Monday, June 29, 2015

Truly amazing government propaganda

It's pretty amazing to watch actually. 
Trimet whipping up all this 'excitement' for something that is not exciting at all.
 It's a light rail line. It's not even going to be more convenient for current Trimet commuters. What used to be a one vehicle ride is now a 2 vehicle ride. 
There is absolutely nothing about this that is exciting at all.
It is of no use to the vast majority of citizens.

Its one of the best examples I've ever seen of government MANUFACTURING CONSENT


Incredible Trimet propaganda here---> Catch the Orange - Events

It's the Trimess!

The usual

Sunday, June 28, 2015

TRIMETIZED!

I
Using public transportation can be an emotionally exhausting endeavor, and Trimet is no exception. People don't love public transportation. 
They use it because they have too.
Don't forget to check TRIMET SCANNER for the real scoop!

Trimet bus driver assaulted

That happened just now.
There was also a spitting incident about 3 days ago that I forgot to post! 
Bus drivers be careful out there!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Trimet is afraid of saying "naked bike ride"

Rather they use the term 'community event'! I don't know, is this actually a 'community event'? More like a bunch of exhibitionists on bikes.  Portland likes these sort of events because it adds to its 'mystique'.
 Most citizens could care less.

Cameron Johnson bus service analysis

He did a post over at PORTLAND TRANSPORT  (I'm banned for life from that blog) titled TriMet North Central Draft Service Plan.
His post is a detailed anaylisis of possible bus changes. Cameron always had a much more thorough understand of the Trimet system than I ever did. You may remember we had a close association with Cameron 'back in the day'
.
Cameron went his own way about three  years ago. Nice to see that he is still paying attention to the Trimet system. Hopefully now that he is 'mainstream'  he can influence some positive change.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Boy WES doesn't work at all when it gets hot?

Trimet- brilliant propagandists

Turns out this is a transit agency movement with various agencies doing this. Not as brilliant as I thought

It turns out Trimet was not responsible for cleaning up this mess

I take back my good words about Trimet!

Thank you Bruce Hansen

I've been awfully mean to Bruce over the last several months but I want to make sure that everyone knows that I think that Bruce is an honorable man through and through.
 Although I was not happy with the way things turned out under his leadership I know that he did what he thought was the right thing to do.
 Bruce has always been a man of peace, I'm sure that he was attempting to end the bitterness between Trimet managers and ATU757. 
His heart was in the right place. 
My only problem is that Trimet executives have proven over and over they can't be trusted.
 We can trust Bruce, but we can't trust Mcfarlane or any of his overpaid  lackeys. 
Bruce Hansen is a true gentlemen and as honest as they come

Henry Beasley


Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the retirees meeting I heard something that was used to rattle the audience concerning health care. The person mentioned “private health care exchanges” and retirees need to watch out for it in 2016.  Most do not understand healthcare and the new laws under the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare and when people mention this, people usually think something negative.

Stedman next out the door?

Turns out the fat man is staying. The one leaving is the faceless Evelyn Minor who was cc'd every piece of discipline I ever got but who I have never seen even once 

Thursday, June 25, 2015

The Trimet live scanner is off the air

The Trimet scanner was a collaborative effort of two transit bloggers.
 Myself and Jason Mchuff.
But  in reality it was a production of Jason's since he did all the engineering work required to make that feed worldwide over the internet.
 All I did was provide the computer and the internet connection. 
Unfortunately I am being called away and  can no longer host this site. 
Jason may or may not find another way to stream the scanner over the internet.
 For further information you need to contact Jason himself and the best way to do that is via Twitter @rosecitytransit

We had three great years and I enjoyed every minute of it. 
Nothing lasts forever though. 
Trimet supervisors, controllers, dispatchers and everyone else can now relax, you are no longer being recorded!
It's just a shame that Trimet won't pick up such a useful endeavor as the TRIMET SCANNER was.

Too bad more Trimet bus drivers can't be like Dan Christensen

I wonder why Bucciarelli left Trimet for the sewer department?

