the absolute best, in the transit industry, these guys are true pro's.

TriMet: Rider Photo Shoots (Say "Cheese!")

Monday, August 26, 2013

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
Well the day has come. Time to break up with all my  bus drivers. It wasn't you it was me. You'll find new passengers.


FROM THIS MORNING

It's a constant battle to keep light rail moving

A RETIREE WRITES ME

Hi Al . Just signed up for my pension, and found out I don’t get any benefits at all besides a monthly check. It’s just because I was out  2 years before early retirement age at 55 . I put in almost 30 years and this is how I get treated !! They’re wasting money on useless crap like rebuilding the Center street administration building , and countless other stuff. They don’t give a hoot about the most important employees at Trimet.

CLASSIC TWEETS

CLASSIC TWEETS

Sunday, August 25, 2013

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-RIDERSHIP PLUNGE

Fact: We actually lost about 3 million rides last year, primarily on MAX due to the elimination of the Free Rail Zone.

Is this something to be proud of? Are they saying this is a good thing? They don't provide an explanation as to what they have gained by this move. It appears they have gained nothing but a loss in ridership.

This brings into question the  management decision to eliminate fareless square. It also brings into question making Trimet unaffordable for people that were taking short trips in downtown Portland.

If Trimet was actually held accountable for their screw ups this would be under investigation right now. It appears that this was a horrible management miscalculation on ending fare less square and not providing an affordable alternative.

It's another Trimet fail that the management  won't be held accountable for.

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'- PAID LIFE INSURANCE

Fact: This claim comes in a chart entitled “Pension Class Comparison” which may confuse the reader about whether this is retiree or active employee life insurance, or both. Retiree life insurance for union employees is $10,000 and non-union employees (including executives) receive $7,500. Active employee life insurance for union employees is $25,000 and the coverage for all non-union employees is $150,000.  In addition, executives and the general manager have group supplemental life insurance coverage of $500,000.

Retiree life insurance for union employees is $10,000 and non-union employees (including executives) receive $7,500

Active employee life insurance for union employees is $25,000 

coverage for all non-union employees is $150,000.   

In addition, executives and the general manager have group supplemental life insurance coverage of $500,000.

Is this Trimet's idea of a defense of their obviously discriminatory life insurance coverages?

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-THE MYTH OF ROCK AND ROLL

Fact: Every vehicle on the road, not just a bus, has blind spots or visual barriers. Our operators are trained to “rock and roll” and move to see around any temporary visual barriers, which is the recognized technique in the transit industry

We are going to use as evidence against Trimet's claim Dan Christensen's (highly esteemed writer and bus driver followed by literally tens of thousands of people) video that he made immediately after the Sandi Day incident

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-SEATTLE METRO VS TRIMET

Fact: TriMet’s flat fare rate is on par with peer agencies on the west coast. Out of the five cities the ATU cited, only one includes a transfer in their base ticket price. All others are one ride only or apply additional fees for transfers. When you take into account the transfer time included in TriMet fares, the total costs averages out.

Trimet's HUGE error here is saying that Metro has no transfers Metro has owl service and express service for a smaller higher cost


Adult age 19-64 =$2.25 (0ff peak all zone) $2.50 (peak one zone) $3.00 (peak 2 zone)(Trimet=$2.50 beats Metro during peak hours only)
Senior+disabled =75¢ (Trimet $1.00 25% higher)
Youth age 6-18=$1.25 (trimet $1.65)

Let's see how passes stack up:

Adult pass is $81 (Trimet=$100)
Senior/disabled is $27 (Trimet= $26)
Youth is $45 (Trimet=$30)

The only real difference is that Seattle has peak hour fares


FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-AC TRANSIT VS TRIMET

Fact: TriMet’s flat fare rate is on par with peer agencies on the west coast. Out of the five cities the ATU cited, only one includes a transfer in their base ticket price. All others are one ride only or apply additional fees for transfers. When you take into account the transfer time included in TriMet fares, the total costs averages out.

