But not seen on TRIMET'S HOW WE ROLL BLOG!
TRIMET SCANNER TWEETS HERE!
Trimess
Friday, February 28, 2014
TRIMET WANTS BLOOD FROM ITS RETIREES
One of the most moving speeches at the last board meeting was from Trimet retiree Jim Fowler.
I didn't know Mr Fowler during my employment at Trimet but his speech really hit home with me on an emotional level.
There was a very interesting comment on the post where he makes his speech.
Something to the effect of 'Jim Fowler was not a ranting trimet bus driver'. Now I didn't take that comment as an insult to me because I watched his speech in its entirety and was very moved.
WE WIN AGAIN
Trimet's #1 foe (and his cohorts) are able to provide more timely information to the public than the billion dollar agency.
HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME TRIMET!
abandoned car in #trimet MAX tracks just south of Cascades station
— TriMet Scanner (@trimetscanner) March 1, 2014MAX Red Line disrupted due to auto on tracks near Cascade Station. Shuttle buses serving stations between Gateway TC & PDX.
— TriMet (@trimet) March 1, 2014Vermont Bus Drivers to Strike over Dangerous Schedules
When will Trimet bus drivers get off their collective asses and stop being patsies!
Bus drivers in northern Vermont have voted 53-4 to strike against unsafe conditions, surveillance and discipline, and part-time status. The walkout is set for March 10.
The strong local solidarity they’ve mustered could serve as an example for drivers and transit workers battling similarly extreme conditions around the country. Over the last few decades 85 percent of transit authorities have pushed drivers to accept part-time conditions.
At a pair of February 19 community rallies, an array of unions, Vermont Workers’ Center members, students, politicians, and parents of school kids who ride the buses pledged to “walk with the drivers” if a fair contract is not resolved.
The “long work days, split shifts, and forced overtime” scheduled by the Chittenden County Transit Authority are dangerous, said Teamsters Local 597 member Rob Slingerland at a community speak-out held at the Cherry Street Bus Terminal. The event was organized by rank-and-file drivers together with a coalition of unions and community groups.
Slingerland’s schedule, for example, has him working from 6:50 to 9 a.m., then from 2:20 to 7:20 p.m. So he is paid for only seven hours’ work, but “my day’s total spread is 12.5 hours,” he explained. “The contract says we can be forced up to a 15-hour spread. Because of that, they’re telling us we have to be available for that 15 hours but only being paid for the hours worked.”
He said the drivers want maximum work day hours, real breaks, and better schedules.
“These sound like workplace issues from 1914, not 2014,” said Denise Youngblood, president of the faculty union at the University of Vermont.
Bus drivers in northern Vermont have voted 53-4 to strike against unsafe conditions, surveillance and discipline, and part-time status. The walkout is set for March 10.
The strong local solidarity they’ve mustered could serve as an example for drivers and transit workers battling similarly extreme conditions around the country. Over the last few decades 85 percent of transit authorities have pushed drivers to accept part-time conditions.
At a pair of February 19 community rallies, an array of unions, Vermont Workers’ Center members, students, politicians, and parents of school kids who ride the buses pledged to “walk with the drivers” if a fair contract is not resolved.
The “long work days, split shifts, and forced overtime” scheduled by the Chittenden County Transit Authority are dangerous, said Teamsters Local 597 member Rob Slingerland at a community speak-out held at the Cherry Street Bus Terminal. The event was organized by rank-and-file drivers together with a coalition of unions and community groups.
Slingerland’s schedule, for example, has him working from 6:50 to 9 a.m., then from 2:20 to 7:20 p.m. So he is paid for only seven hours’ work, but “my day’s total spread is 12.5 hours,” he explained. “The contract says we can be forced up to a 15-hour spread. Because of that, they’re telling us we have to be available for that 15 hours but only being paid for the hours worked.”
He said the drivers want maximum work day hours, real breaks, and better schedules.
“These sound like workplace issues from 1914, not 2014,” said Denise Youngblood, president of the faculty union at the University of Vermont.
Trimet will never have a problem with finding people
I can tell you that the job of bus driver is not the same job it was ten years or more ago. It used to be a great job and companies actually considered you a person and not a piece of expendable equipment. People should think twice before jumping at this job, it's physically and psychologically brutal and they won't tell you any of that during the interview or the training.
Do you know someone
who would be a great operator? Or is
looking for a new career path?
