If TriMet's executive board would stop congratulating itself on how grand it is, board members might notice huge gaps in service. Having lived in Northwest, Southeast and now Southwest Portland, I can compare and report service in the close-in westside neighborhoods are abysmal.
The latest example of TriMet's failure to serve was for the annual First Run & Walk beginning midnight Dec. 31 into Jan. 1. TriMet can get you downtown but not home again. No bus service was available. Yes, the light rail ran late, but those of us living close-in have no access to light rail from neighborhoods such as Multnomah Village, John's Landing, and Lair Hill. If light rail can run until 3 a.m. on New Year's Day, why not the buses?
Other gaps in service are weekday and weekend evenings. If Portlanders want to bus downtown for a lecture, theater or other events and live close-in, getting home is always a problem after 10 p.m. Passengers will have waits of up to an hour. Again, this is a failure to serve. I have found TriMet's bus drivers, trip planners and customer service representatives to be very kind, patient and helpful. To TriMet executives, I say stifle your arrogance, take off your blinders and look honestly at your failure to serve this tri-county community.
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