Adult (19-64) Pass $2.10 + 25 cents if you want a transfer total $2.35 (Trimet=$2.50)
Youth (5-18) Pass $1.05 + 25 cents if you want a transfer total $1.30 (TRIMET=$1.65)
Senior (65+) & Disabled Pass $1.05 + 25 cents for transfer (TRIMET=$1.00 actually better than AC Transit)

Let's look at how AC Transit passes stack up with TRIMET

Adult $80 (Trimet=$100)
Youth $20 (Trimet=$30, considerably higher)
Disabled $20 (Trimet=$26, that's a big difference when you are on a fixed income)

Trimet loses again, how much higher is the cost of living in the SF bay area than Portland?

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-SF MUNI VS TRIMET

Fact: TriMet’s flat fare rate is on par with peer agencies on the west coast. Out of the five cities the ATU cited, only one includes a transfer in their base ticket price. All others are one ride only or apply additional fees for transfers. When you take into account the transfer time included in TriMet fares, the total costs averages out.

In doing the research for this segment the first thing that shouted out at me was this:

Late night transfers issued by drivers on surface vehicles after 8:30 pm are valid until 5:00 am. (This is what OPAL has been asking for)

Regular Adult $2.00 includes transfer. (Trimet $2.50 or 20% higher, living in SF is much more expensive than living in Portland)

Now lets take a look at what MUNI riders pay for passes:
Regular Adult $66.00, all MUNI Vehicles ( TRIMET=$100; 34% lower than Trimet despite the much higher cost of living
$76.00 if you want unlimited BART access also (still 24% lower than TRIMET)

Low Income (Lifeline) Pass $33 (Trimet=$100 no such animal exists in the light rail paradise)

Youth (5-17), Senior (65+), Disabled, Medicare $23.00 (TRIMET=$26 for disabled and $30 for high school or less)

Strike two, TRIMET is distorting again.

FACT CHECKING TRIMET'S 'FACT CHECKS'-LA METRO VS TRIMET

Cost of living in LA much higher than Portland
Fact: TriMet’s flat fare rate is on par with peer agencies on the west coast. Out of the five cities the ATU cited, only one includes a transfer in their base ticket price. All others are one ride only or apply additional fees for transfers. When you take into account the transfer time included in TriMet fares, the total costs averages out.

LA METRO- $1.50 base fare plus 35 cents metro to muni transfer. (lower than Trimet)
But where LA Metro completely decimated Trimet is on the passes.

EZ transit pass Good for travel on Metro bus, Metro Rail and many additional carriers $84 (Trimet is $100)

Senior/Disabled/Medicare 30-Day Pass - $14 (Trimet $26 that's almost double for people on fixed incomes)

College/Vocational 30-Day Pass $36 (Trimet $100- no reduced fare for college students, that's 300% more than LA Metro)

Students (K-8 and 9-12) 30-Day Pass - $24 (Trimet $30, or 20% higher)

As always, Trimet distorts facts to attempt to 'prove' their point of view, and here we see just how messed up that is.

Forgiving Trimet

Although I have a vehicle that works fine, driving sucks; so I climbed aboard the Max-O-Matic for a ride to the grocery store where I happily filled a fabric bag. Everything was groovy as I hauled the bag a few blocks back to the Max, using the opportunity to get some exercise. The train I needed was just leaving as I approached, so I sat down to wait for the next. After about a half hour I went to look at one of those schedule screens that never seem to work right.

Interesting historical information on ATU 587

Damn decent library of union material I wonder if ATU 757 has anything like this

Click Here!

The City of Destiny - real public transit vehicles that aren't 23 years old, don't look like they've gone through a battle zone, and have customer focused amenities rather than hard plastic and metal seats.

Pierce Transit C40LF, led by a Sound Transit D4505

Sound Transit (operated by Pierce Transit) MCI D4505, used for ST Express buses between Tacoma and Seattle

Bombardier bi-level coaches, used for Sounder commuter trains between Tacoma, Seattle and Everett

Does the TriMet Fact Check make the mark?

