Trimet fail

I don't think there is anything that illustrates the total failure of public transportation more than sending drivers out on routes that are unknown to them. More often than not drivers get lost and riders become late for work or appointments. As a former driver I can tell you that it is a nerve racking experience to drive a 40 foot  bus in unknown locations.
 Expecting drivers to go out on their free time to learn a new route is absurd.


Why won't places like Trimet pay for their drivers to learn new routes before each sign up? The answer is simple, the PUBLIC is dead last when it comes to Public Transportation. The riders don't count or this would not be acceptable. This is normal at Trimet. In other words Trimet has institutionalized bad customer service. (they could also turn on the GPS which is installed in each bus, but no that would create a distraction. How many morons does it take to run a public transit agency anyway?)

Trimet  six figure executives have  no problem giving themselves raises whenever they feel like it, or finding millions of dollars for whatever pet project comes into their selfish little minds but paying bus drivers to learn new routes? Oh No! They can't have that.

And these are the types of institutional behaviors that will always make public transit as an viable option a failure. With this type of operating philosophy who would want to actually use a service like this? The only reason public transportation can get away with it is that it is a tax funded monopoly. Like all government, they operate as they please. The public eats shit.

My bus driver missed his turn... we are on an unpaved road. What is even happening here? #trimet

— Raina Fritzsche (@JustRaina) June 8, 2015

It's a good thing riders know the routes, because @trimet never seems to want to have their drivers ride a route before they drive it...

— Amy Waggoner (@4thandInch) June 8, 2015

My bus driver this morning had to ask me to help him navigate his route. Great training, @trimet!

— エリ・ラックマ (@mintkismet) June 8, 2015

@lyse my #trimet ride home was horrible Ppl were so mean to the driver, as she read a map and drove the route😓 i felt bad for her. #learning

— mrs.lewis (@baananacakess) June 9, 2015

Here is a movie I made when I worked at Trimet trying to deal with a route that I didn't know