Post-CRC Transit: Time for (Real) Commuter Rail? - Portland Transport
I feel like I keep repeating myself I guess that's cause I keep repeating myself.
This is not complicated folks, high capacity transit can be available tomorrow.
All that's needed is to buy buses,lots of them, high capacity buses, that have nice interiors with nice comfortable seats and simple amenities like high speed internet, run them frequently (as in every 10 minutes all day long) and people will use it.
No turmoil or construction needed. One 60 ft bus can haul 200 people comfortably that's 200 cars off I5. If you had a whole fleet of those you can remove thousands of cars from the existing roadway.
Planners like to plan and providing reliable and frequent bus service in big buses doesn't employ any planners and makes no money for construction outfits nor does it make profit for developers.
Why are people attached to the complicated. The solution lies in the obvious.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Portland Transport: Comment Preview
Portland Transport: Comment Preview
divisive narratives about "bus vs. rail"
~~>Further thought about this leads me to comment additionally.
The 'bus vs rail' argument is in reality nothing to do with buses or rail. The fight that is going on here is about government technocrats forcing their agenda down the citizens throats. "bus vs Light rail" has become the metaphor for 'government vs the people', especially here in the northwest. Have you looked around lately? How many people are wandering around with nowhere to go? We citizens have no idea where those billions are actually going,into who's pockets that money is ending up. The attachment to the concept of light rail is all about the money, I am certain of that.
On the subject of "union vs. non-union employee" that fight is symptomatic of an 'entitled class' enriching itself on the labor of the working class. It's a righteous argument and its a fight that will have decades long consequences.
When you look behind the propaganda and the intentional 'divisiveness' what you end up seeing is that gubmint is not on the side of the citizens. Over a million a year dead on roadways and where is gubmint? What happened in Greece and Detroit is the harbinger of what gubmint (and its owners the banks) has in store for its citizenry. It ain't gonna be pretty.
divisive narratives about "bus vs. rail"
~~>Further thought about this leads me to comment additionally.
The 'bus vs rail' argument is in reality nothing to do with buses or rail. The fight that is going on here is about government technocrats forcing their agenda down the citizens throats. "bus vs Light rail" has become the metaphor for 'government vs the people', especially here in the northwest. Have you looked around lately? How many people are wandering around with nowhere to go? We citizens have no idea where those billions are actually going,into who's pockets that money is ending up. The attachment to the concept of light rail is all about the money, I am certain of that.
On the subject of "union vs. non-union employee" that fight is symptomatic of an 'entitled class' enriching itself on the labor of the working class. It's a righteous argument and its a fight that will have decades long consequences.
When you look behind the propaganda and the intentional 'divisiveness' what you end up seeing is that gubmint is not on the side of the citizens. Over a million a year dead on roadways and where is gubmint? What happened in Greece and Detroit is the harbinger of what gubmint (and its owners the banks) has in store for its citizenry. It ain't gonna be pretty.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
TriMet announces opening date for Portland-Milwaukie light rail line | OregonLive.com
TriMet announces opening date for Portland-Milwaukie light rail line | OregonLive.com
Oh Jeez, first of all
TriMet on Thursday announced the opening date for the $1.49 billion Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail line will be Sept. 12, 2015.
~~~> That is absolutely ridiculous, they are setting the exact day it will open almost 2 years from now! Cheap public relations stunt!
A "50 Percent Complete" event in downtown Portland not only drew TriMet officials but members of the Oregon Legislature, Metro's leadership, the Portland City Council and the Clackamas County Commission and representatives of Oregon's congressional delegation and Oregon Health & Sciences University
~~~>Well ya, all politicians and bureaucrats showed up. It a PR event! They do that only to get their stupid pictures that they use later. If they didn't show up nobody would.
TriMet describes the bridge as "the first of its kind multi-modal bridge will carry light rail, buses, bikes, pedestrians and a future Portland Streetcar extension over the Willamette River, but no private vehicles." Hmmm. Legally, bicycles are private vehicles. Less bureaucra-speak please.
There is nothing wrong with Light Rail per se, everybody should have it if possible (note to everybody, DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT, put light rail right down the middle of your downtown street and stop every 3 blocks. Not only does it make the LR vulnerable to traffic issues and accidents but it defeats the purpose of LR which is FAST service.
Then there is the question of ethics involved with this, I wrote an essay about that HERE!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
State board upholds TriMet contract requiring union members to pay more of their health care costs | OregonLive.com
State board upholds TriMet contract requiring union members to pay more of their health care costs | OregonLive.com
Listen up everybody, you all have been duped, fooled by that most excellent government propaganda that comes out of the Trimet propaganda dept and the mainstream media which serves as the mouthpiece for government propaganda.
Nobody expected the arbitrators award to be thrown out in its entirety. There were items in the body of the award that were highly questionable. The horrible Oregon arbitration system allows the arbitrator to only 'pick one or the other' contract. No modifications to either are allowed. Right there we can see the stupidity of Oregon's arbitration system.
This went to the court because of items within the award, not the entirety of the award.
