In the face of the most snow in 40 years TriMet has reduced bus service to it’s 16 Frequent Service lines and 11 additional lines – about 1/3 of the service it normally operates.
How’s it going out there folks?
In the face of the most snow in 40 years TriMet has reduced bus service to it’s 16 Frequent Service lines and 11 additional lines – about 1/3 of the service it normally operates.
How’s it going out there folks?
48 responses to “One-third the Transit – Less Filling?”
Our transit experience from yesterday…
First, some background: It is impossible with so much hype-based/reactionary media around here to not have known a big mean awful bad beware storm was coming, so we were well-stocked on supplies. Still, after a few days at home, one notices things which should have been purchased, plus I needed supplies for Christmas baking… and there was some banking to do.
Additionally, one of our cats has a minor medical issue which requires a special cat food that can only be obtained at larger pet stores and vet clinics. He can do without for extended periods, but now both of our cats have acquired a taste for the special food (addiction?) and won’t touch the substitute we bought the other day. Plus we were running out of litter.
Our car has been doing well but yesterday was well buried under an accumulation of snow drifts bown in from the east. Rather than dig out and chain up we went for the transit option.
On a normal day, we could buy most everything at our neighborhood Fred Meyer, including the neighboring pet store. But not yesterday. Washington Mutual had closed branches in the nearest Fred Meyer stores (Glisan and Gateway) without telling anyone (the web site and the 800 number both reported normal operating hours), but Fred Meyer customer service was happy to tell us this by phone. But Hollywood Fred Meyer’s WAMU was open until 3, and there is an independent pet store down there, too.
So the well-planned trip was simple: Take MAX to Hollywood TC, transfer to the #77/Broadway, and get off right where we needed to be. It was just after noon. A double-check of the TriMet web site showed no closures on the #77 at that time.
First, a short walk to the MAX station. Apparently there was a problem because there were more people than I’ve ever seen before waiting on the 60th Ave. platform… it looked like the Rose Quarter after a game. Assumption: MAX was temporarily stuck. We decided not to wait around and left… just as we left, of course, a train came, so we should have been more patient.
We walked a few blocks in the opposite direction to catch the #77 directly, no MAX needed.
We found a couple folks who had been waiting 15 minutes, so we figured we wouldn’t have too long to wait. About 15 minutes later, a random stranger walked up to tell us the web site was now reporting the #77 route was now closed. While discussing our options, lo and behold, a #77 bus arrived (the last one?).
(And somehow, even though nobody else had more information than we did, about a dozen people emerged from hiding places all around, all at once, to board this bus.)
We were set, and on our way…
except…
As the bus turned the corner from Halsey (westbound) to 47th (northbound), we saw our doom. Another 77 heading the other way was stuck, the back end leaning against a telephone pole, blocking 3/4 of 47th Ave.
Dispatchers told our #77 to sit it out (the passengers had offered to block traffic so the bus could back out onto Halsey and continue to Hollywood TC). Instead, we all set out on foot.
We decided to walk to Sandy and catch the #12 to 28th, which has an overpass connection to walk to Freddy’s.
While waiting for the #12 (which we had just missed by the time we walked to Sandy), I saw that the Hollywood WAMU was open and walked there. There was only one teller, manning both the counter and the dual-lane drive-up window, so it took awhile. Another #12 went by outside.
At this point, we decided to forego special cat food and work our way in a direction which would take us back home and pick up a few groceries — we just really needed cat litter. Hollywood Trader Joe’s seemed like a good choice, it was on the way to the Hollywood MAX station.
All was well until we discovered that Trader Joe’s only had “special” varieties of litter and none of the basic scoopable kind. So we had to go somewhere else after all.
So now it was MAX to Gateway Fred Meyer. This store was rather crowded. The back door of the store faces MAX, and you could see people entering in waves, as each new train arrived. I bought as many groceries as I could carry, only to find out they were sold out of the fabric carry bags. Apparently many MAX-based travelers had the same idea about how to carry their items. So an array of plastic bags it was…
I had to run a bit (not easy on snow with groceries) to catch a train which was about to depart Gateway, but fortunately for me (and unfortunately for everyone else), it had a stuck door and was going nowhere for a few minutes yet.
The train was also crowded with people with luggage, who had come in on a red line bus shuttle… planes were finally landing again at PDX.