I didn't know her but I used to see her all over the place at various functions. 
Interesting that a bunch of these mid level managers seem to be jumping shit
 She joins Johnell Bell.

NW Labor press on ATU757 election

Block, 62, grew up in Florida and Michigan, the daughter of hard-working migrant laborers. With a nursing license at Wayne State University, she worked in Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital before moving to Portland in 1974 for the weather. She worked as a nurse, then got a job as TriMet bus operator in 1981. She also married, had a daughter, divorced and remarried, and raised 11 foster children. Her daughter works at TriMet, as did her husband, now retired.
In the 34 years Block has worked at TriMet, she’s been a bus operator, fare inspector, field operations coordinator, and road supervisor. She’s also served several terms as a member of the union Executive Board.
Within the union, she’s known as an outspoken critic of TriMet management, regularly calling them out in her monthly column in the union newsletter. Her campaign for union president focused on countering attacks on union health and retiree benefits. Block said her unhappiness with the TriMet contract settlement — particularly some union concessions on health care — prompted her to run for office.
Read the article HERE!

I wonder why Trimet refuses to do this

Trimet cash machine marches on

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

We can all breath a little easier now

People I know and respect are telling me that they fear a 'return to the old way of doing things'.
When I press them as to how EXACTLY the 'old way of doing things' was bad I get no information.
( I was here during the old days)
Without specific examples there is no case against 'the old way of doing things'.

The "There Goes My Retirement Bridge" bridge time lapse

Kirk Reeves
I wonder how many millions were spent and will be spent on this tourist attraction? Lie to your retirees but light up a damn inanimate bridge.

A 20 year veretan Trimet driver writes:

Trimet bus drivers say the darnedest  things





Bike Nazis go hysterical if anyone disagrees with them

This is a perfectly innocent set of tweets from the Trimet Scanner account and some Bike Nazi goes into an hysterical rage. How many times have we seen this in Portland?

Click on the pic for better viewing

Trimet bus 4 incident with bicyclist

TriMet bus operator allegedly drives into people on Williams Ave, then flees

There's some question about what really happened here. Some people on the bus said the bus never touched any bicyclist but the bikers said the bus did.
Anybody that knows anything about Portland knows that the bicyclist community is highly organized and can reek havoc into the life of any Trimet bus driver. I've been the target of those people in the past and that only happened because of my postings on BikePortland which pissed off the members of that blog so much they concocted phony complaints about me. Trimet always takes that nonsense seriously so I was out on administrative leave for a few days. All over a comment(actually a series of provocative posts)  on that blog.

Trimet to raise taxes-AGAIN

 This is the mechanism that keeps Trimet officials from being held accountable for anything they do. The funding they get is guaranteed without regard to performance standards. I'm one of the people that believes that taxes are nothing but theft in reality. You have these technocrats constantly coming up with ways to continue stealing money from the general public. The unaccountable Trimet board of directors is about as close to a fascist form of government we have in this country.

TriMet is on track to raise its payroll tax to fund service enhancements next year.
The regional transit agency’s Board of Directors was briefed Wednesday on a proposal to raise the tax on most employers by one-tenth of 1 percent over 10 years. The first public hearing is scheduled for August, and the board could approve the increase at its September meeting.
The increase would raise approximately $4.3 million in the first year and $43 million in the 10th year. The graduated increases would start January 2016.
 TriMet moves to raise payroll tax to expand regional service

First ever TriMet bus line planned between Sherwood and Tualatin

New line will open in 2016 during weekday commuting hours.
TriMet announced on Tuesday that it plans to roll out a new bus line between Tualatin and Sherwood next year, marking the first time in its history that the two cities will be connected by bus.
The new bus line would start at the Tualatin WES commuter rail station and take riders through town into Sherwood, ending at Sherwood Town Center, TriMet said in a statement, Tuesday.

Another MAX fail

We did it!

The voting members of ATU voted for the people with the most experience!
We saw what we lost when we changed leadership to people with little experience, and we corrected that mistake today!

