tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56681095173549563182024-03-14T05:16:40.776-07:00TRIMET TRUE STORIESThese stories are true and based on real events or converations as best as can be re-created.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-45000866535514123122010-01-28T09:47:00.001-08:002010-01-28T09:47:46.166-08:00NO NEW BUSES---BUT WE WILL GET NEW SEATSGiven the recent and forecasted economic climate, TriMet will be limiting<br />future new bus procurements. This slow down of new bus procurements means<br />that buses normally scheduled for retirement at 15 years of age, will now be<br />maintained to stay in-service for as long as 18 years. Operator seats are<br />wearing out, and Worker's Compensation claims have increased considerably.<br />($314,370 total, primarily with the Isringhausen, from July 2000 through<br />June 2005. In a letter dated February 23, 2005 from the Oregon Occupational<br />Safety & Health Division, relating to a TriMet fatality, item 01-03 states<br />that: "Since the inception of the Isringhausen operators seat in 1986,<br />injuries to legs and backs were documented. The manufacturer states the<br />maximum weight of 290lbs be used. It is therefore recommended that the<br />Isringhausen seat be re-evaluated and an alternative seat or weight<br />restriction be re-assessed for the operators.") There is no formal operator<br />seat rebuild program in Bus Maintenance, nor are there monies budgeted to<br />run such a program. An operator seat rebuild program, beyond the newly<br />established practice of replacing seat cushions and covers every 90,000<br />miles and doing repairs when needed, would need to be instituted in order to<br />stop the continued breakdown of older bus operator seats, increase the<br />endurance of newer bus operator seats, reduce Worker's Compensation claims<br />on Isringhausen seats, and increase the quality and durability of all<br />operator seats. Bus Maintenance proposes the following three options for<br />funding in order to perform this work within the FY07 to FY13 timeframe:<br /><br />Project Justification - Option 1 - Rebuild both Isringhausen and USSC seats<br />in-house: Option 1 proposes that all Isringhausen and USSC operator seats be<br />rebuilt in-house. This option would continue with the utilization of both<br />Isringhausen and USSC seats until such time as all fleets with Isringhausen<br />seats are retired. There are 236 Isringhausen seats needing to be rebuilt at<br />6 hours of rebuild per seat, and 364 USSC seats at 12 hours of rebuild per<br />seat. Rebuild part costs for Isringhausen seats are approximately $1,329 per<br />seat, and USSC rebuild part costs are approximately $600 per seat. Total<br />seven-year labor and parts costs are $947,327 for Isringhausen and $514,524<br />for USSC, for a total program cost of $1,461,851 to rebuild the fleet, as it<br />exists today. However, continuing costs per year of approximately $220,000<br />would have to be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services and<br />Personnel Services budgets in order to retain the rebuild program after the<br />initial seven-year period is over, plus 1FTE would have to be added in FY07<br />and kept indefinitely in order to keep the rebuild cycle at every 3 years<br />for Isringhausen and 7 years for USSC.<br /><br />(Note. labor hours for rebuilding of the seats were obtained from King<br />County Metro (for Isringhausen), and a combination of KCM's hours and a<br />preliminary tear down and rebuild from TriMet's Upholstery department for<br />USSC. Exact hours and part costs may be initially higher for TriMet given<br />the newness of the proposed program (i.e., lack of training, and retirement<br />and signup turnover). Also this option would not reduce Worker's<br />Compensation claims, since the Isringhausen seat would remain. There is also<br />some concern that parts for the Isringhausen will become obsolete within the<br />next 2-3 years, making it necessary, at such time, to purchase new seats to<br />replace the Isringhausen.<br /><br />Project Justification - Option 2 - Buy new USSC seats for the entire fleet:<br />Option 2 proposes that 600 new USSC seats be procured over a seven-year<br />period - 288 the first two years, and 52 each year thereafter. USSC has<br />agreed to credit TriMet $75.00 per seat for each USSC seat returned to them<br />as core, but will not do the same for Isringhausen seats. Therefore the<br />initial FY07 higher cost of $1,610 per seat ($379,960 total) to replace the<br />existing 236 Isringhausen seats not having any core value. Also included in<br />this option are the approximately 150 per year seat cushion/cover<br />replacements (every 90,000 miles) that would continue to be made regardless<br />of new purchase. Total seven-year cost of this option is $1,112,244to buy<br />new USSC seats for the fleet, plus cushions/covers, as it exists today.