So, 3 hours later, we made it home. Mission accomplished: Banking, groceries, cat litter. But we’re still paying the price for not having the special food.
Tomorrow I must dig the car out in preparation for a Christmas Day family gathering (if it doesn’t get cancelled). So perhaps it would have been easier to just dig it out yesterday. But all the walking did us some good and it’s nice to know just how far we can walk for supplies should we need to.
You’re made of tougher stuff than me, Bob. I will be taking advantage of a reroute on my bus that will allow a direct trip from work to the grocery store and then back home. A very handy reroute, always assuming the buses keep running.
the nextbus system on the streetcar is really helpful during this weather, much better than transit tracker which seems to be worthless now for max and bus.
the 77 was a mess yesterday, one slid into a parked car on northrup (no chains on!!!) tying up the streetcar line. nonetheless the streetcar lumbered on with a shuttle between psu and sowa until the scene was cleared.
whats really nice about the storm is burnside is now pedestrian friendly and not the traffic sewer that it normally is.
Jon –
The people we talked to at the #77 bus stop told us that a few days ago Transit Tracker was reporting distances (a vehicle is x.y miles away) rather than time estimates, but yesterday no estimates or distances were being reported at all, at least for the #77 and #12.
Bob, there are several different states for TransitTracker, depending on the service on that route. If buses are traveling on the normal route and just very late, TT will display distance. Routes that are canceled are cancelled in TT (this is easier to communicate online).
If a bus is on snow route or there are significant reroutes TT is turned off because it isn’t technically possible to turn off only stops that are closed. Telling someone that the bus is 2 miles away from their stop is no help if that stop is actually not being served at all.
Streetcar arrivals are simpler right now because they’re in pretty much normal service and the frequency lends itself to a very easy bit of math.
I’ve been walking a lot, but then I live in SE. I have some friends who live in Mltnmah Village that had to take the 12 and hike a long ways, and they couldn’t even get downtown after waiting 2+ hours for a bus along Barbur (full buses kept passing them by).
Another friend just waited an hour for the Hawthorne bus in downtown Portland.
So yeah, pretty bad? I used to drive up to the mountains a lot in the winter, so its not really a problem for me, but trying to park your car along the street requires a shovel to dig yourself out. So I prefer just to walk… and not go long distances.
I think we need more MAX lines. How about that Barbur line? And Milwaukie?? Just make sure they have heated switches, low grades, and/or tunneled sections, and we should be fine.
I was really surprised that the streetcar could handle it this week. Very surprised!
One strange anomoly on Saturday when I was on East Burnside with a friend to catch a bus to downtown, was that transit tracker said the bus was 19.8 miles away. Was a little perplexing, as I didn’t think the route was even that long!
Anyways, stranger still, was that TWO bus 20s arrived less than a minute later. 20 miles in 1 minute? Thats like 1,200 miles per hour! Nice, Trimet!
“Anyways, stranger still, was that TWO bus 20s arrived less than a minute later. 20 miles in 1 minute? Thats like 1,200 miles per hour! Nice, Trimet!”
Yea, that was strange the way the transit tracker was telling us how far away the bus was in miles?
I know one thing about using TRIMET in these conditions.
Buses ARE NOT reliable.
Stick with the max and use your feet for the rest.
Luckily I live within walking distance of the max.
Max service ALWAYS TAKES PRIORITY over the buses.
You see this played out during these kind of events.
Buses have a tendency to NEVER SHOW UP!
oh, really?
How about the Red and Yellow line trains that never showed up due to frozen switches, insulators, etc.?
One strange anomoly on Saturday when I was on East Burnside with a friend to catch a bus to downtown, was that transit tracker said the bus was 19.8 miles away. Was a little perplexing, as I didn’t think the route was even that long!
The distance is measured from where the bus is to where you are, but the bus isn’t necessarily going in the same direction you are. That bus probably still had to go out to the end of the line and turn around to get back to you.
Don’t listen to Al, he’s just a bus operator!
I’ve had remarkably good service from buses the last week or more, but those have been buses running on major thoroughfares and in relatively flat terrain. No big hills around here, thank goodness.
I’m lucky enough to be using the MAX Blue line for all of my commuting needs. Aside from some record waits (I think it took over half an hour for a MAX to arrive on Sunday) and a fair number of delays due to stopped trains, cars in the right of way, and so forth, it’s been pretty routine for me. I just need to give myself a lot more time to get where I want to go.