One of the major issues was the issue of retroactive payment for health insurance coverage that was already provided. Trimet intent on recouping that money. I have the Trimet board meeting when this was discussed, it can be proven.
That was the main reason this went to the courts, Trimet intentionally attempted to abuse the arbitration process by including within the body of its offer items that were clearly illegal.
Those illegal items were thrown out, it was a victory for law and order. The loser was Trimet who attempted to subvert the arbitration process in its ongoing attempts to destroy its union workforce.
Don't believe the headline, the headline is pure propaganda and intentionally switches from the reality of the court ruling in order to present the case as it was most certainly not.
Listen up everybody, you all have been duped, fooled by that most excellent government propaganda that comes out of the Trimet propaganda dept and the mainstream media which serves as the mouthpiece for government propaganda.
Nobody expected the arbitrators award to be thrown out in its entirety. There were items in the body of the award that were highly questionable. The horrible Oregon arbitration system allows the arbitrator to only 'pick one or the other' contract. No modifications to either are allowed. Right there we can see the stupidity of Oregon's arbitration system.
This went to the court because of items within the award, not the entirety of the award.
One of the major issues was the issue of retroactive payment for health insurance coverage that was already provided. Trimet intent on recouping that money. I have the Trimet board meeting when this was discussed, it can be proven.
That was the main reason this went to the courts, Trimet intentionally attempted to abuse the arbitration process by including within the body of its offer items that were clearly illegal.
Those illegal items were thrown out, it was a victory for law and order. The loser was Trimet who attempted to subvert the arbitration process in its ongoing attempts to destroy its union workforce.
Don't believe the headline, the headline is pure propaganda and intentionally switches from the reality of the court ruling in order to present the case as it was most certainly not.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Let’s Talk About Cost of Commute, Transit & Trimet Fares | Transit Sleuth
Let’s Talk About Cost of Commute, Transit & Trimet Fares | Transit Sleuth
As I said on the Facebook, my main objection to Trimet fares is lack of an affordable pass.
I also objected to the way Trimet handled this last fare increase, basically forcing everyone into the previous 'all zone' ticket, which itself was raised 10 cents. That was a 20% increase for riders only using Trimet for short distances.
The other reason I have a problem with the 'high' fares is the amount of transit money that is going to the employees, both union and non union. Everybody involved with transit in the USA is making a great living with the executive class retiring with actual riches. Fred Hansen left Trimet after a little more than 10 years with a pension of $16,000/mo. While the press doesn't cover it this is the type of obscenity that has lead to excessive fares on Trimet. Trimet employs seventy six $100k+ executive positions. All of those people will retire with huge pensions. My point, people are getting rich while the lower socioeconomic riders foot the bill.
All of THESE cities have an affordable pass, Trimet does not unless you are HC or a student high school or lower.
Nobody argues that transit is cheaper than driving, however, does your time have value? I used Trimet for years to get to and from work. One day I got sick and decided to drive rather than take transit. I got home a full hour faster than when I was taking transit. I never took transit again after that. I realized my time was more valuable than the money I was saving taking transit. The other problem with transit is (unless u live and work in the downtown core) is that you are a prisoner to it. As in you have to schedule your time to be at the stop before the train (in my case) gets there. I found myself rushing to make the train. Then when the train got to Jen-Weld the 15 bus had gone by just 2 minutes before. Transit is highly inconvenient.
Last but not least is the one event that proved to me that owing a car is important.
Hurricane Katrina is the example. All the people that were transit dependent got left behind during the evacuation. And we know how that story ended.
As I said on the Facebook, my main objection to Trimet fares is lack of an affordable pass.
I also objected to the way Trimet handled this last fare increase, basically forcing everyone into the previous 'all zone' ticket, which itself was raised 10 cents. That was a 20% increase for riders only using Trimet for short distances.
The other reason I have a problem with the 'high' fares is the amount of transit money that is going to the employees, both union and non union. Everybody involved with transit in the USA is making a great living with the executive class retiring with actual riches. Fred Hansen left Trimet after a little more than 10 years with a pension of $16,000/mo. While the press doesn't cover it this is the type of obscenity that has lead to excessive fares on Trimet. Trimet employs seventy six $100k+ executive positions. All of those people will retire with huge pensions. My point, people are getting rich while the lower socioeconomic riders foot the bill.
All of THESE cities have an affordable pass, Trimet does not unless you are HC or a student high school or lower.
Nobody argues that transit is cheaper than driving, however, does your time have value? I used Trimet for years to get to and from work. One day I got sick and decided to drive rather than take transit. I got home a full hour faster than when I was taking transit. I never took transit again after that. I realized my time was more valuable than the money I was saving taking transit. The other problem with transit is (unless u live and work in the downtown core) is that you are a prisoner to it. As in you have to schedule your time to be at the stop before the train (in my case) gets there. I found myself rushing to make the train. Then when the train got to Jen-Weld the 15 bus had gone by just 2 minutes before. Transit is highly inconvenient.
Last but not least is the one event that proved to me that owing a car is important.
Hurricane Katrina is the example. All the people that were transit dependent got left behind during the evacuation. And we know how that story ended.
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