CHANGE THE RULES!
Videos:
Disabled rider's dog keeps getting shocked by MAX train
Michael Levine says "CAT" committee does NOT represent the disabled
GUT WRENCHING TESTIMONY FROM PORTLAND DISABLED RIDERS
LYN LERBACH PLEADS FOR THE DISABLED
IS THIS GUY FOR REAL? OR COULD HE BE A PLANT?
LES POOL SAYS TRIMET'S HORSE CAN'T CATCH UP TO THE CART
Sunday, January 29, 2012
This is interesting...
Why is Portland's farebox recovery ratio so low compared to other cities?
Granted, that is from Wikipedia, but it is still interesting to look at. After looking at the numbers, it appears that TriMet is in the bottom 8 of the 35 agencies listed in the North America category for fare box recovery ratio. I wish the numbers were more updated--some of the numbers are dated back to 2002--but the perspective raises some questions. The largest of which, of course, is why TriMet continues to raise fares saying it is necessary to continue to provide service as is while they have such a tiny percentage of fare box recovery that wouldn't, as it appears to me, have much effect on anything.
Here are the bottom eight transit agencies (out of 35, the others I didn't list because I don't have time to sort through all that stuff) in order from worst to best:
City-Percentage-Year
Did that ramble make any sense? Let me know if it didn't.
Granted, that is from Wikipedia, but it is still interesting to look at. After looking at the numbers, it appears that TriMet is in the bottom 8 of the 35 agencies listed in the North America category for fare box recovery ratio. I wish the numbers were more updated--some of the numbers are dated back to 2002--but the perspective raises some questions. The largest of which, of course, is why TriMet continues to raise fares saying it is necessary to continue to provide service as is while they have such a tiny percentage of fare box recovery that wouldn't, as it appears to me, have much effect on anything.
Here are the bottom eight transit agencies (out of 35, the others I didn't list because I don't have time to sort through all that stuff) in order from worst to best:
City-Percentage-Year
Austin-9%-2007
Pierce County, WA-13%-2009
Detroit-13.9%-2002
Staten Island-15.2% - 2002
Miami-16.1%-2002
Puget Sound Region (King County Metro)-19.1% - 2006
Cleveland-21.5%-2002
Portland-22% - 2010
Did that ramble make any sense? Let me know if it didn't.
TriMet: Simplification or Fare Increase?
Portland Transport
Check out the comments to the post too. They're very interesting to read.
Check out the comments to the post too. They're very interesting to read.
Portland AFoot
TriMet board member says she knowingly violated city code with Pearl parking lot
TriMet to propose eliminating fare zones
Could TriMet save $25 million by caving to anti-MAX activists?
A public transit game: Imagine strangers laughing
In fight with union, is TriMet about to throw a long bomb?
OPAL says leadership change will refocus on transit organizing
TriMet to propose eliminating fare zones
Could TriMet save $25 million by caving to anti-MAX activists?
A public transit game: Imagine strangers laughing
In fight with union, is TriMet about to throw a long bomb?
OPAL says leadership change will refocus on transit organizing
TriMet really expects their bus operators to double as fare inspectors on their bus
TriMet’s current fare collection system relies on “visual” authentication of fare media to
support a proof-of-payment scheme. Inspection of tickets and passes is done either by
the operator when a patron boards a bus or by enforcement personnel during fare
checks on a train.
http://portlandtransport.com/documents/Fare%20System%20Migration%20white%20paper_V10%20FNL_11%2017%202011.pdf
Absurd, I say. In the recent weeks that has led to fare disputes with a driver being spit on and another being punched. Bus operators should not be responsible for inspecting fares of people who get on their bus. Too damn impossible a feat.
support a proof-of-payment scheme. Inspection of tickets and passes is done either by
the operator when a patron boards a bus or by enforcement personnel during fare
checks on a train.
http://portlandtransport.com/documents/Fare%20System%20Migration%20white%20paper_V10%20FNL_11%2017%202011.pdf
Absurd, I say. In the recent weeks that has led to fare disputes with a driver being spit on and another being punched. Bus operators should not be responsible for inspecting fares of people who get on their bus. Too damn impossible a feat.
I guess there is a .0001% of TriMet that is partially transparent
If you squint really really hard, there is that part of TriMet you'll see regarding their bus dispatch/gps thingy (commonly called the BDS) data. Although, we don't really get to see that stuff...so does it count?
Transit transparency: Open data in action ~ Policy by the Numbers
Transit transparency: Open data in action ~ Policy by the Numbers
'Upgrade' tickets from TVMs on rail platforms? Since when?
Upgrade tickets allow a customer to “buy up” from a 2-zone ticket or pass to an allzone fare. Upgrades are available for payment of 30 cents from bus operators when boarding a bus, or from TVMs on rail platforms.
http://portlandtransport.com/documents/Fare%20System%20Migration%20white%20paper_V10%20FNL_11%2017%202011.pdf
http://portlandtransport.com/documents/Fare%20System%20Migration%20white%20paper_V10%20FNL_11%2017%202011.pdf
For TriMet, Image is Everything
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2012/01/for_trimet_image_is_everything.html
The editorial reeks of bias, but is an interesting read
The editorial reeks of bias, but is an interesting read
TriMet Board Meeting: More Videos
Director Lerbach says construction project monitoring is seriously flawed!
Director Lerbach uncomfortable with handing out money
TRIMET UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS $832,000,000
STEVE CLARK REPORTS ON THE ARBITRATION
STEVE SHOOP PULLS NO PUNCHES!
BETH DEHAMMEL SAYS TRIMET AHEAD $10,000,000!