Yesterday, I was riding out toward Hillsboro and two women carrying skis got on around PGE Park. They were going to ski from the Zoo station down Kingston Road to the Rose Garden and on down to the Multnomah Athletic Club, using side streets once they were out of Washington Park. (The Zoobomber route, more or less).
I’ve been riding MAX since it opened, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone use it as a ski lift.
I think we need more MAX lines. How about that Barbur line? And Milwaukie??
How about just plowing the roads properly?
More MAX lines will just mean more discrimination against the “haves” and the “have nots” with Portland transit. Is that what Portland is coming to – segregation?
TriMet even owns snowplows. Where the hell they were, I have no idea. I know that TriMet can and does plow streets, because when I lived in Beaverton (on N.W. 158th Avenue) the plows that came by my house – with the plow down – all said “Tri-Met” (this was back in 1998-2000) on them. Not “City of Beaverton”, not “Washington County”, not even “Oregon Department of Transportation”.
(Anyone that wants to get into a jurisdictional dispute…I’ve seen City of Portland plows on Barbur Boulevard (a state highway), and City of Beaverton plows on Scholls Ferry Road (a county road).)
What’s involved with adding heated switches to the entire Max line to avoid the frozen switch issue?
I have to give credit to the people who created the snow service map, as well as posted the lists of running bus routes at the downtown stops. (When the mall reopens, maybe they’ll be able to send that kind of info to the Transit Tracker signs).
Overall, it looks like much of Portland is being served (quite possibly because it usually gets good service), unlike Lake Oswego or much of Beaverton and Hillsboro. But how about canceling the 19-Glisan, considering that both the 20 and the 15 are serving most of the route? Even if they weren’t it seems that most areas along the route are within walking distance of MAX, Burnside, Sandy, 39th or 82nd.
What’s involved with adding heated switches to the entire Max line to avoid the frozen switch issue?
http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2008/12/found-this-over-at-mercury-blog.html
And Jason, you should have thought of the snow map, after all you are the master map maker!
The only thing good about the Max Yellow Line bus shuttle was the operator, who made a genuine effort to keep the spirits up of the frozen passengers she picked up. Her good cheer was actually infectious. I waited 35 minutes to be picked up -and there were others at the stop that were there before me.
I found myself wondering (I’m no expert, there might be reasons why it would not work) if the following would be possible:
Base four sets of two car trains, two sets to each track, on each end on the Yellow Line (Expo Center and Rose Quarter). Stagger their departures; send one set north, then 20 minutes later, the next set and vice-versa from the south.
After both sets arrived at their opposite terminals, reverse the process. Thus, no switches would be needed -each track would reverse direction after both sets of trains traversed it.
It seems to me the turnaround times could not be worse than the shuttles, and the time to run the entire route would be much faster than the buses.
Could it work?
And if it can’t, could things be reconfigured so that something like it, or better (3 sets) would be possible?
Erik Halstead: TriMet even owns snowplows. Where the hell they were, I have no idea.
I have to restrain myself from sarcasm. They were out plowing streets, Erik. Do you have some reason to think otherwise?
I stocked up on the essentials on Thursday of last week in anticipation not going out for several days. I also have plenty of canned goods on hand in that I have come across a place that sells dented and damaged package food stuff, some of it at a third or less of the store shelf price. With the media saying more snow and ice is coming, and only enough fresh hamburger left for tonight’s meal, I felt today was again a good time to stock up in addition to wanting something fresh for Christmas.
So today at about starting at 1:00 pm it went like this: Start the truck and scrape four days worth of ice and snow off the windows, then dig out the driveway near the street (a residential side street). Drive to Gateway about three miles the long way around (to avoid the some overpasses). Pick up ink for my printer at Office Depot. Pick up some basics, a fresh turkey breast and a pie for Christmas at Fred Meyer. Wait 25 to 30 minutes in the check out line. Drive back home – four wheel drive, no chains, no problem. Parked in the driveway about 2:30 pm. The longest duration of any part of this trip was waiting in line to check out at Fred Meyer. Anybody have a more expedient experience?
Yea Terry I walked across the street and bought some food, 5 minute walk over and 5 minute walk back.
They were out plowing streets, Erik.
No Jeff, they were plowing out the transit centers and trimet facilities.