Shirley Block is the new president of ATU757

Shirley wins with 1156 votes, Bruce was second with 849 votes Henry was third with 324 votes

Jonathan Hunt remains vice president with 1115 votes, Dan was second with 846 votes and Chris was third with 390 votes

Mary Longoria remains the treasurer with 1427 votes to Anna's 901 votes

CONGRATULATIONS TO SHIRLEY BLOCK!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Fuck your fucking bridge Trimet

They find the money to light up this monstrosity but they can't find the money to honor their obligations to their retirees.

Rest in peace Stewart Joliffe

I knew him, he was a exceptional classroom teacher.
 He was truly a great lecturer, probably the best in an otherwise bland training department. 
If you have been following Trimet history like I have, you will remember Stuart was called to testify at the Sandi Day trial and his testimony was very damaging to Trimet.
He told the truth, something the head of the training department never does.
I understand he was 'forced' to retire and several months later suffered a heart attack

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Trimet financial report

Boring but its the most important part of the board meeting.

I sure hope the orange line will perform better than all the other lines

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Trimet road supervisors say that drivers are required to use cell phones when needed

And you can be written up if you demand a working radio. The bullshit piles up high at Trimet.

RE:The possible election of Dan Martin


Regards: Possible Election of Dan Martin as vice president of ATU Local 757
To whom it may concern,
If Dan Martin were to be elected vice president of our local, the Union will have a responsibility to take appropriate action to prohibit him from assuming such office in light of the revelation that Mr. Martin was convicted of Defrauding the Federal Government in 2006. I have taken the liberty of providing a copy/pasted version of a web page found at http://www.dol.gov/olms/regs/compliance/504unionoffhold.htm. The reader may compare the number attached to each of my opinion statements below with the same numbers that I inserted in the content of the DOL’s explanation of section 504. I have highlighted applicable provisions in red.
With this memorandum I will be asking the executive board to give consideration and possible action to these facts.
Here are the facts as I see them in my opinion.
1.  Section 504 of the LMRDA prohibits individuals convicted of certain crimes from holding union office.
2.  Vice-President is one of the offices that one may not hold if convicted of one of those crimes.
3.  Dan Martin’s crime for which he was convicted in 2006 certainly qualifies as bar from serving as vice president. See two {3}’s below.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Trimet is a cash machine

People think that Trimet is a transit agency. The truth is Trimet is a cash machine, and there is lots of cash to be made if your associated with Trimet. As usual the biggest winner is Stacey and Witbek who rake in multimillions  every quarter. And then there are hundreds of smaller contractors who make hundreds of thousands. This is why Trimet has so much  power in this area. It's all about the money. The Trimet checkbook, July2015 thru March 2015

Trimet bus drivers just don't get it

This guy looks like he could really hurt someone huh?
Another dumb fare dispute ends up putting this poor hapless soul in jail. So now this guy ends up costing the tax payer hundreds if not thousands of dollars when the driver could have just let him ride and it would have cost the tax payers $2.15. I know we live in a really mean and heartless country but come on, bus drivers really should not be driving a bus if they have no feeling for down and out people. How pathetic. And on top of it all Trimet steals this guys 35 cents. Just makes me sad for us as a society.

Trimet's case against Lane Jensen has been dismissed

Trimet used this phony case to ban Lane from Trimet board meetings after he got Tiffany Swietzer thrown off the board
Trimet is no stranger to breaking rules and violating laws. Trimet officials do what they want  because there is no mechanism in place to hold any of them accountable.

 In one of the more egregious examples  of  rogue governmental power Trimet concocted a phony harassment case against Lane Jensen after he sent  Roberta Alsdadt repeated text messages asking about Trimet driver safety.

Alsdadt claimed she was scared of Lane but anyone who had been following events knew that she was lying and the case was a fraud. Lane was thrown in Jail twice . The first time  3 armed transit police dragged him from his workplace. He was booked and released. The second time he was arrested and thrown in jail because he talked about Aldstadt in a podcast.  Bail was set at a ridiculously high $46,000.