DR BETHEL WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE COST OVER RUNS
DIRECTOR CLARK WANTS TRIMET EXECUTIVES TO EXPLAIN PROCESS
Director Lerbach uncomfortable with handing out money
TRIMET UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS $832,000,000
STEVE CLARK REPORTS ON THE ARBITRATION
STEVE SHOOP PULLS NO PUNCHES!
BETH DEHAMMEL SAYS TRIMET AHEAD $10,000,000!
DR BETHEL WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE COST OVER RUNS
DIRECTOR CLARK WANTS TRIMET EXECUTIVES TO EXPLAIN PROCESS
Confirmed: Director Lerbach of the TriMet Board is being Replaced
By some guy named Travis Stovall. Anyone ever even heard of the guy?
Why? Well, likely because of this and this. I also think I read something somewhere about his term on the board being over, but that could've been another guy.
Sad, huh? He was the only one on that board with half a brain...which is ultimately why he's being replaced. Gotta keep those sock puppets brainless.
Why? Well, likely because of this and this. I also think I read something somewhere about his term on the board being over, but that could've been another guy.
Sad, huh? He was the only one on that board with half a brain...which is ultimately why he's being replaced. Gotta keep those sock puppets brainless.
James Howard Kunstler
The people of the USA, having been let down and swindled in so many ways by the people they placed their trust in, and even freely elected, appear to be in a daze of injury. Maybe this accounts for the obsession with zombies and persons drained of blood - who yet seem to carry on normal lives (at least in TV shows). This odd condition is best defined by the familiar cry from non-zombies: "where's the outrage?"
11 year old boy threatens woman with a loaded gun on the downtown MAX
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/01/11-year-old_portland_boy_accus.html
What has our world--and our city--come to?
What has our world--and our city--come to?
January Portland AFoot Podcast
http://portlandafoot.org/2012/01/our-january-podcast-the-berlin-episode/
And here is the link for those of you who do not use ITunes: http://portlandafoot.libsyn.com/webpage/portland-afoot-berlin-episode
And here is the link for those of you who do not use ITunes: http://portlandafoot.libsyn.com/webpage/portland-afoot-berlin-episode
Union to TriMet: Cut managers, not drivers
Hunt’s Board testimony was a rare face-to-face with general manager McFarlane. Local 757 picketed McFarlane’s West Hills home Nov. 19. Hunt says the general manager has refused to meet with him, instead referring him to Randy Stedman, who was hired Nov. 14 as TriMet Executive Director of Labor Relations and Human Resources.
The Coolest
“… almost good. Almost good is still expired,” she said. “This line runs every 15 minutes, so you would have been expired even if you caught the last bus.”
I’m expired? I’m expired? I pulled out my wallet, containing a lone $5 bill.
I said to the dozen passengers, “Does anyone have change for a five?”
Blank dogfaces dared me to further disturb their peace.
I thought I heard the driver say, “I’ll take you by a store and you can get change.”
“Excuse me?”
She said it again. I would have been more surprised if she’d given me a pair of free Blazers tickets, or a fresh caught salmon, but not much.
http://trimetdiaries.com/2012/01/the-coolest/
Another perspective
When the company started to charge union employees for the additional cost of their health benefits over a year ago (so in essence TM’s cost hasn’t changed) many of us were of the opinion that we would be happy to pay a portion of our benefits. I am paying a portion now and have been for 13 months (yes, there are those out there that DO pay more, but that’s another argument). I have no issue paying for part of my benefits as long as I know our collective dollars going back to TM are being spent WISELY. TriMet has a long track record of scary (and FUEL-ish) spending. (A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS for a big deer art statue? Really?) Another $120k MANAGER? Has anyone really researched the organizational chart? There must be one manager/director/leadership position for every 5-10 non manager employee (I don’t know the exact figure, but TM is top heavy).
Should TriMet consider the MOS for Milwaukie MAX?
How much are the various options projected to cost? In year-of-expenditure dollars, the figures are as follows (all figures taken from Table 5-1.1 of the FEIS, page 5-4):
- For the LPA to Park Avenue, US$1.55 billion.
- For the LPA Phasing option, $1.49 billion (a savings of about $60 million from the full LPA).
- For the MOS, $1.38 billion (a savings of about $170 million from the full LPA, and $110 million from the phasing option
Projected ridership by 2030 is as follows--and here's where it gets interesting (all figures taken from secion S.5.1.1 of the FEIS, in the Executive Summary).
- For the LPA to Park Avenue: 25,570 daily trips.
- For the phased approach, 22, 700 trips.
- The MOS: 24,810 trips
Note that the MOS, which is $100 million less expensive, nonetheless produces over 2000 more daily trips than the phased LPA--and the difference between it and the full LPA is only about 760 daily trips.
And here is why Amerika is doomed if Gingrich gets elected president
Gingrich vows to establish a colony on the moon
No, that is not a link to an article from The Onion....that is a true statement from Gingrich as reported by the news media.
No, that is not a link to an article from The Onion....that is a true statement from Gingrich as reported by the news media.
We could soon see major changes in TriMet's fares and fare system
TriMet proposes to raise all fares, kill the free rail zone, kill the fare zones, raise monthly pass prices, and make a single fare valid for two hours one way (aka, no round trips on a single fare). Oh yeah. And then LIFT riders will see a 32% increase in a single ride LIFT ticket over two years, monthly passes will increase by 38% over two years.
All in all, this sounds horrid. I do not like the look of it one bit. The one fare=one way deal is the part that I hate the most. That would hurt low income riders the most.
And don't forget: we'll also see service cuts along with the fare price increases. Worse than what we saw back in September 2010.
All in all, this sounds horrid. I do not like the look of it one bit. The one fare=one way deal is the part that I hate the most. That would hurt low income riders the most.
And don't forget: we'll also see service cuts along with the fare price increases. Worse than what we saw back in September 2010.
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