Luxury Transit


If they run this from Portland to Wilsonville, I’d happilly plunk down $7.50 (each way)

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11 responses to “Luxury Transit”

  1. IMO, instead of private enterprise duplicating already available service, a better investment would be securing replacements for every TriMet 1400, 1600, 1700, 1800, and 1900 currently in service, as well as a funding plan that keeps TriMet running all service despite decreasing payroll tax revenue.

    Seriously, this guy could transport his bus back to Portland, sign it with a current route number/name, run the route and pick up passengers, and I really doubt that many people (if anyone) would notice any difference:
    1972 Flxible New Look Tri-Met #361
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7actxSJix-I

    At the same time, notice these (and the comments on the video over there, especially the one about the fact they’re still in service):
    (City of) Commerce Flxibles
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7L3O1fcyn0

  2. Huh. Wonder if there’d be a market for that kind of service on Portland-Wilsonville-Salem or Portland-Newberg-McMinnville routes? Probably not … I doubt this region has the population density to support that kind of venture.

  3. I really doubt that many people (if anyone) would notice any difference

    I wouldn’t be so sure of that. :) Plus, I’m not sure those buses are accessible. But TriMet did use those buses for 27 years, and I believe some of them had over a million miles put on them.

    As for luxury buses, I believe there are some people who commute between Salem and Portland using Amtrak monthly passes, so there may be a market for high-end transit (it sounds like the only thing Amtrak lacks is Wi-Fi, but business people might be able to use a 3G cellular connection instead).

    Also, I’d like to note that looking in old phone books, I’ve seen ads for Trailways that mention having hostesses.

  4. I wouldn’t be so sure of that.
    OK, so I was exaggerating a bit. But I’m wondering if that’s the number of years they’re trying to get out of the current fleet.

  5. And the ~$7-8 fare is competitive with the publicly-operated alternatives for the same trips. For instance, CalTrain’s 50-mile run between San Fransisco and San Jose is $7.75.

  6. Chris Smith wrote: If they run this from Portland to Wilsonville, I’d happilly plunk down $7.50 (each way)

    As a transit supporter, Chris, why do you refuse to ride TriMet’s #96 line?

    Surely, as a transit supporter, you should be a leading cheerleader for one of TriMet’s popular commuter services that enables public transit between Tualatin/Wilsonville and Portland without resorting towards more trips on I-5, even if it means riding one of TriMet’s premier Gillig Phantom or Flxible Metro buses.

  7. why do you refuse to ride TriMet’s #96 line

    How do you know he does, and doesn’t just want something more luxurious? I remember him remarking on here how he has trouble getting his bike on Line 96 because the racks fill up.

  8. Yes, in fact the #96 refuses me, when the bike racks are full.

    Instead I have to use the #12 and transfer to SMART at Barbur Transit Center.

    But I haven’t done any refusing, I’ve just indicated that if someone offered an upgrade, I’d happily pay for it.

    And I would happily pay for guaranteed passage for my bike too :-)

  9. use the #12 and transfer to SMART at Barbur Transit Center

    That’s nice of you to contribute to both systems. :) (There was/is an argument at another place on the Web about how the fare systems are separate). And if SMART’s rack gets full, you can request them to bring a bus with triple bike rack. :) (I have actually seen one on the Salem route. No word on how good it works.) Overall, I don’t think you need the bike access as much as some people do.

    And one other thing I was going to bring up: The bottom of the ODOT Rail Passenger Rail Program page shows that ridership on their Portland-Eugene buses is up, even before more round trips were added. This may mean that there is a demand for quality bus service (maybe not luxury, but something above Greyhound). Also, Erik has argued for moving the Eugene Cascades trains to Washington and replacing them with buses.

  10. Chris Smith wrote: Yes, in fact the #96 refuses me, when the bike racks are full.

    Instead I have to use the #12 and transfer to SMART at Barbur Transit Center.

    And is this option “satisfactory” to you, Chris? Or are you finding it more pressing for our REGION to spend ALL OF OUR REGIONAL MONEY on the Streetcar so that REGIONAL transport should be left to the domain of private carriers like the luxury bus?

    I pay TriMet and regional transit taxes. I don’t quite understand what you stand for…I thought you were for quality transit, but your words and actions are speaking volumes. I’m sorry that you have to ride the 12 bus because the express (and far more costly-to-operate) 96 can’t accommodate you (instead of just parking your bike in one of TriMet’s bike racks, now receiving $1 million in funding while bus improvements get a quarter that) and riding the bus as a passenger), but maybe it ought to be a wake-up call for you to understand the daily pressures that I – and thousands of other 12 line commuters face on a DAILY basis and start to make improvements to a truly regional system that covers two of our three counties and nine incorporated cities, as opposed to expensive development-oriented-transit lines that are a luxury and not a need.

    Or, we can just abolish TriMet and our regional transportation funding mechanism so that I’ll have the tax dollars that are funding the pet Streetcar project and use it to pay the full costs of my own personal commute – and then I will be able to afford my own luxury transit.

    Jason McHuff wrote: This may mean that there is a demand for quality bus service (maybe not luxury, but something above Greyhound).

    Actually, a Greyhound bus is pretty nice and most of their buses are relatively new. The only problem with Greyhound isn’t the vehicle themselves, it’s how they market their service – basically as the lowest common denominator. Their terminals often leave much to be desired but they apparently have been working to remodel their terminals. (In Portland, the Greyhound terminal is actually relatively new, and in many cities Greyhound shares a terminal with Amtrak. Given Portland’s “leadership” in intermodal connections, one would think it would be a no-brainer for the City of Portland to push Greyhound over to Union Station so as to free up FOUR city blocks for redevelopment on the Transit Mall and just south of Union Station.)

    The only difference between a “Greyhound Bus” and a motor coach operated by your run-of-the-mill luxury tour motor coach operator is that Greyhound deletes the on-board entertainment option (usually six TVs and a VCR or DVD player). And of all of the motor coaches I’ve ridden, not once did the Operator actually turn on the entertainment system.

  11. Erik, you’re dragging this post WAY off-topic. I’m not going to play.

    The point of this post: if someone offered a premium transit service, would there be a market for it?

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