Jeff F. wrote: They were out plowing streets, Erik. Do you have some reason to think otherwise?
Well, judging from the LARGE number (news reports quoted as saying about 100 buses on Monday morning, I personally saw five on Barbur Boulevard alone, my personal best was ten buses stranded, two years ago, intersection of 99W and 72nd Avenue in Tigard) of buses that were stuck…I would venture…somehow…a guess…that they weren’t helping to plow the streets to get those buses moving again?
I don’t know, that’s just a hunch. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe those TriMet plows were out plowing those roads and the buses still got stuck for no reason at all.
Sheesh. If you can’t say anything productive, just don’t say anything at all.
Thanks, to Al M., for providing valuable (and useful) insight (as always!)
Dan Haneckow wrote: I found myself wondering (I’m no expert, there might be reasons why it would not work) if the following would be possible:
Wow, that’s some good thinking!!!
If only Gateway TC was designed so that the Red Line could function in shuttle-mode without having to switch onto the eastbound main (requiring to run through three switches to proceed westbound).
I think the biggest problem with Dan’s idea is that once the first train arrives, it has to move out of the way to allow the second train to show up, unload, load again and then depart. At Expo Center, there’s a bumper there so you either HAVE to use another track, or end service at Delta Park (if there aren’t any events at Expo Center that probably isn’t such a big problem).
At Rose Quarter/Interstate, the first train ends up blocking Multnomah Avenue (and running through a switch)…considering that a number of bus lines run through that intersection, it doesn’t make sense to block a street (and bus lines) for a long period of time.
Probably the best solution is to install switch heaters at the “critical” switches…like those at Expo Center, Cleveland Avenue, Hatfield Government Center, Gateway TC and Beaverton TC. You really don’t need switch heaters at the crossovers or on the storage sidings (i.e. north of Rose Quarter/Interstate, west of Willow Creek or west of Fairgrounds/Hillsboro Airport); considering that those switches are seldom used anyways.
If they absolutely need to be used and they’re frozen, they probably have to be manually operated anyways so you’ll need a switch tender (MOW personnel) to use a blow torch and to throw the switch as needed.
As to why they weren’t installed to begin with – they cost money. However, I’m sure that TriMet will find a way to fund them and install them…and probably cut back more bus hours to pay for it.
Sheesh. If you can’t say anything productive, just don’t say anything at all.
Thanks for the insight, Erik. If they were simply plowing the yards at the garages, clearly that’s a complete waste of time, right? I mean, what does it matter if the buses can’t get out of the yard?
If those TriMet plows had only been out plowing somewhere else (anywhere else) there was no reason why buses would get stuck, right? Isn’t that your theory?
It would have nothing to do with drifts along the sides of roads, nothing to do with hills, nothing to do with broken chains. Just another example of how TriMet has failed to live up to your standards. TriMet, the agency that can do nothing right.
Terry Parker: The longest duration of any part of this trip was waiting in line to check out at Fred Meyer. Anybody have a more expedient experience?
I rode the Line 70 for about 10 minutes into Sellwood, walked a block to the grocery store, shopped, spent 2-3 minutes in line, walked out and 15 minutes later had a comfortable ride on Line 19 (in a convenient reroute). It was torture.
There are switch heaters at the east end of of Beaverton TC, and probably other places too…
I suspect that the reason there aren’t switch heaters elsewhere, (downtown Yellow line turnaround, for instance,) is that they light car tires/asphalt/curious pedestrians on fire*, where as the east end of the Beaverton TC doesn’t have that problem. I know last week there was a guy out with [what I assumed was] a tank of deicer spraying the yellow line turnaround switches downtown…
*Okay, they make electric switch heaters too, but the most common types are propane with an exposed flame…
With so many bus lines cancelled I was assuming that there would then be more buses on the “frequent” lines but I am still waiting an hour for a bus(line 12 Barbur blvd.).
First: Jeff said: “I rode the Line 70 for about 10 minutes into Sellwood,”
No time frame was documented for walking to the bus stop or waiting, possibly a long wait for the bus. Moreover, since all TriMet busses have been outfitted with tire chains and the top speed is 25 MPH, the maximum distance for Jeff’s ride with no stops could be only about three or four miles. Therefore the total time to get to the store is obviously more than just the 10 minute bus ride.