- No experience needed; includes paid training to acquire CDL
- Starts at a living wage that doubles in three years
- Full benefits, and more than 20 career paths
Interested applicants
can submit applications and participate in a pre-employment orientation and be
interviewed by hiring managers. Those interested can also attend the next
TriMet Hiring Event to find out how they can become an important part of what
makes this place great.
More noise pollution coming to silly Portlandia
PEDESTRIAN WARNING SYSTEM
Next week, 45 buses on the 4, 8, 15, 33, and 75 bus lines will begin testing various pedestrian warning systems. We will be testing the effectiveness of each technology with the goal of avoiding bus-pedestrian collisions by alerting pedestrians that the bus near them is turning.
The oligarchs sure get nervous when the voters want a say
This is an Oregonian article and as we know the Oregonian is in the habit of being a mouthpiece for government, especially when it comes to the high levels of government. They have no problem attacking the ones on the bottom (teachers, bus drivers etc) but they always stand with those who control the government itself and who hand out the billions of dollars of contracts.
Tigard ballot measure: Supporters, opponents differ over true meaning of initiative | OregonLive.com
Tigard ballot measure: Supporters, opponents differ over true meaning of initiative | OregonLive.com
Johnell Bell tows the company line
That is no surprise of course, but I'll say in his defense he is doing what he can over there, he's a decent guy.
Transit plays a vital role in a just and equitable society. For many citizens, transit is a lifeline, which is why the history of civil rights and transit are so deeply intertwined.
At TriMet, we have a long history of not only meeting the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. We are steadfast in our commitment to these equity principles, counter to the recent opinions expressed in The Oregonian by Organizing People Activating Leaders (OPAL’s) Jonathan Ostar.
At the heart of OPAL’s proposal for extended transfer time is the very real impact service cuts have taken on our riders. We are cognizant of how these cuts affect real families and real people, which is why TriMet is prioritizing restoring service on the most traversed and critical lines—we are treating the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.
Read the essay HERE
Transit plays a vital role in a just and equitable society. For many citizens, transit is a lifeline, which is why the history of civil rights and transit are so deeply intertwined.
At TriMet, we have a long history of not only meeting the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law. We are steadfast in our commitment to these equity principles, counter to the recent opinions expressed in The Oregonian by Organizing People Activating Leaders (OPAL’s) Jonathan Ostar.
At the heart of OPAL’s proposal for extended transfer time is the very real impact service cuts have taken on our riders. We are cognizant of how these cuts affect real families and real people, which is why TriMet is prioritizing restoring service on the most traversed and critical lines—we are treating the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.
Read the essay HERE
GREAT STORY FROM A REGULAR READER
Trimet seems to have UNMLIMITED FUNDS to build Mcfarlanes pork empire
@lanejensenpdx @trimet @AlYourPalster "Exec Director" means just another $150K job that doesn't need to be there.
— Transit Rider PDX (@TransitRiderPDX) February 28, 2014You meet the nicest people when your a Trimet bus driver
BUS DRIVER BEING THREATENED http://t.co/AXg3VCBOcl
— TriMet Scanner (@trimetscanner) March 1, 2014That ridiculous street car
Which is another reason why are health care has disappeared
United Streetcar delays: Portland didn't pursue at least $676,430 for related contract expenses | OregonLive.com
United Streetcar delays: Portland didn't pursue at least $676,430 for related contract expenses | OregonLive.com
Thursday, February 27, 2014
QUICK LESSON ON HOW TO USE TRIMET ARRIVAL TIME TRACKER
Everyone knows that the 'real time' arrivals are not actually in true minutes. We want you to know how to calculate the actual time that your bus will arrive. Here's how you do it.
Take the arrival time that your tracker is telling you and plug that number into the following formula:
f=arrival time as displayed by your tracker
Mcfarlane likes to have his six figure cronies behind him when he speaks
Must make him feel powerful to have leverage over all those people who worship at his alter
FROM THE CLACKASTANIS
From 34-210 Chief Petitioners Art Crino and Tim Esau
Please send this along to............everyone
Lot's of stuff --- scroll down
March 11th Election in Tigard
Citizens initiative measure measure 34-210 will require
Tigard voter approval of light rail.
All the details:
The Trimet General Manager Report
In this episode we will here der führer say that Dan will be getting his money pronto, Shelly has full power to make deals with the union, the bridge the bridge the bridge, almost 800,000 sold and other assorted crazy shit!
You already expected delays right?