<br />However, continuing costs per year of approximately $115,000 would have to<br />be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services budget in order to<br />maintain this purchase scenario after the initial seven-year period is over.<br /><br />Project Justification - Option 3 - Buy new USSC seats for the entire fleet<br />except 1400's and 1600's: Option 3 proposes that 539 new USSC seats be<br />procured over a seven-year period - 227 the first two years, and 52 each<br />year thereafter. USSC has agreed to credit TriMet $75.00 per seat for each<br />USSC seat returned to them as core, but will not do the same for<br />Isringhausen seats. Therefore the initial FY07 higher cost of $1,610 per<br />seat ($281,750 total) to replace the remaining 175 Isringhausen seats not<br />having any core value. 61 of the original 236 seats are for 1400 and 1600<br />series buses and will be retired within the next 2-4 years and therefore<br />need not be replaced with new USSC seats. However, the remaining 175<br />Isringhausen seats will be replaced under a scheduled movement plan, with<br />older USSC seats, as those seats are themselves replaced. This would<br />eliminate all Isringhausen seats, greatly reduce Worker's Compensation<br />claims made by injury from the Isringhausen seat, and conserve funds by not<br />placing new seats on soon to be retired fleets. Also included in this option<br />are the approximately 150 per year seat cushion/cover replacements (every<br />90,000 miles) that would continue to be made regardless of new purchase.<br />Total seven-year cost of this option is $1,014,034 to buy new USSC seats for<br />the fleet, as it exists today, minus the 1400 and 1600 series buses.<br />However, continuing costs per year of approximately $115,000 would have to<br />be added to Bus Maintenance's Materials & Services budget in order to<br />maintain this purchase scenario after the initial seven-year period is over.<br /><br />Summary:<br /><br />Option 1 - Labor amounts indicated would increase FTE costs in the<br />Upholstery Shop by one FTE in FY07 and continue indefinitely, and the parts<br />costs to rebuild the seats under this option, considering there is no<br />warranty, would suggest that Option 1 is cost prohibitive. In addition,<br />CarMac, the sole distributor of Isringhausen parts, currently has a six-week<br />turnaround time for parts delivery - and it is anticipated that Isringhausen<br />parts will be discontinued and become obsolete within the next 2-3 years.<br /><br />Option 2 - Replacing operator seats for the entire fleet would eliminate the<br />need for a rebuild program. With an exchange program TriMet would also gain<br />a 5-year warranty on all metal components, a 3-year warranty on all plastic<br />and moving components, and a 1-year warranty on upholstered components.<br />Labor to remove an old seat and install a new one is minimal, so no<br />additional FTEs would be needed, there are no training issues since the old<br />seat is unbolted and removed, while the new one is placed on and then<br />bolted. Also, part costs yearly increases for replacement don't exist since<br />a contract for new, with a locked in price per seat, would be procured.<br /><br />Option 3 - Same as Option 2, only operator seats for the 1400 and 1600<br />series buses will not be replaced, because they will be retired within the<br />next 2-4 years. These seats will be replaced with older USSC seats, as those<br />seats are themselves replaced. This would eliminate all Isringhausen seats,<br />is expected to reduce Worker's Compensation claims made by injury from the<br />Isringhausen seat, and conserve funds by not placing new seats on soon to be<br />retired fleets. This option would save an additional $98,210 over Option 2,<br />would also eliminate the need for a rebuild program, a warranty would be in<br />place, and no additional FTEs would be needed.<br /><br />Recommendation:<br /><br />It is Bus Maintenance's recommendation that the Agency fund Option 3 - Buy<br />new USSC seats for entire fleet (except 1400's & 1600's), at a total FY07-13<br />cost of $1,014,034. Given the 290lb restriction and the obsolescence of the<br />Isringhausen seats, a rebuild program as seen in Option 1 is cost<br />prohibitive, not only in part and labor costs, but in Worker's Compensation<br />claims as well. For $447,817 less than the Option 1 proposed rebuild<br />program, the Agency would acquire new seats; gain a 5-year warranty on all<br />metal components, a 3-year warranty on all plastic and moving components,<br />and a 1-year warranty on upholstered components. No additional FTEs would be<br />needed, since labor to remove old seats and install new ones is minimal.<br />There would be no training issues during sign-up and retirements, because<br />the exchange of the old seat for the new seat is relatively easy. USSC seats<br />are rated at 600lbs, so OSHA recommendations are addressed, and the<br />degradation of the seat over time is less than that of a 290lb rated seat.