Portland Bus Riders
Improve the bus system, NOW!
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IT'S TIME FOR THE BUS CUTS TO STOP!
In 1998, TriMet opened its second MAX line, the westside route from Portland to Hillsboro.  The disliked articulated buses were retired, and new, air conditioned, low floor buses were introduced to TriMet's fleet.  Most bus routes in Washington County were redesigned to focus on local transit centers instead of downtown Portland.

In the years since then, TriMet has done little if anything to improve the bus system.  Now, under the so-called leadership of Fred Hansen and the absent Board of Directors, TriMet is once again gearing up for more bus cuts.  Frequent Service has been eliminated; purchases of much-needed buses have been cancelled, riders are being squeezed - literally - in overcrowded buses...and yet TriMet seems to want to cut these "lightly patronized" buses in favor of more investment in light rail, WES and Streetcar.

Light Rail in itself is not bad - but was the Green Line needed?  NO!  The Red Line to the airport is not exactly a success story, and MAX trains west of Beaverton (and especially west of Willow Creek) and north, east and south of Gateway are all very lightly patronized - yet there are no service cuts scheduled, nor have any been scheduled, for those trains.  WES is a huge disappointment, one that has cost taxpayers nearly $170 million.  And TriMet continues to throw away $3 million a year (soon to be $5 million a year) in the City of Portland's Streetcar using regional transit dollars - yet TriMet has not cut bus service that duplicates Streetcar service.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

If you agree - call (503) 238-RIDE, or e-mail comments@trimet.org.  Let TriMet know you are sick and tired of the endless assault on the bus system and its riders, and it's time that TriMet stops the disinvestment in the bus system.  The declines in bus ridership are not because of "the economy".

Also e-mail:

Fred Hansen, General Manager at TriMet:  hansenf@trimet.org

George Passadore, President of the TriMet Board of Directors (Southwest Portland):  passadge@trimet.org
Richard Van Beveren, Board Member (Washington County):  vanbever@trimet.org
Tiffany Sweitzer, Board Member (North/Northwest Portland):  sweitzet@trimet.org
Sue Van Brocklin, Board Member (Southeast Portland):  vanbrocs@trimet.org
George Richardson, Board Member (Northeast Portland):  richardg@trimet.org
Lynn Lehrbach, Board Member (East Multnomah County):  lehrbacl@trimet.org
Robert Williams, Board Member (Clackamas County):  williamr@trimet.org

Kelly Runnion, Executive and Board Administrator:  runnionk@trimet.org

Also e-mail the Governor (who has oversight over the Board of Directors), your State Senator and Representative, and your City and County officials.
What TriMet needs to cut
  1. WES
  2. MAX service west of Beaverton, and north/south/east of Gateway (reduce frequently to 20 minute headways)
  3. MAX Transit Mall Shuttle train
  4. motor pool vehicles used by TriMet managers and supervisors
  5. Travel (Fred Hansen's trips to Copenhagen and Australia)
  6. Management labor expense (Cuts need to start at the top.)
  7. The subsidy of the Portland Streetcar
  8. All Capital Planning staff and projects.  (If you can't afford what you have, how can you afford new stuff?)
How TriMet Needs to improve the bus system
  1. TriMet's oldest buses (1400, 1600, 1700, 1800 and 1900 series) are in desperate need of replacement.  These buses lack modern amenities, are not fuel-efficient, pollute more, and are simply old.  The federal government will pick up 80% of the cost of replacement.
  2. Consider BRT.  A BRT line routed along Barbur Boulevard and Highway 99W from Portland to King City would cost about $50 million and provide all of the same benefits as light rail, at a tiny fraction of the capital cost, and virtually identical operating costs (BRT systems around the world have shown operating costs even lower than conventional bus.)
  3. Purchase of fuel-efficient minibuses for lightly patronized shuttle/neighborhood routes - vehicles like the Freightliner/Dodge Sprinter have four times the fuel economy of a much larger transit bus.
  4. Promote the bus system.  You cannot expect others to have pride in a system you do not pride yourself.