MAX Blue/Red lines are delayed due to an earlier mechanical issue. Expect delays up to 20 minutes through 4 p.m.
— TriMet (@trimet) February 27, 2014Julie Doris worries she made the wrong career decision coming to Trimet
OPAL's Jonathan Ostar can't get a straight answer either
Light rail screw up of the day
At least when a bus breaks down or gets stuck the next bus can get by it or detour around it.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
How much more proof do you need that mainstream media is completely against us
NOPE, the only coverage was on an obscure blog run by a blogger who operates outside the norms of the transit blog community.
What did the mainstream media cover? Trimet bringing back 15 minute peak our service on some heavy use lines. And they phrased it to appear that Trimet was doing the public 'a favor' and should be thanked for their great efforts towards the public.
No mention that the cuts were over done in the first place. No mention that OPAL, the activist agency that TRIMET officials have so enjoyed toying with called out the cuts as unnecessary.
NOPE, nothing at all resembling facts about anything going on at Trimet.
And there is only a handful of people that understand just how great the lie actually is and how Trimet is destroying peoples lives every day.
I want to congratulate all the union members that took time out of their day to address that board of sock puppets.
They didn't need me today to make the point, they made it themselves and for someone like me to see people step up to the plate lifts my spirits and gives me energy to keep this blog going.
Alex Hawk fights the good fight
Al Thomas illustrates Trimet management failures
Will Trimet ever allow ATU to be part of the process?
Today TriMet’s Board meeting included yet another plea from the transit union president that the workforce be allowed to partner with the Board in solving TriMet’s alleged financial woes.
“One enormous hurdle we can’t get over is the fact that TriMet management won’t give us adequate information that we can use to verify their claim of financial problems,” says Bruce Hansen, president of ATU 757. “We see TriMet spending millions in ways we think are imprudent. And we suspect they use deliberately inflated numbers to support their claim of financial stress. The problem is, we don’t know and can’t know, until we can really look at the books and talk to the people coming up with those numbers.” Hansen says the Union needs accurate numbers in order to determine the most effective way to lessen TriMet’s financial problems while protecting the workforce and retirees.
TRIMET GETS MOSTLY GOOD GRADES FROM ME HERE
The board meeting presentations are actually done very well. Kudo's to whoever is in charge of that.
But I still have complaints. (of course)
No embedding is allowed and no comments are allowed.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
That tree branch really did a number on that little light rail line
The train was damaged on the east end of the Blue Line between the Gresham Central Transit Center and the Cleveland Avenue MAX station. TriMet officials said crews will continue to work through the night to make the repairs, but no estimate was given for completion of the repairs.
Shuttle buses are taking riders between Cleveland and Ruby Junction.
While some of the passengers were understanding, others weren’t happy at all.
“I think everyone understands the weather, and what are you going to do?” passenger Mary Hartel told KOIN 6 News. “Got to get back to your car and finish getting home.”
Passengers Zech Cordova, Rebecca West and Jessica Fuentes are with Job Corps and only had a limited time to be together.
One said, “It’s good they’re making an effort to get us going,” but another said, “This should never have happened. They should have watched that tree before it fell down.”
Tree hits wires, delays MAX Blue Line | KOIN.com
Trimet is so wonderful at communications??
That's what THIS little essay tried to convey after the snow event. We had another 'event' today, that went of for several hours. Here is the sum total of Trimet wonderful communications.
We are not all stupid and taken in by the absurd propaganda.
Trimet continues trying to hide public records
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Legislature is looking at two bills that would curtail access to public records.
Both measures have advanced through the legislative process without opposition at any stage. Lawmakers say they're protecting people's privacy, but government transparency advocates worry about adding even more exemptions to Oregon's public records law.
The two new exemptions would join more than 400 that already exist in Oregon's public records law, up from just 55 when the law was first adopted in 1973 in the midst of the Watergate scandal.
Access to information is critical for the public to know what public officials are up to, what decisions are being made and whether government is operating efficiently, said Tim Gleason, former dean of the University of Oregon journalism school who is now special assistant to the provost.
But he said lawmakers have steadily added exemptions to the public records law without any analysis about "the impact of this bill-by-bill erosion of public access."
"In isolation, each one of these seems like a good idea," Gleason said. "It's only when you look at the cumulative effect that you begin to see the serious problem."
Trimet of course says they are 'protecting the public'
We believe them of course (NOT!)
Trees? What trees?
#TriMet It's a tree branch. You can't expect Portland's transit system to have experience with trees. Expect delays.