<br />In addition, annual part cost increases would not occur, since a contract<br />for new, with a locked in price per seat, would be procured.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-38393918452180006752010-01-28T09:40:00.000-08:002010-01-28T09:41:10.322-08:00MAX INCIDENT REPORTSSunday, November 29, 2009 2:22 PM<br />Operator left the end of the line late. Train 9005 was calling from<br />Hillsboro Central to get in, operator of train 9028 was over three minutes<br />late leaving Hatfield and was not in his cab when control called him.<br />Operator of train 9028 stated he was walking to the cab and that he lost<br />track of time, when asked if there was a problem that control was unqaware<br />of.<br /><br />Sunday, November 29, 2009 7:09 PM<br />Once again this is a scheduling issue as train 9006 is due at Hatfield at<br />19:04 but can't get in because train 9005 is due<br />to leave at 19:04...its no wonder our operators can't get any recovery<br />time...its all eaten up while waiting at Hillsboro<br />Central<br /><br />7:23 PM<br />I am not a schedule writer but I believe I would not a schedule a train into<br />hatfield until the Eastbound train clears to<br />make room. If one were to look at hatfield they would find many trains due<br />in before a train departs Hatfield.....<br /><br />7:28 PM / TRAIN 9028 / OAK STREET N / Traffic Problems / Operator reports<br />making a Hard Stop due to a DK that staggered out into the ROW in front of<br />moving train. Supv 9519 responding from RQ. After the man stepped back up on<br />the sidewalk, he fell over into the side of the train two or three more<br />times before he finally moved far enough away for the train to proceed<br />safely up to Oak St. Called 911 for a welfare check, incident number 1272.<br />Sent Chain-of-Custody to REM & Claims. 507762 Merged<br /><br /><br />Tuesday, December 1, 2009<br />6:46 PM / TRAIN 9004 / MALL/SW 5TH AVE W / Passenger Problem / Train 4<br />advises dwelling at Pioneer Square WB with the bridgeplates deployed for a<br />full light cycle, but the woman failed to board the train, so the train<br />proceeded West.<br /><br />Wednesday, December 2, 2009<br />7:41 AM / TRAIN 9028 / GATEWAY TC S / Traffic Problems / Car 103A. Used MB<br />to avoid a bicyclist at 97th and Burnside. Operator reports this same biker<br />everyday plays chicken with the train. No reported injuries. Sent<br />Chain-of-Custody 509294 Merged<br /><br />Thursday, December 3, 2009<br />3:48 PM / TRAIN 9026 / CLEVELAND AVENUE W / Passenger Problem / passenger<br />was standing on bridgeplate area where it says do not stand and operator had<br />have passenger move in order for bridgeplate to retract.<br /><br />4:25 PM / TRAIN 9032 / PIONEER SQUARE SOUTH E / Traffic Problems / Police<br />were blocking the ROW at SW Yamhill, east of SW 6th ave making an arrest.<br /><br /><br />Friday, December 4, 2009 1:58 PM<br />Child left at Fairplex, 9510 is there now looking for them. 9510 has the<br />child at Fair Complex. Mother and other children had boarded train 01, Mr.<br />Hunt's train leaving the three year old child at Fairplex. Mom is boarding<br />the eastbound train 26 going back to Fairplex. Child reunited with Mom at<br />1410.<br /><br />8:05 AM / TRAIN 9025 / OLD TOWN/CHINATOWN S / Auto in ROW / Operator<br />reported Bus # 1784/ Line 85 ran the red light out of Rose Quarter when<br />train was leaving on a proper preempt. Stokes called Waddington to take care<br />of it.<br /><br />Bio-Hazard on the train. operaator was instructed to off load the<br />train.Train was SB at Main Street Platform.<br />Operator reported that an Blk. Male was threatening him and refusing to<br />leave the train. Supervisor was en-route. the male was refusing to leave the<br />train. The male then left the train and the supervisor arrived that the male<br />was threatening him. police were called inc#653. male left the area before<br />police arrived. police were notified were the<br />male was going.<br />510182 Merged<br /><br />Incident 1214 Fire called with a stop for trains at 15 and Morrison for an<br />apartment fire. Had to turn 9021 back due to Fire trucks in the ROW. Did<br />start a bus bridge. Were able to cancel bus bridge before we got any buses<br />on scene.Started at 15:34 ended at 15:48. Had 9043 do a blue line run to<br />Hatfield.<br /><br />Sunday, December 6, 2009<br />Train 24 reports a delay attempting to depart Galleria. Someone knocked on<br />his door stating that an elderly gentleman got his cane stuck in the door of<br />the Type 1, as the trains signal came up. Operator then stated that he got a<br />follow-up intercom call stating that the man was stuck in the door, but that<br />this was not valid information. Requestiing data packs for Claims and will<br />refer to FORT Mgrs., to see if investigation is warranted, as the operator<br />may have deboarded the individual away from a platform.