He “walked a block to the grocery store,” time undocumented “shopped,” time undocumented
“spent 2-3 minutes in line, walked out and 15 minutes later had a comfortable ride on Line 19 (in a convenient reroute).” In other words, a 15 minute walk and wait for the next bus, and another undocumented express ride time of may be 10 minutes or more, plus the time to walk home.
“It was torture.” That must have been the bumping and grinding from the tire chains on the bus, and/or standing and waiting in the cold for the bus.
By comparison, I got some exercise shoveling a little snow and then had a comfortable drive in a warmed up truck shopping at not just one, but two different stores. My total time for all of this was 1.5 hours (1:00 to 2:30 by my clock). Jeff spent 10 minutes on a bus one-way, two to three minutes at the check stand after shopping in one store and then it was 15 minutes before he caught the bus back to the nearest stop to where he started from. The total time for any comparison purposes is still not known (as is the size of the fish Jeff caught at the grocery store).
Second:: Does TriMet have snow plows? Well, the TV news media a couple of years back actually showed a TriMet truck with a snow plow on it. They were using it to help clear City streets with bus routes. So at least at one time they did.
Third: The Oregonian stated that “TriMet supervisors cruised the cancelled routes to give any waiting riders lifts to nearest running line – or even a ride home.” Obviously these cruises were made using TriMet’s fleet of supervisory full sized sedans and SUVs.
Fourth: Sam Adams and other bureaucrats held a number of news conferences at different locations covered by the TV stations and by the print media. How did Sam and the others get around? By bicycle or public transit. Or by driving and/or being chauffeured around.
Finally: In Gresham, it was huge Humvees (full-sized military Hummers) to the rescue!
Terry Parker: By comparison, I got some exercise shoveling a little snow and then had a comfortable drive in a warmed up truck shopping at not just one, but two different stores. My total time for all of this was 1.5 hours (1:00 to 2:30 by my clock). Jeff spent 10 minutes on a bus one-way, two to three minutes at the check stand after shopping in one store and then it was 15 minutes before he caught the bus back to the nearest stop to where he started from. The total time for any comparison purposes is still not known (as is the size of the fish Jeff caught at the grocery store).
A good many false assumptions in there, Terry, including the false assumption that my final goal (home) was the same as my origin (work). But you go ahead and stretch reality as much as you need to “prove” your point.
I was not at all uncomfortable waiting for my bus because I have the sense to dress for the weather. In future, don’t assume that everyone else hates using transit as much as you appear to. Personally, I’m pleased not to be driving in this weather and I’ve seen a lot of drivers who should have stayed home, and who would be happier right now if their car wasn’t stuck on a hill or smashed into a wall or with torn-up wheel wells, etc.
switch heaters
That reminds me of the TriMet Press Release from after the storm five years ago. I made a note of it because it says that “no switch heaters are available for use in paved trackway” after it says that “switch heaters have been installed at key locations (SW 11 th Avenue turnaround, Rose Quarter and Hatfield Government Center)”, where the tracks are in pavement.
If only Gateway TC was designed so that the Red Line could function in shuttle-mode without having to switch onto the eastbound main (requiring to run through three switches to proceed westbound)
First of all, the third switch (at the junction with the middle track) before the platform westbound doesn’t really matter, since it doesn’t need to be moved. However, I do think that the fact that two switches need to be moved (airport extension/eastbound track, eastbound track/crossover to middle track) between a train from the airport and an eastbound one may be why the Red Line wasn’t running, considering that most of the line is open (raised) track and shouldn’t be affected by snow.
My idea (track map, aerial photo versions) is to connect the airport track directly to the middle one, with a diamond crossing of the eastbound track and separate switches between those two tracks. It would also possibly cut down delays in normal service (no waiting for the two aforementioned switches to move) and allow airport trains to operate as shuttles without interfering with eastbound Blue Line ones
Jeff – As for drivers who are stuck in the snow, or have an accident, it becomes their responsibility. Yesterday, as many as 100 busses were stalled during the morning commute. Some at TriMet not only blamed the City of Portland for not having roads prepared for the busses that use them, but it becomes the taxpayers responsibility to get those busses unstuck when the financial responsibility to do so should come from passengers through the farebox. And how do you think the bus drivers and the snow plow drivers got to work – most of them undoubtedly drove.
Terry Parker: Jeff – As for drivers who are stuck in the snow, or have an accident, it becomes their responsibility. Yesterday, as many as 100 busses were stalled during the morning commute.