First of all, to Ms. Murphy or whoever did this page, why did you use a TriMet logo that has compression artifacts, (compare this to this; the background should be completely white; only the portion filled by blue actually is) when there's perfectly good ones that don't?
Re FACT CHECK: ATU ads miss the mark

need to realign benefits with the market.
What has TriMet done to attempt to reduce the actual price of those benefits, and not just the funding?

True; in 2004 an operator struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk in the Rose Quarter and he died
Are we sure we're not talking about Sandy Day here?

The picture taken by the ATU is closer to the window than an operator would be and does not accurately represent an operator’s true view through the windshield.
What about the videos from Seattle that show a family magically appearing from behind a pillar?

We are launching a peer review of all buses – old and new – to assess our methods to mitigate visual barriers on buses
So you think something may be wrong?

The improved front face of the new buses provides for greater visibility and safety
That doesn't seem correct given that it results in additional obstructing pillars and small side windows that must also be look through. Example picture

more aerodynamic
Does this really help with vehicles that usually don't travel fast? And what about the extra weight and distance of the extension?

No other buses in our fleet are being updated with this safety feature.
I don't think there was a claim of that.

[TriMet's fare is higher] "especially for the disabled and elderly"
Looking at the table, this appears to be somewhat true. Seattle (even on Sound Transit), San Francisco and Los Angeles fares are shown to be at least 25% less.

TriMet’s flat fare rate is on par with peer agencies on the west coast.
Then why does the table show that every other local transit agency (Sound Transit is exclusively express service) has a lower fare?

All others are one ride only or apply additional fees for transfers.
Even with the transfer charge, trips in Oakland are cheaper according to the table. Moreover, the table is incorrect regarding Seattle. Metro issues paper transfers and I'm pretty sure ORCA provides credit for original fare paid when transferring.

We actually lost about 3 million rides last year
So the loss is actually worse.

ATU members are "paying more for health insurance than TriMet management"
TriMet actually acknowledges this.

temporarily began paying more...until a new contract is in place
I'm not sure "temporarily" is correct and tells the full story.

upcoming contract yet to be negotiated
Who's fault is that?

with more than 35 different fare instruments
Even with the elimination of zone passes, there are still many different ones. And what about the elimination of Fareless Square? At least on rail, the process of not checking fares in the free area should still be the same regardless of payment method (or if tap-off was implemented, valid rides could easily be set to $0 like I believe Salt Lake City does).

wage increases have far outpaced the cost of living since 2000.
What about before then? What about when new passed-on costs for medical expenses are subtracted?

The average monthly executive pension is $6,289.69.
So some people are indeed better off.

non-union employees qualified after 5 years.
And why was this the case?

Union and non-union employees are eligible for pension at the same early retirement age of 55.
I thought union employees did have to be 58.

Active employee life insurance for union employees is $25,000 and the coverage for all non-union employees is $150,000.
That's a big difference there. And which group has higher-risk jobs?

In addition, executives and the general manager have group supplemental life insurance coverage of $500,000.
That sounds awful nice.

non-union average pay and benefits of $103,803
But the comparison was between "top management" and "most employees", not union and non-union.

TRIMET STILL HAS ITS 2010 'RAIL-VOLUTION' PAGES UP

http://trimet.org/railvolution/

Check out the tours they did:
http://trimet.org/railvolution/maps.htm

Especially tour 8 where they say the Green Line goes to the front door of United Streetcar then note how there's going to be a charter bus to get from MAX to there:
http://trimet.org/railvolution/maps/8_MW.pdf

A VERY SAD BLAST FROM THE PAST

The death of Donia Garcia-Her funeral was held the same day as her retirement party was scheduled. It shook me up big time.

Friday, August 23, 2013

MANAGEMENT CRAP FROM LAST YEAR

I like to illustrate the complete LUNACY of the current Trimet executive 'team' lest people lose focus

IN 2008 I WAS LOVING MY JOB AT TRIMET

My oh my how things do change-BLAST FROM THE PAST!