— Rich Jones (@jonesrich) February 26, 2014BRUCE HANSEN CLARIFIES UNION ACTION TOMORROW (corrected)
The President, Vice President and Treasurer will be addressing the board.
Bus driving is a hazardous profession
They don't tell you this when you take the job. With the destruction of health care benefits people should really think twice before giving up their whole life to work in an urban bus district. The job requires your whole life too
Monday, February 24, 2014
Milwaukie voters get a 'choice' cut service or raise taxes
City councilors unanimously decided last week to ask voters to accept an extra $36 tax on the average property to pay off TriMet for Milwaukie’s light-rail debt.
If voters don’t pass the $4 million bond measure, Milwaukie would have to cut two or three staff members next year, estimated Finance Director Casey Camors at the Feb. 18 meeting. But passage of the bond wouldn’t guarantee no cuts; it would only reduce the amount of cuts needed, Camors noted.
“It’s important that our citizens be given a choice as to how services are provided within the community,” said Mayor Jeremy Ferguson.
Voters to decide on more Milwaukie light-rail cuts
Trimet to squeeze every nickel out of the disabled they can
Remember, only big business gets a free lunch from our wonderful government, citizens pay and pay and pay
TriMet may raise paratransit fares - News - METRO Magazine
TriMet may raise paratransit fares - News - METRO Magazine
Great article explaing WHY LR costs so damn much
A sizable fraction of the cost difference between then and now is the
proliferation of governmental requirements, and with them endless
studies (paralysis by analysis, some say). The streetcar or interurban
company then had essentially one government requirement to meet:
obtaining a franchise. Now, the hoops to be jumped through before
construction can begin seem endless. Obtaining a franchise usually took
weeks or months. Today’s process requires years. I remember Congressman
Oberstar telling me it now takes 14 years to bring a rail transit
project from conception to conclusion. Then it was less than 14 months.
One fact does not change. Time is money.
This phenomenon, everything getting more complicated, is not limited to rail transit. We see it everywhere across our society. It is a classic symptom of decay and decline. If we look at the rise and fall of other countries, we almost always find increasing complexity marking the downward path. It can reach a point where nobody can do anything: welcome to 17th century Spain.
Costs appear to vary enormously, often for little or no visible reason, i.e., tunneling. For Salt Lake City’s UTA Frontlines effort, the total Light Rail share of the program came in at $57.8 million per mile. An extension of Charlotte’s Blue Line LYNX Light Rail is estimated to cost $123.4 million per mile. What gives?
What gives is that nowhere in the process of building rail transit is there any player who has an interest in keeping costs down. There are, however, many players who have no interest in keeping costs down; indeed, they may have an incentive to drive costs up, because they make more money.
Mass Transit Advocates Must Address the Cost Problem | Smart Growth for Conservatives
This phenomenon, everything getting more complicated, is not limited to rail transit. We see it everywhere across our society. It is a classic symptom of decay and decline. If we look at the rise and fall of other countries, we almost always find increasing complexity marking the downward path. It can reach a point where nobody can do anything: welcome to 17th century Spain.
Costs appear to vary enormously, often for little or no visible reason, i.e., tunneling. For Salt Lake City’s UTA Frontlines effort, the total Light Rail share of the program came in at $57.8 million per mile. An extension of Charlotte’s Blue Line LYNX Light Rail is estimated to cost $123.4 million per mile. What gives?
What gives is that nowhere in the process of building rail transit is there any player who has an interest in keeping costs down. There are, however, many players who have no interest in keeping costs down; indeed, they may have an incentive to drive costs up, because they make more money.
Mass Transit Advocates Must Address the Cost Problem | Smart Growth for Conservatives
Sunday, February 23, 2014
EXTRA! EXTRA! YOU WON'T READ ALL ABOUT IT
Attempted kidnapping at BTC 45 minutes ago? Yikes...
— TriMet Scanner (@trimetscanner) February 24, 2014HEY! HEY! HO! HO! MCFARLANE'S GOT TO GO!
Let's give these oligarchs hell! They might hold all the cards in a game that is rigged but that doesn't mean we should take the abuse they are shoving down our throats lying down. We need another union action like this one!
Liars and thieves in charge of your transit system
This was Trimet's bullshit excuse:
If the board had approved the 2.5 hour transfer today, it might still require a transit equity analysis if the FTA decides that a change in transfer time is in effect a fare change.
