Category: General News

  • Open Thread for week of 9/29/2013

    A few hot items: Joseph Rose looks at final ridership numbers for FY13.  (They are down.  TriMet blames the end of Free Rail Zone and nice weather this past summer; the biggest ridership drop was LRT, with some summer declines in bus ridership). Metro Councilor Bob Stacey wades into the debate whether as to how…

  • Taxi Reform Update

    As regular readers may recall, I have argued before that we should liberalize the onerous and anti-competitive regulations surrounding taxi service in Portland. Last year, the city took an important first step in revising those regulations and expanding service when it undertook a series of reforms aimed at improving worker conditions and approved new permits,…

  • Video – TriMet Hybrid Bus Debut Event

    Back in July of 2010, we covered TriMet’s announcement of the purchase of hybrid buses to be evaluated on the Line #72 route. TriMet has now received those four buses and held an event today to launch them into service. Here’s our video providing an overview of TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane’s remarks at today’s…

  • “Orange Line” Name for Portland-Milwaukie MAX: A Triumph of Marketing Over Rider Benefit

    Pop Quiz: What makes more sense? This?: Or this?: In the recent barrage of emails and press releases from TriMet regarding construction activities for Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail, I have noticed a shift in marketing for the line. The project, officially still called the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project, has long been unofficially known as the…

  • A Tale of Two Streetcars

    Disclaimer: Zef Wagner is currently a Service Planning and Scheduling Intern at TriMet. The views expressed on this website are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views, plans, or policies of TriMet. On this opening week of the new Portland Streetcar Central Loop comes news from Seattle, where their South Lake Union Streetcar…