You can read all about the case HERE
Alsdadt has always been the one selected by the Trimet top executives to do their dirty work and she complied with this phony case against Lane Jensen. She appeared at the court hearing in an attempt to stop the charges from being dismissed but the court would have none of her bullshit this time around.


Thursday, June 18, 2015

PICK THE WINNERS


Who do you think will be the winners in the ATU757 race!
Don't pick the people you voted for but pick the ones YOU THINK will be victorious!

Race for the president

Vice President

Treasurer 

Best of Trimet scanner-volume 4

This is the final compilation of the best scanner calls over the last year. Trimet Scanner will be changing its formats so all the calls that are now active links will be deactivated. You may remember that we used to have a YouTube site where hundreds of calls were stored. Trimet figured out a way to get YouTube to delete the entire account and all that material was lost forever.  It didn't matter however because there IS ALWAYS more material to be had.

These  communications should be required listening for all new Trimet hires because these are the things that the training department doesn't cover

Trimet safety fail




Dan Martin saga continues

TriMet's Background Check Missed Bus Driver Dan Martin's Criminal Record

Last week's issue of WW included a story about the criminal record of Daniel Lee Martin, a 16-year veteran TriMet driver and current executive board member for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757. The story raised questions about how much the agency knew about Martin’s past.
Martin (who's currently running for the local's vice presidency) told WW that TriMet knew about his criminal record, which includes convictions for second-degree sex abuse and stealing Social Security disability benefits.
TriMet officials said that at the time the agency hired Martin, TriMet had not yet begun doing routine background checks on new employees. On Tuesday, TriMet corrected the record, informing WW that background checks were conducted in 1998, but were “less robust” than those performed since 2000. TriMet spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt also said that records indicated Martin underwent a background check when he was hired.
TriMet has since released the records from Martin's 1998 background check. The record indicates that TriMet limited its search to misdemeanor and felony records in the Multnomah County Circuit Court for seven years leading up Martin’s application date in 1998. Martin’s background check came back clean.
The search didn't check Martin's record under his previous name, Daniel Lee Overby, nor did it pick up his 1985 conviction in Tillamook County to sex abuse after he admitted having sex with an underaged girl.
Martin has continued to work for TriMet since 1998. In 2006, he pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally receiving $78,000 in Social Security disability payments for three years while employed at TriMet.

Joe Rose is leaving transportation reporting ?

Joe says he is going to be covering other issues at the Oregonian other than Transportation

Jonathan Hunt where are you?

While Chris Day and Dan Martin have been destroying each other Jonathan has been sitting quietly enjoying the show!

The media continues asking Trimet for more information about Dan Martin

As well as some other union officials. Click on the pics for better viewing

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The best of Trimet scanner volume 3

The craziest shit that goes on at Trimet.
Mostly supervisors and dispatchers but also some  drivers
Enjoy!
The best of  TRIMET SCANNER

Trimet's hiring

Gateway is cleaned up!

The cigarettes are all cleaned up! 
I'm definately seeing more and more examples of Trimet officials actually being responsive.
If this kind of behavior continues I'm going to lose my ability to mercilessly bash them day in and day out. 
I'm going to actually have to post nice things about Trimet!
You should see them over on Twitter, Trimet is actually being pretty honest with people about service disruptions!
 What's going on? I'm confused!

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Can you believe this?

The best of Trimet scanner volume 2

This is the real deal, the real Trimet. 
Captures the craziness and absurdity of public transit here in Portland.
All of our favorite Trimet characters in one production!
Enjoy! 
The best of  TRIMET SCANNER

What Trimet training does not prepare people for

Nor do they tell potential applicants of the types of situations that await them when they take the wheel of a Trimet bus!

Update to the Dan Martin Story

This week's issue of WW includes a story about Daniel Lee Martin, a 16-year veteran TriMet driver and current executive board member for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757.
Martin (who's currently running for the local's vice presidency) has a criminal past: Thirty years ago, he pleaded guilty in Tillamook County to second-degree sex abuse, a misdemeanor, after admitting to having sex with a minor; and in 2006 he pleaded guilty to illegally receiving $78,000 in Social Security disability payments for three years while employed at TriMet.