Excuse my language but those fucking pieces of shit who take great pleasure out of distorting policies, procedures and laws to suit their purpose made that up out of thin air.
Would the FTA have an issue with a fare decrease across the entire Trimet region? NO!
Liars and thieves in charge of your transit system.
Portland #1 biking city in America
But good old TRIMET always finds excuses for things they do not want to deal with!
Cleveland RTA Bus Racks to Carry Three Bikes Instead of Two
Posted
by Anne Nickoloff
on Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 5:07 PM
Cleveland's RTA fleet is about to spend a nice chunk of change (up to
$250,000) to update front-of-the-bus bicycle racks allowing for one
more bike per ride.
Whoa, so that's… three bikes, instead of two? You bet.
Big changes are coming our way, Cleveland.
Rich Jones-classic delay tweets
#TriMet: Due to Steel Bridge maintenance expect delays between midnight and 8 a.m. and from 8:01 a.m. to midnight.
— Rich Jones (@jonesrich) February 23, 2014
Classic spam
Occasionally spam gets through the filter and ends up on the blog. It's very amusing.
This appeared on Steve Fungs last trolley ride movie!
This appeared on Steve Fungs last trolley ride movie!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Just think soon there will be a whole nother line to screw up
Expect delays on NB Yellow Lines; they are trying to clear a train that went belly up. #TriMet
— TriMet Scanner (@trimetscanner) February 23, 2014
Trimet bus coin counters very unreliable
After about the fourth time of questioning people only to have the coins drop down later I totally gave up on trusting the bus coin box. It was just one other reason to make sure everybody had all zones (back when they had them). It appears the coin counters are still screwing riders
Good job #trimet fare box for saying my dollar coin was only a quarter :V I totally love how you screw me out of money at every given chance
— Anza (@anzadesu) February 22, 2014
Red flags
http://trimet.org/pdfs/meetings/board/2014-2-26/Res_14-02-10.pdf
And I for the life of me don't understand why they bother bidding at all since they routinely allow the 'bids' to be exceeded at will. In this resolution they DOUBLE the original bid from $3 million to
$7 million . Nice to have unlimited funds to give away at will to things that don't actually provide riders with anything. But we don't have the resources for this, or that, or the other.
RED FLAGS!
http://trimet.org/pdfs/meetings/board/2014-2-26/Res_14-02-11.pdf
(the debate that ensues in the comments between me and Jason is the SOP for Jason when it comes to me and Erik, he finds it entertaining to challenge everything either one of us says, since Jason is a pal of mine I tolerate this shit from him)
Will it ever die?
When the Washington state Senate passed
Sen. Don Benton’s bill blocking the transfer of seized property to an
agency of another state — a clear shot at the Columbia River Crossing —
supporters likely knew it may not go anywhere in the House.
It may not need to.
Senate Bill 6125 appears to have achieved the desired effect on at least one Oregon lawmaker.
Oregon Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Hillsboro, directly cited Benton’s bill in a statement this week announcing that he won’t support the proposed Interstate 5 Bridge replacement if it comes to a vote in Salem this year.
“Based on the Washington legislature’s demonstrated unwillingness to engage in a bi-state process, as seen by the Washington Senate’s recent passage of Senate Bill 6125, it is clear that the co-operation we need to build this bridge is not going to materialize,” Starr said.
Did Benton’s bill seal the CRC’s fate in Salem? | Political Beat
It may not need to.
Senate Bill 6125 appears to have achieved the desired effect on at least one Oregon lawmaker.
Oregon Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Hillsboro, directly cited Benton’s bill in a statement this week announcing that he won’t support the proposed Interstate 5 Bridge replacement if it comes to a vote in Salem this year.
“Based on the Washington legislature’s demonstrated unwillingness to engage in a bi-state process, as seen by the Washington Senate’s recent passage of Senate Bill 6125, it is clear that the co-operation we need to build this bridge is not going to materialize,” Starr said.
Did Benton’s bill seal the CRC’s fate in Salem? | Political Beat
Friday, February 21, 2014
The Future of Transit
Straight from http://http://www.trimet.org/sos/
(Note how WES is protected, but Lake Oswego and Sherwood, Fairview, Wood Village, Troutdale, Clackamas, West Linn and Estacada are completely wiped off the map, as is everything between Milwaukie and Oregon City. No service on McLoughlin Boulevard south of Milwaukie, Oregon City residents will be forced to go up 82nd Avenue to get to downtown.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)