No on contract extension

Rest in peace Ben Singh

Truly one of the finest human beings I have ever known. 

Ben was one of those guys you hardly notice, until you talk to him.

Then you realize that you are standing in the presence of someone profound.
You won't find this sort of profound energy in many places.
The truth is never where you are supposed to find it, its where you are not supposed to find it.
Ben's death shook me, the loss of that energy from the earth is huge.
You'd have to know him to understand what I am talking about.

Everybody that knew him is in shock.

I heard he worked up till last week when he called off sick. 

Ben never called off sick.

One week later he was dead.

 He had stage 4 cancer and didn't know it till last week.

Somehow that makes sense.
If you knew this man you would know what I mean.
Ben appeared on my blog twice, each time is was because of something he said to me.

Ben Singh quotes
RANTINGS OF A FORMER TRIMET BUS DRIVER: BEN SINGH QUOTES

Trimet is hiring! Should you apply?

Since Trimet was incorporated over 45 years ago there have been over 7000 people who have been employed by the agency as bus drivers. Every single one of those people have had their own unique experience behind the wheel at Trimet. No two people have the same exact experience.

Trimet bullshit

CLASSIC TWEETS

Trimet board of sock puppets give king Neil another raise and he can remain king as long as he wants

Trimet board of sock puppets give king Neil another raise and he can remain king as long as he wants from al m on Vimeo.

Chris Day on Trimet wages

There has been a few comments about the starting rate that First Student and TriMet are advertising around town. First Student has busses parked in different areas around town with signs that state a starting wage of $16.00 an hour and TriMet posted on craigslist an add that states a starting wage of $14.25 an hour.

Trimet podcast episode 4

Trimet board meeting highlights and interview with retired bus driver Al M (me)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/portland-transit-lane-podcast/id1120042974?mt=2&i=371383265

No IPhone? Listen here:

http://trimetpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-25T06_00_01-07_00

Trimet is desperate

Everyone knows by now that the Trimet  training wage has been raised to $14 and change from the pitiful $11 and change. Nobody wants to be a Trimet bus driver these days.  Go figure. The public is getting smarter it would seem. 

And now Trimet has changed it head signs to "we are hiring" trolling the streets for potential victims 

Silence is compliance

Henry Beasley

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Just a quick note on operator assaults, the numbers.  During the meeting last night I wanted to express to our representation that any further communication with the public needs to address members as human beings.  So far the communications concerning assaults are at best ancillary and did not express what our survivors go through when they find themselves at the receiving end of those who want to do us harm.  We go to work to earn a living to support our families and our personal ways of life, we don’t expect to be assaulted for just doing our jobs.

Trimet podcast-episode 3

http://trimetpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-18T06_00_00-07_00

Henry Beasley

https://app.box.com/s/z0ughgb9h0do9aq6lg9l6byufbdqvmjl

Brothers and Sisters,

I’m writing the email/post, due to on-going problems associated with workman’s compensation and the injuries associated with the 3000 series busses.

When we are injured on the job due to the 3000 series busses, we are consistently being denied even the simplest of workmen’s compensation claims.  Some of those injuries include:  back, shoulder, wrist and elbow, neck and trapezius, knees and ankles.  The question is, why is it that we are doing the exact same job but without the rash amount of injuries with the New Flyer fleet that we have since 1997 to 2012?  The simple answer is the Gillig 3000 series busses are “un-ergonomic”.

Trimet blogger meet up

Drinks on me 5-6 pm!

The wmata metro song

https://youtu.be/xkjfh5klUzM

Trimet involved with some of the most unethical business

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/37455-the-shady-history-of-the-private-security-firm-omar-mateen-worked-for

(they are also involved with Goldman/Sachs

KOIN coverage of bus driver assaults

http://koin.com/2016/06/14/how-will-trimet-address-increased-attacks-on-employees/

Trimet supervisor sound asleep

https://youtu.be/2kOTj7xLeds

They stole our bus!

http://fromthedriverside.blogspot.com/2016/06/they-stole-our-bus.html

Trimet podcast episode 2

http://trimetpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-11T06_00_00-07_00

Dora Morgan on KATU

http://katu.com/news/local/its-risky-out-there-trimet-bus-driver-worried-about-safety-after-recent-violence

Portland wants $40 million for this

Maybe I'm an old curmudgeon but this is sickening

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JyiuPiLrM48&feature=youtu.be

How to steal a Trimet bus

http://www.danimagine.com/roll-easy-blog/2016/6/9/how-to-steel-a-tri-met-bus

Henry Beasley

In the light of current events and the amount of assaults against operator, we now stand at 25 and Counting and it ain't even summer yet. 

All of this could been prevented if our representation took the fight to TriMet. 

But what happened was our chief representative decided to talk about one single supervisor and their seniority issue instead of taking these facts that were produced specifically for her to present in front of the board. So here we are again running away from facts and hiding from the media instead of protecting dues-paying members.

Here's that speech, once again with facts:

Remember, "safety is a core value."

Board President, Bruce Warner and members of the Board, we have a serious problem that needs to be brought out into the open, and that’s operator assaults. 

Fighting the Trimet industrial complex begins

Another assault

http://portlandtribune.com./pt/9-news/310378-188606-tualatin-police-homeless-man-arrested-for-trimet-driver-assault

Kind of amazed how much I've been agreeing with bike Portland lately

Trimet podcast-episode #1

http://trimetpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2016-06-04T06_00_00-07_00

Discrimination?

Chis Day on the Trimet stolen bus saga

TriMet made this statement “Previously this individual had been provided with TriMet uniforms and given information about TriMet buses and procedures. There is even evidence that the individual may also have been given access to another TriMet bus yard and provided with training on how to drive a bus. Access to the Center Street operations building, uniforms, information and the training given to this individual were evidently all provided by TriMet bus operators!” in a flyer that was distributed throughout Center Street Garage. It was put on man tables and is displayed at the manager’s counter. The flyer is dated June 1, 2016 No. 73 and is titled Security Begins with YOU!

Always the drivers fault

I can't remember a single incident where Trimet officials actually took responsibility for their hand in a screw up

Trimet never stops surprising me

Go by light rail !

Trimet toxic environment

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Some time ago someone told me that the carbon monoxide detectors were not working at the Clackamas Town Center layover garage.  So I decided to take a look for myself, to see if the story was true, last week I was in the area and took a stroll over to the parking garage.  While there I was asking questions of fellow drivers to see if they knew about the detectors not working, of which no one had any idea.  Since I had not been in that garage for some time, I noticed a faint smell of what can be described as a “slight hint of bleach-water” (although carbon monoxide is lighter than air and is odorless).  I was there maybe 8 minutes or less, but within another 10 minutes I felt light-headed with a little nausea.