WELCOME TO PORTLAND AND ITS WORLD FAMOUS LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM

Trimet's world renowned incredible unbelievable Max Train
Today at our 'anti blog' we are celebrating living in the city with a world renown light rail system that is supposedly the best anywhere in the world. 
In celebration of our wonderful luck being from Portland and having this wonderful world renowned system at our feet we have provided 10 very typical episodes of ANOTHER DAY ON TRIMET MAX which are below this post. Visitors from around the world can become accustomed to riding our world renowned light rail system by viewing all 10 episodes below and meeting the type of people you will encounter while riding our world renowned light rail! Remember, riding Portland's world renowned light rail system is not for the weak of heart!

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
Nice going . I got here 18 minutes ago, the tracker said the bus would be here in 18 minutes, and now it says it'll be 18 minutes.

FUNNY THAT MCFARLANE IS WHINING ABOUT THE TRIMET NO STRIKE CLAUSE

Well every single other transit district in the nation that has had strikes wants no strike clauses added.
 Although Mcfarlane may have been lying about that in yet another example of his two face maneuvering.
Valley leaders seek strike-proof bus service

TRIMET AND ITS GRANDIOSE PLANS

Don't ya know Trimet is going to be everything to everybody?  From a  year ago:

Grandiose plan for east side here

SLEEPY BETHEL ASKS A REASONABLE QUESTION

Still on the topic of public records requests

VANCOUVER MAYOR WANTS LIGHT RAIL

“Unfortunately, the C-Tran board is dysfunctional and seems to have lost sight of the difference between urban and rural public transit,” Leavitt said. 
That was news to Councilor Jack Burkman.
“The mayor is speaking for himself and not for council,” Burkman said. “We have not talked about this.”

THE COLUMBIAN

DON'T MISS TRIMET'S AWARD WINNING ON LINE PROPAGANDA MAG

Hard to beat a public agency that  has unlimited tax payer funds at its disposal and such a high paid staff of executives to crank this stuff out.
http://t.co/6mRF6gtew4

TRIMET STILL HASN'T GIVEN OPAL AN ANSWER ON THE 3 HOUR TRANSFER

 The arrogant a-holes who rule Trimet as their personal monarchy spent $70k (they always come up with money when they want something) for that mostly white wash report on their defective public records request system. (lawyers evaluating other lawyers)


But when it comes to OPAL's request to allow a 3 hour transfer, they are 'still studying' the proposal.

The lies and deceit that are perpetuated by the top executives at Trimet are so monumental, so outrageous, how is it they get to continue as if nothing is wrong?

Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
Thomas Jefferson

Sickening but cute little tourist movie about trimet

I have never met a tourist who didn't think Trimet was the most wonderful thing since the automobile.
Portland is a great tourist town, It's got a great facade, they worked very hard to create that illusion.
Silly video here

LATEST SEEN AND HEARD ON TRIMET

But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
 TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS
This morning on drunk man jumps on a yellow line and asks loudly "is the the bus going to interstate?" I told him it is a train  and he yelled "shit" and jumped off as the doors shut before i could tell him that the train goes to interstate

AC TRANSIT DRIVERS ARE NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS

Watching the AC Transit drivers in THIS video is so uplifting for me. Trimet operators are in a completely opposite head space.

But the AC Transit drivers actually get it, its so nice to see that some transit professionals understand some things are worth fighting for

TRIMET BOARD MEETINGS ON CABLE ACCESS

The following 5 dates are scheduled for the program "TriMet Board of
Directors August briefing", Project: TriMet Board Meetings.

+ Thu 09/12/13 01:00 PM Channel 23
+ Wed 09/11/13 06:00 PM Channel 22
+ Sun 09/08/13 05:00 PM Channel 11
+ Fri 09/06/13 11:00 AM Channel 22
+ Wed 09/04/13 08:30 AM Channel 23