<br /><br />At the request of D. Allison, 9510 will meet with the<br />operator at Elmo and confirm what took place. 9510 and the operator will<br />submit a report.<br /><br />Sunday, December 8, 2009<br />9067 was blocked at 5th and Couch by a transit police car with none inside.<br />I called 911 to inquire about this<br />and they stated they did not have anyone in the area but they would send<br />someone to check. While 9067 was<br />speaking with me on the radio some passengers were screaming at him to close<br />the doors. he had the doors on<br />release so if someone wanted off or on. He told the passengers he would get<br />right back to them and just wanted<br />on record in case they call in.<br />511804 Merged<br />511811 Merged<br /><br /><br />Sunday, December 11, 2009<br />4:25 PM / TRAIN 9062 / 5TH S / Auto in ROW / Operator called to say there<br />were many instances where he had to slow or stop early at platforms because<br />of cars doing illegal right turns from the ROW. I didn't know where or how<br />to document this, so I selected "Delay" as the Incident type.<br /><br />Operator selected for the yard at RJ signal 120 as per his paddle, but<br />forgot to clear his cars first. He selected with<br />route code 01, began to depart on a proper, but stopped once he realized<br />what he had done and called Control. His<br />doors were still on the platform, but he was off his call loop. I had him<br />exit his cab, clear his cars and then called a<br />route for him without further incident.<br />Once in the Control room, he was still berating himself for his error. I<br />reassured him that he did the right thing by stopping and calling control<br />once he realized what he was about to do and<br />I expect him not to make this same error again.<br />Rail Incident - Training Referral Email sent to<br /><a href="mailto:RailTransMgrs@tri-met.org">RailTransMgrs@tri-met.org</a> group - date/time: 12/11/2009 18:41<br /><br /><br />at about 19:10 Train 9027 called from the yard limit sign. the operator was<br />Monica Domingos-2508. She incorrectly<br />selected for the yard, although she was really suppose to be relieved at<br />197th EB at 18:52. She said she read her<br />paddle wrong and thought she pulled into the yard. The relief operator (Carl<br />Jones-6411) said he knocked on her<br />window at the 197th platform because he was not sure if this was his train<br />since the overhead read "out of service".<br />When she pulled into the yard, I asked her (via the radio) if she had<br />passengers on her train. She said she did not<br />because Wackenhut cleared her cars at 197th. When I asked Monica if she saw<br />Operator Jones on the platform,<br />knocking on her window. She indicated that she did but she ignored him and<br />selected into the yard anyway.<br />When she came into the control room I asked her to show me her paddle. She<br />did have the correct paddle for run 32 which<br />showed a route code of 00 from Hatfield/Gov. Upon checking SCADA, she ran<br />with a route<br /><br />Wednesday, December 16, 2009<br />Operator reported he had to stop abruptly for a bus that tried to run<br />through the intersection on a red at 5th/Morrison. Bus is now sitting in the<br />intersection blocking the ROW. Supv Berlin also saw the bus with a red<br />signal.<br />Sent Chain-of-Custody to REM & Claims for abrupt stop. AdeS<br /><br /><br />A TriMet bus is sitting on the tracks at 6th/Montgomery with is flashers on.<br />Bus Dispatch says they are trying to move it,<br />Mechanics truck just past 5th & Montgomery @ 1651 on it's way to the<br />broke-down bus. The truck arrived and bus is clear of<br />the ROW @ 1657... trains are rolling 13 minutes down.<br /><br />Thursday, December 17, 2009<br />When the operator made an announcement asking to have someone push a<br />passenger intercom button so he could clear the<br />cab alarm, someone pulled a red knob instead. Train left PDX 10 minutes<br />down.<br /><br />Friday, December 18, 2009<br />Operator reports a fight with 5 female teenagers involved. BOEC called,<br />their incident #1258. Police on scene at 1525. It<br />took the police over 10 minutes to arrive. The suspects walked right by them<br />on the upper platform as they were exiting<br />their car. I could not raise them on my radio net. 9514 arrived after<br />police. We rolled the trains after victim told police she did not want to<br />file a complaint. We had 7 trains holding to facilitate the suspects leaving<br />the area.<br /><br /><br />Saturday, December 19, 2009<br />Reliefs at Gateway continue to plage ontime performance. Southbound Redlines<br />obtain clearence all the way into Gateway during the eastbound Green line<br />Operator relief. This rouetinely delays not only the Greenline but the<br />trains behind it.<br /><br />[EMS] 6:49 PM / TRAIN 9002 / SUNSET TC W / Other Train . . 