Another Banner morning for Portland Trimet commuters

I don't know about anybody else but I would sure be worried about Trimet adding another MAX line while the ones they are currently running are so damn unreliable. This is a serious issue which of course the mainstream media ignores.



Monday, June 15, 2015

Best of Trimet dispatch-really good stuff here

 This material really captures the real Trimet. This is the truth about mass transit and mass transit operators/supervisor/dispatchers.
Any time now TRIMET SCANNER will be changing formats and all the links that play the dispatch calls will no longer work. I am attempting to save some of the best calls before they all go dead.
Below the break is volume 1, hopefully I'll have the time to add another volume or two before the files are lost forever. There may be long pauses in the video because the bus calls have long lead ins, sometimes as much as a minute

Rumors

Has Trimet created a brand new job for Dan Martin? 
This is what Trimet drivers are saying!

Trimet operators are set up to fail

A Trimet bus driver writes:

I just love the 12 inbound. You wait your time to 0000 at hall and 4th. Get to 6 and yamhill 1.5min early. Wait as long as you can blocking a bus behind you only to have a supervisor tell you to watch your time points. I left 45 seconds. Argh we are not that good, no one is! Typical day at work!

Trimet needs bus drivers!

Seen at Trimet transit centers!


Listen to the four examples of  real life situations.
Situation #3
Situation #4 
If you think you are up for the job apply HERE!

Trimet fascist polices allowed to continue

People expect the legislators to do the right thing? Hell no! The legislators are the root of the problem and anybody that knows anything about Trimet knows they don't give a damn what the public thinks.
TriMet holds on to Class A offense for "interfering with public transit" charges | Street Roots

Issues surrounding the candidacy of Anna Hicks-updated


Anna Hicks
As with Dan Martin I am hesitant to  bring these issues onto my blog but once again I have been supplied documents obtained through public records requests that should be known to the voters in the ATU757 election.

Anna Hicks is running for ATU treasurer but from the information I have obtained it appears that she has been unable to handle her own personal finances. 

This includes (2) chapter 13's and (1) chapter 7 bankruptcies as well as what appears to be multiple tax liens. 

Once again this is not rumor or innuendo, I have seen the document myself.

It has  been brought to my attention that Anna has talked about these issues on her WEBSITE which  I was unaware of. She was not 'hiding' any of this information. But this fact makes me wonder why she is so upset with me since she put it out publicly already?

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Dan Martin's Past comes back to bite him

Dan lied to Bruce Hansen and Joe Rose
Dan's problems have become the subject of two investigations, one by the OREGONIAN and the other by the WILLAMETTE WEEK.
Both stories are posted here. I don't know what Dan was thinking attempting to hide this information! Dan lied to Joe Rose. That's a pretty serious condemnation of his character.  Bruce even states that Dan lied to him. One has to wonder if Bruce is not just covering his own ass here and was actually aware of all of it.  Lots of questions come to mind about a lot of things now that this has been exposed. As far as I am concerned its just more evidence that our current leadership has been corrupted. Its quite humorous because the Bruce/Dan supporters try to accuse the Block/Hunt faction of being the ones who are corrupted. Boy they are eating some crow now that's for sure. You also have Trimet officials trying to cover up for Dan. I wonder why they would do that? 

Trimet penny protest!

Trimet raising fair for honored citcens only 25%
Tri-met is raising fair 25% on the people that can afford it the least .I think its bull and sent Tri-met a letter telling them so. I am letting them know I don't think it is right by paying my fair in pennies on a bus. If you think this is a good idea join me in the penny protest . Have a great day

Trimet raising fair for honored citcens only 25%

Friday, June 12, 2015

Shirley Block on the recent revelations about Dan Martin



Candidates for Union office:  lies, lies and more lies

What a disgrace

Did Dan Martin violate section 504 of the The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act?


Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
Prohibition against Certain Persons Holding Union Office or Employment