That number is from several days ago, Terry. Yesterday it was down to 20.
Some at TriMet not only blamed the City of Portland for not having roads prepared for the busses that use them, but it becomes the taxpayers responsibility to get those busses unstuck when the financial responsibility to do so should come from passengers through the farebox.
It’s funny but I didn’t hear any “blame” at all. The buses have largely been towed or repaired or otherwise unstuck by TriMet personnel, so it comes out of the Operating budget. And, yes, that comes out of the payroll tax. Your pay to play theory is where we really diverge.
And how do you think the bus drivers and the snow plow drivers got to work – most of them undoubtedly drove.
It’s very tough for the first shift of bus operators to get to work any other way, Terry, since there is no one driving the buses they would otherwise ride.
But, really, what’s your point?
Jeff F. wrote: If they were simply plowing the yards at the garages, clearly that’s a complete waste of time, right? I mean, what does it matter if the buses can’t get out of the yard?
So, YOUR theory (since we’re discussing each other’s theories) is that those TriMet plows were on duty 24/7 plowing (over and over and over again) the three garage lots, and nothing else?
And…they HAD to plow those same three lots OVER and OVER and OVER again or else the buses would have been stuck?
Phuleeze.
After plowing the lot, those plows COULD have been used to…oh, I don’t know, plow streets on bus routes for a couple hours? Then return and plow the garage lots again?
By the way, I had to drive today, since TriMet’s “new and improved” Transit Tracker which now gives the distance away my bus is…told me that there were no arrivals. Since I had a deadline to get to work and didn’t want to spend an hour in the cold…I had a safe, comfortable, warm ride into work today. Parked in a nice parking garage (which, by the way, I paid for). Drove back home, warm and safe (as opposed to my usual run across five lanes of traffic thanks to TriMet’s unwillingness to provide safe bus stops).
I will say, however, that the Portland Streetcar tracks were a very serious hazard and I saw a City of Portland crew having to dig out ice at the intersection of Harrison & Naito because of the very severe Streetcar ruts.
Jeff said: “It’s funny but I didn’t hear any “blame” at all.”
Read the “O”. Listen to the News on TV.
Jeff also said: “The buses have largely been towed or repaired or otherwise unstuck by TriMet personnel, so it comes out of the Operating budget”
And since the farebox only covers 21 percent of TriMet’s operating costs, who do you think pays/subsidizes the rest of TriMet’s operating budget? Why it’s the taxpayers of course.
Erik Halstead: So, YOUR theory (since we’re discussing each other’s theories) is that those TriMet plows were on duty 24/7 plowing (over and over and over again) the three garage lots, and nothing else?
And…they HAD to plow those same three lots OVER and OVER and OVER again or else the buses would have been stuck?
That was actually either your theory or Al’s. My understanding over the years is that TriMet’s tiny fleet of plows are used on streets. I know for a fact that some were being dispatched to trouble spots on bus routes. As an example, dispatched to the end of the Holgate line so that there would be an actual layover zone that didn’t block traffic. You’re the one making the assumption that they didn’t, in fact, plow streets and apparently made that assumption because you didn’t actually see one in action.
And “three”? You were giving credit to Al for information and ignoring the phrase “transit centers”.
Whatever the case, the “fleet” of TriMet plows would have an insignificant impact on the area’s streets. Even the much larger, yet still tiny fleet of dump trucks equipped with plows that the City of Portland has retained for decades was unable to keep up with the snow and ice–although they apparently did it well enough to get you in to do your shopping.
Hehehe….
Awww Shucks….
Who knows, who cares, every man for himself.
I have chains and still didn’t take my truck out.
I knew better than to wait for any buses.
Everything was a nightmare everywhere.
The right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing.
It is just as bad in other cities.
http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2008/12/seattle-in-tatters.html
http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2008/12/bostonians-unhappy-with-transit-too.html
The only clear winner in all of this are the 4 wheel drive manufacturers.
They were the obvious winners.
Some of you know that I also manage property over here in Nob Hill, and I’ll tell ya one thing for sure,
It’s pretty freaking nerve racking to know for sure that if something goes wrong now your in
+DEEP DOO DOO+
cause you aint gonna be able to get any help!
