Interesting. If Metro is unhappy with how the TriMet board is operating, they do have one lever they can pull. But it is telling (and unfortunate) that friends and influence in DC, where the $$$ is, is apparently more important than being a transit pro.

My comment for the boregonian -

Hmm...let's do the math here....

- the citizens advisory committee is appointed by the general manager
- the general manager is appointed by the TriMet board
- the trimet board is appointed by the governor

...so where exactly is the accountability here?

And more importantly, how many of these people have actual transit experience and ride TriMet regularly? The answer is shockingly very very few.

Would you expect the "Citizens Advisory Committee," appointed by the General Manager, to be critical of TriMet? No -- instead you'll find a parking garage tycoon on the CAC. What are the chances that he will represent the interests of the riding public? It is, in fact, in his best interest that people NOT ride public transportation.

Whoever the new GM is, I'm sure it will be more of the same.

Fred had no transit experience... but hey, I guess at least he rode the bus from his fancy place on Nob Hill.

TriMet doesn't even have the time the Board meeting starts tomorrow straight–some places say the usual start time of 9 AM, others say 10. One things for sure, not only is this your typical public meeting that most of the public can't get to because it's on a Wednesday morning, it's also well-insulated at the Beaverton City Hall instead of the Portland Building (the usual venue).

I don't get it. C-TRAN had a public process for their new Executive Director/CEO in 2006 where members of the public could meet the top candidates from the nationwide search, which brought in Jeff Hamm, from Salem/Keizer Cherriots. Cherriots then had a public process in 2007 to fill their GM position.

This is also a distraction to the fact that the meeting is also the FINAL chance to comment on the TriMet service eliminations and fare increases, and I hear that some people might be gathering at the Starbucks in the Fred Meyer building across the street from Beaverton City Hall at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Neil McFarlane!

As Lee points out, rumors that Crunican would get the job were incorrect--TriMet has instead named current capital projects director Neil McFarlaine to the post.

The hiring process was so secret, that it managed to fool The Oregonian. :) Kinda of reminds me of the time five years ago, when it was announced by the paper that Marc Iavaroni would be the Blazers next head coach--and then who showed up at the press conference but Nate McMillan?

More thoughts on the hire (both reported and actual) here...

I'm sure most of you will disagree with me, but I'm kinda glad Neil got the position. I think I met him before (hard to keep track, it's been months) and if I remember correctly, he was a nice guy. Plus, it's nice to have a familiar face in the position.

Yeah, I know. I'm so pro-Tri-Met, it hurts to look at me. :D

Last summer, I briefly interviewed Neil McFarlane during the Green Line First Ride event. The interview begins at exactly 7:00 into the video. I did ask what kinds of investments TriMet would be making on bus routes which were not slated for rail projects.

Yeah, I know. I'm so pro-Tri-Met, it hurts to look at me. :D

There's nothing wrong with being pro-TriMet, Cameron. I'd like to see them become a better agency as well. As examples:
- Stop bonding light rail construction with future payroll tax revenues.
- Better work with employers to have services and routes that work for employees. Hearing today that TriMet is working with some employers who've come forward to request service that better meets the needs of all their employees is a start that should've happened long ago. Kudos to the employers for speaking up. This will also ensure that more residents of the service district have jobs (assuming there are transit routes to/from where they live as well) because it increases job access.
- Invest in capital expenditures in 60-food hybrid buses designed for extremely high ridership that would be placed into service first on line 72. Maybe then the route would have the capacity needed to fully support the ridership.
- Invest in capital expenditures for new 40-foot and 30-foot buses to completely replace all 1400, 1600, 1700, 1800, and 1900-series buses.
- Raise "working capital" (read: operating funds) through a higher variety of funding sources so that pre-FY 2010 bus service levels return, and lines that desperately need additional frequency and span of service improvements get them, with line 76 being the first.
This is probably a good start.