4 Three people<br />trapped in elevator WB at Sunset Trasit Center. Emergency number keeps<br />hanging up. Cannot communicate with people inside. Unit 9507 responding. 911<br />called incident number 0912 03166 Kone called conf 3607692. ETA 25 minutes<br />Paged out. I requested the operator of Train 41 to make contact with the<br />people inside to let them know that help is on the way. Kone finished at<br />20:00. Unit 9504 relayed that Kone tech wasn't happy with the fix but that<br />it would be ok for now. I asked for a phone call to clarify. On the phone<br />Unit 9504 said that the tech didn't have the tools required to do a great<br />job, but did an adequate job to where he felt confident that the elevator<br />was safe to use. I also reminded him about the phone issue. The tech will<br />relay that to "Ken" (his supervisor?) and that it will be looked at in the<br />near future.<br /><br />Train 9064 reported that parents and children were separated along the<br />banfield at either 42nd,60th, or 82nd. She<br />reported that parents and children were reunited at 42nd ave. 9531 responded<br />from GTC to talk to parents who where<br />going to wait at 42nd ave. Operator of train 64 was somewhat distraught and<br />not clear as to exactly what transpired.<br />9522/9523 arrived at 42nd at 19:21. 9522 made contact with parents. All<br />parties boarded in Hillsboro. 2 children got off<br />at 42nd EB. Mother did not get off in time with baby. Mother and baby rode<br />EB to 60th. Got off at 60th and caught a<br />WB back to 42nd where they were reunited with children. 9522 to submit<br />report as well.<br /><br />Parents separated from child. 9070 reports from passengers on the train that<br />the parents got off at Main St, but the three<br />year old child did not. Operator waiting with child until Police, unit 1780<br />or 9531 arrive to relieve. BOEC called by<br />phone, they have dispatched it out to TPD; incident # 1575. Police on scene<br />at Division at 2049, TPD 1780, along with<br />Mother whom they picked up at Main and brought to Division. 9531 on scene.<br />Reports requested from both train<br />Operator and 9531. Information paged to Fort Mgrs. Mr. Allison called in for<br />details. Chain of custody for LRVs<br />processed. 9531 transported the people involved back to Main St to provide<br />some extra customer service. Next trains<br />northbound were quite a while out.<br /><br />Sunday, December 20, 2009<br />Operator reports a white male DK wearing a blue hoodie, blue jeans & boots<br />was drinking a beer on the train. Operator took the beer away from him & he<br />is just sitting there. Supervisor Unit 9512 is responding. Control called<br />911 for a transport, incident number 1291. Supv holding train until the<br />police to arrive, train will back-trade with train 8. The man apparently<br />boarded new cars when train 1 and 8 swapped consists and has left the area.<br />Supervisor lost track of him. Train 9001 is 15 min lateleaving from<br />Cleveland. Foot Supervisors will board Train 1 and check on the individual.<br /><br />Monday, December 21, 2009<br />Field Technician reports a semi truck has hung up on a pinch point<br />attempting to navigate the turn from SB 18th Ave into<br />the PGE Park/MAC Service driveway. WB tracks blocked. Held train 9020 for<br />approximately 8 minutes. Train 9044<br />held at Galleria. Truck cleared ROW and WB train 20 passed before truck<br />attempted to reposition, blocking both EB and<br />WB tracks. Trains will call (9044 @ PGE Park WB and 9002 @ Salmon St EB).<br />Truck has backed out of the driveway<br />and trains are clear to pass 0720.<br /><br />9537 called me on the phone and asked me for an acid # because an operator<br />entered his cab after knocking at 197th<br />WB. It was a type 4 so the operator couldn't reach around and open it<br />himself. The operator said Dan Lindner came in<br />and then went out on his own. He entered the cab again at 122 or 102. When<br />Operator King asked him to leave the cab,<br />he did and didn't come back again. King said he wasn't going to even<br />complain, however he talked to Micheal Oliver<br />and he said he should write a report on the incident. When I talked to Brad<br />he seemed fine I also asked him how he was<br />and he told me he was fine. I told him if he needed anything. Then he called<br />me at approximately Hawthorne Farms<br />and say he needed to be relieved. 9531 heard the encounter and she said she<br />talked to him at the end of the line at<br />Hatfield and Brad was just fine.<br /><br />Sunday, December 27, 2009<br />Train Operator Bolivar called in from Gov Center looking for his train.<br />Turns out Operator Mitchell had taken his cars<br />by mistake. She was already at Hawthorn Farm eastbound, she was embarrassed<br />and apologetic, promised not to do that<br />again. I doubt further counseling is required, but the training referral is<br />for informational purposes.