Can’t help but wonder why, if TriMet had the buses and the operators, the 85 Swan Island was dropped earlier this week. All of its route was plowed. Also, with no service on the 9 Broadway, 10 33rd and 77 Halsey, a stop at NE 24th & Broadway which usually has three lines, had nothing. Only the 8 on NE 15th ran up our way.
My biggest disappointment was the failure of residents, but especially merchants, to clear their sidewalks. I was out several mornings clearing our sidewalk and front walk…a lovely way to enjoy the cool, snowy scene.
To be frank…the best transportation option for us has been our Subaru (U r a Bus spelled backwards) with chains on the front.
“To be frank…the best transportation option for us has been our Subaru (U r a Bus spelled backwards) with chains on the front.”
>>>> Now you know why people in this country are addicted to their cars. And I realize this, being a non-driver myself.
I will give TriMet some marks for their Winter Weather Alerts they put out. I subscribe to TriMet’s alerts out of curiosity, and to know what I am getting into if I go to Portland. I also subscribe to RPIN, which is Seattle/King County/Pierce County/Snohomish County’s clearinghouse for adverse weather and other disaster alerts. TriMet was better. They kept them updated, King County Metro, had to go looking at their website for alerts, and they were not well informative.
Jeff F. wrote: You’re the one making the assumption that they didn’t, in fact, plow streets and apparently made that assumption because you didn’t actually see one in action.
I can count more places where those plows WEREN’T, where buses either were stuck OR could not operate, due to a lack of plowing.
In my part of Portland, every route between the 56 (Scholls Ferry) and the 33 (McLoughlin) except the 12 line was cancelled.
1-Vermont
38-Boones Ferry
39-Lewis & Clark
43-Taylors Ferry
44-Capitol Highway
45-Garden Home
76-Beaverton/Tualatin
78-Beaverton/Lake Oswego
And of course the Marquam Hill expresses (61, 64, 65) and the 96 Tualatin/I-5 Express.
On the plus side, the City of Portland did a magnificent job plowing my residential, non-arterial, non-bus route street (except when PCC Sylvania is closed, then a bus is routed onto my street). And ODOT did a mostly great job with Barbur Boulevard/99W.
Meanwhile, today I took an interesting transit trip which landed me at the Beaverton Transit Center, where I nearly slid on ice waiting for the 78 bus (because nobody cleared the snow from the bus stops) but strangely, the MAX platform was cleared out enough for people to walk on bare brick… Apparently, there wasn’t any need to maintain the bus stop area…I counted 30 (that’s right, THIRTY) people who got on my 78 bus at the transit center; and another half-dozen or so who got on a 76 which showed up just after the 78 did, but left before we did.
Unfortunately I do not live within walking distance of the MAX. Apparently when they planned the original MAX line they were stupid enough and forgot (how silly of them!) to put in a stop at 28th avenue, mere steps away from a Freddie’s, Burnside, and one of the premier bicycle routes in the entire city.
Anyways, small peeve. I ended up riding my bike in the snow and it was a little challenging, but not bad. I didn’t fall, and it was nice to know that you can’t get a bicycle stuck in the snow like a car!
Remember, just a few weeks ago, Sam Adams was complaining about people blowing leaves into the street so the City could clean them up. Well, in the last few days the City has returned the favor by piling up snow from plows on sidewalks and with the exception of some elitist downtown locations, now expects the adjacent property owners to clear the sidewalks of those piles of snow. Seems like Sam is full of double standards.
now expects the adjacent property owners to clear the sidewalks of those piles of snow
Snow melts.
Douglas K. wrote: Snow melts.
And the wind blows.
Getting home from work on Wednesday was a lesson in patience, as I waited just over an hour (from about 5:10 until 6:20 pm) on NE Alberta before an eastbound #72 arrived. Sadly, it passed my stop because it was full, but another one came five minutes later and picked me up. The “lesson in patience” part came from watching nine, yes, NINE #72 buses pass by heading west. Generally they came in groups of two. Where were they going that was preventing them from coming back? Somewhere on Swan Island there was a convention of #72s that had to be seen to be believed…
The one common thread here is that when the weather is bad, people will complain that the “government” didn’t do enough to make it better. Whether in Scranton or Seattle, roads or rails, snow, ice, or rain, some people just want to blame someone, rather than making the best of a challenging situation.
Record snowfall? Guess what? Things might get a little messy. Get over it. Puhleeze indeed.
No wonder our country has been heading downhill.