<br />Rail Incident - Training Referral Email sent to <a href="mailto:RailTransMgrs@tri-met.org">RailTransMgrs@tri-met.org</a><br />group - date/time: 12/27/2009 17:08<br /><br />Monday, December 28, 2009<br />Report of hard stop. Operator out to check on passengers. One passenger not<br />requesting medical; Two passengers requesting medical. Medical arrived at<br />0942. Operator reports he was coming into 162nd EB platform and dropped<br />something. He reached down to get item, and was overshooting platform.<br />Applied EB to stop train. Train stopped about three feet off platform.<br />Passengers called on intercom to report injuries. Supervisor on scene to<br />collect information. Data pack request filed with shop. One passenger<br />transported to Adventist. One refusing transport. Supervisor reports 4<br />passengers for medical to see. Train removed from service at 162nd and<br />returned to yard. Manual blocked train 7 around incident train. Ran trains<br />41, 62 via the center track at Gateway TC. Trains rolling at 1013.<br /><br />12:59 PM / TRAIN 9089 / UNION STN/5TH & GLISAN S / Traffic Problems / Late<br />due to a bicyclist running a red light.<br /><br />Tuesday, December 29, 2009<br />Yellow / Green line trains will run between Expo and CLackamas due to the<br />cluster downtown<br /><br />Thursday, December 31, 2009<br />Operator was EB on Morrison when he reported contact with a auto at 4th and<br />Morrison. 911 was called Inc # 1183.<br />Operator then lowered the pantograph. Supervisors were sent. All trains in<br />the area were stopped. Operator then<br />was instructed to key out and check for injuries. Medical arrived at 1605.<br />Police arrived at 1610. Supervisors 9510,<br />9522 & 9526 arrived at 1611. No reports of injury. Supervisors took pictures<br />interviewed driver of auto and<br />passengers. Supervisor reported that the coupler head had made contact with<br />the auto. After investigation was<br />completed supervisor did a complete ground inspection and the train was<br />cleared to raise the pantograph and proceed<br />when safe to do so into the platform. Supervisor 9522 stood on the corner<br />and insured all traffic lights were working<br />as intended. (they were). All clear at 1629<br />Driver of auto cited for running a red light.<br />Check list was completed.<br />Chain of Custody and Data Packs pulled and sent to claims<br />Event recorde<br /><br /><br /><br />Operator reported that she had a near miss with a postal car. The car came<br />from behind a WB train at Skidmore<br />straight at her whith the car lights off. She got the train stopped. no<br />contact was made. Operator stated that she was<br />going between 8 - 10 MPH and when she saw the car she was going even slower<br />and was able to get the train<br />stopped. Operator was able to get the train pulled into the platform.<br />Supervisors were sent to meet the operator.<br />The supervisor took over the train at Skidmore and offloaded the train at<br />Rose Quarter and taken to double Tree<br />Siding. Supervisor reported that the operator could not continue her run.<br />Supervisor 9522 was sent to take the<br />operator back to Elmo and pick up a new operator.<br />Operator will do a report and a Tri-Star 801 form.<br /><br />The Operator of train 9066 is now at 12 hours of service and needs to come<br />back to the yard. I called the station agent to see if there were any report<br />operators to take over the train for him, he said that there were not any<br />operators left. We will loose service on train 9066 for the remainder of the<br />night.<br /><br />Friday, January 1, 2010<br />Operator out of cab at 197th west for a passenger calling on intercom asking<br />for security. A black male, 25 yrs,<br />wearing black shirt exposed himself to a female passenger. Called 911,<br />incident number 747. Police arrived at<br />0854. Train is rolling at 0902.<br />Sent Chain-of-Custody to REM & TPD.<br /><br />Operator requesting help with someone she can't confirm is breathing because<br />of his slumped over body<br />posture and the amount of clothing he is wearing. WACA called; their<br />incident # 53. After I was off the phone,<br />she now reports that the fellow smells of alcohol and has stirred. Medical<br />arrives at 1155. 9508 on scene at<br />1157. 9508 moved the train up to west portal out of service as the Operator<br />had to use the facilities and then<br />when she returned the police wanted to interview her. This event delayed<br />additional trains, 9042 and 9003<br />westbound and 9007 eastbound. 9046 was returned to Service at 1234 eastbound<br />from West Portal pocket,<br />short lined at Double Tree and back on time westbound.<br />Police ended up taking the fellow into custody; he was not transported by<br />medical.<br /><br /><br />Saturday, January 2, 2010<br />We managed to allow a cute cuddly dog stack trains up east and west bound<br />along the Banfield.<br /><br />Sounds of an argument brewing to a fight on the trailing car via the PIS. No<br />visual. Police called; their<br />incident # 1300. Police on scene at 1933. Police on scene, subject off the<br />train, but police blocking the ROW by<br />1938. Police have taken the fellow in custody. ROW clear by 1941.<br />Six minutes after the first incident on this consist, evasive action 525707,<br />we had an argument/fight occur on this train, incident 525708. We believe in<br />the trailing car, 301. Officer Jason Maurry, #43487, called later by phone<br />requesting the data packs be pulled. So the data packs for 525707 will also<br />hold the data for incident 525708. Refer to 525707 for chain of custody<br />removal defect.<br /><br /><br /><br />Monday, January 4, 2010<br />Commercial loss of Power. City crews are working at 162 & Halsey and the<br />power loss is affecting traffic signals and pre-empts at 162 to 148th both<br />directions. All trains are having to stop sound warning and proceed when<br />safe. 9529 & 9527 are at the intersection with flares and are flagging<br />traffic and trains. Multnomah Co arrived at 1625 and reset the signals and<br />Pre-empts. All working as intended at 1630.<br /><br />Train 9020: Operator 17 minutes down westbound at BTC, delaying trains 40,<br />08 and 48. 9533 and 9534 will off load at Merlo<br />Rd. Bringing her into the yard. Filled by new operator and cars from Elmo on<br />time westbound. When asked why she was so<br />late, she explained that she had to SOP 162nd and 148th due to a power<br />outage and then had to wait to get through the Gateway interlocking. The<br />following train 08 picked up her passengers a few minutes later.<br /><br />Tuesday, January 5, 2010<br />Operator had called Control by radio from Hollywood requesting for a<br />supervisor to meet her at Gateway and have the supervisor operate the train<br />from Gateway to Cleveland and back, due to the fact that she was running<br />fifteen minutes (or so) late due to an earlier mechanical issue. Supervisor<br />at Gateway not available for this purpose. Yard train 11 used to fill on<br />time from Cleveland for train 26, with the intent that train 26 would<br />operate WB on train 11s time. Supervisor at Cleveland requested same from<br />operator of train 26 who stated that she would leave when she was good and<br />ready. Supervisor reiterated the request that she take only the time that<br />she needed to and return WB at 0750, and that that didn't necessarily<br />include taking a cigarette break. Operator responded that her right to take<br />a cigarette brake was guaranteed by the ADA and then broke communications<br />with the Supervisor. Verbal notification to Dan Stokes and through Dan<br />Stokes to Don Allison. No further action<br /><br />Wednesday, January 6, 2010<br />Train 9014 is holding at PGE due to an auto accident at 14th and Yamhill.<br />Police will not allow 9513 to drive or push the vehicles off the tracks.<br />They are now just waiting for a tow. Supervisors stated that he asked the<br />officer if he could just move the vehicles off the tracks and the officer<br />said NO we will just wait for the Tow truck. Train 9014 is now 20 minutes<br />late. Train hs now missed meet in CBD<br /><br />Friday, January 8, 2010<br />Operator called reporting a suspicious white male had boarded the train at<br />Mount Hood station SB, short sandy blond hair, wearing a purple shirt under<br />a black jacket. He is carrying a briefcase or other satchel exhibiting wires<br />or something similar from it. He was also utilizing a cigarette lighter on<br />board the train. The operator reports that he has a suspicious demeanor and<br />appearance. When the operator opened the cab door to admonish him from using<br />the lighter, he appeared very nervous. Supervisor 9514 arrived on scene<br />1514. 9-1-1 incident #1194 9-1-1 arrived at an unknown time<br />approximately 1517 hours they were searching the train car by car. Unit 9514<br />is in contact with police at this time and<br />discussing options. At 1522 hours, unit 9514 stated that train 40 was clear<br />to roll. Police are still with subject; he may be allowed to board following<br />train. Train 50 abandoned Gateway to PDX to fill WB for train 40. Train 40<br />released to roll<br />and is in 48s timeslot; 48 will le<br /><br />Unit 1774 called in requesting EB/WB trains bypass WCTC platform due to a<br />HOT item. 9529 reported the item was by<br />the north side of the new PCC building, out of sight.<br />Had WB trains make good PA announcements to let passengers know a shuttle<br />bus would be transporting those needing to go to Willow Creek. EB trains<br />stopped at the platform, but did not open their doors. 9529 opened a door<br />with a crew key to board passengers. EB shuttle bus from Quatama to Willow<br />Creek for passengers needing that stop.<br />Red Line trains offloaded at Elmo WB and brought into the yard oos.<br />9529 said EDU was coming from downtown to inspect HOT item (23:10).<br />9529 was given permission to run trains normal at Willow Creek WB/EB<br />(00:03).<br /><br /><br />Sunday, January 10, 2010<br />Train 46 received report of a passenger on the lead car that is passed out.<br />911 inc. # 1377.<br />Medical arrived at 20:20. 9515 enroute from 102 & Glisan.<br />Individual is reported to be a Hisp male, laying on the floor of the train.<br />Individual is breathing, but unresponsive and wearing a bathrobe and black<br />jeans.<br />Individual off the train and train cleared to roll at 20:25.<br />Transported by AMR # 331 to Emanuel Hospital. Emergency responders had<br />already departed Parkrose by the time Supervisor<br />arrived on-scene.<br /><br />Wednesday, January 13, 2010<br />We have signal problems on Steel Bridge again, delaying all trains. Central<br />Control was forced to by-pass trains from signals 14, M26, & M16. Eastbound<br />trains could get a clear on signal 10 when a WB train was moving from signal<br />14. Pages sent, delay notice put pout on transit tracker, and a Bus Bridge<br />was set up with Mall trains looping downtown. Train Operations finally back<br />to normal service at 12:45.<br />Train 9025 called and said that she had a passenger emergency call saying<br />that there was a man that was having a seizure<br />in her trailing car. I had the operator exit her cab and check on the man.<br />In the mean time I called 911, Incident # 1552,<br />and they are sending Medical. I called Supervisor 9513 and he arrived at<br />18:56.<br /><br /><br />Thursday, January 14, 2010<br />9513 called and said that Medical arrived at 19:00. 9522 called at 19:06 and<br />said that they were clear of the train and train 9025 was clear to proceed.<br />9522 called and said that AMR unit # 609 was going to transport the man to<br />Emanuel Hospital. 9522 called and said that we were clear of Medical and the<br />incident at 19:17.<br /><br />Friday, January 15, 2010<br />Op called in stating that a woman said she was assaulted by a man on the<br />train. The woman requested Police.<br />Called 9525 to respond; had 9007 hold for Police.<br />Both man and woman walked away from the platform and into the park by Lloyd<br />Center. I then had the train roll on a proper.<br />Chain-of-custody in process; 911 IN# 921.<br /><br />Operator reports a white male DK urinated on side of train then boarded<br />trailing car # 304 at the first door at coupled end. Called 91, incident<br />number 676. BTC Police arrived at 13:43; cleared train to roll @ 13:47.<br /><br />Train 9003 called and reported that when he had the preempt at 10 and<br />Yamhill a car turned in front of him and made contact with auto. Operator<br />had to use Maximum Brake and used high horn.<br />Operator was instructed to pan down.<br />Police arrived on the scene @ 2009 police were called by non trimet employee<br />but I did receive incident # 1630<br />9513 arrived 2011<br />There were no injuries and both auto and train are moveable.<br />There was some damage to the active end coupler of car 211A<br />Driver of the auto said that she had a green light.<br />Data packs and event recorder will be pulled. Chain of custodies have been<br />sent.<br />NO FTA notification does not meet critria. Supervisor and operator will<br />submit reports.<br />There were no injuries on the train, supervisor stated that the passengers<br />on the train said it wasnt a hard stop.<br />After speaking with the operator when he came into the yard he stated that<br />the auto was running paralle with the train and turned left onto 10th ave<br />from Yamhill<br />Driver of th<br /><br />Saturday, January 16, 2010<br />Operator of Train 1 received an emergency intercom call stating that a woman<br />on the trailing car had her cell phone stolen by a man that ran off the<br />train at Lloyd EB. 911 inc # 1087. Train 1 holding at Hollywood and 9519<br />enroute. Train 1 rolling at 16:20.<br />9519 arrived at 16:21. Victim, her husband, and good samaritan/translater<br />standing by at Hollywood awaiting police arrival. Police arrived at 16:31.<br />Individual matching suspect description boarded the trailing car of Train 44<br />and train was held at Hollywood for police arrival. Train 44 cleared to<br />proceed at 16:35.<br />Suspect described as a Hisp male, early 20's, wearing a blue flannel shirt<br />and carrying a black backpack.<br />Victim named Esperanza Cortez, Hisp female, 5 ft., 39 years old, wearing a<br />burgandy sweater and blue coat.<br />TPD Atkeson/ # 44965 requesting data pack for trailing car 310 from incident<br />Train 1.<br /><br />Police responding to Train 4 EB at RQ for report of 3 DK males on the<br />trailing car creating a disturbance. 911 inc # 1194. Individuals described<br />as 3 Hisp Individuals removed from the trailing car and Train 4 cleared to<br />proceed.<br />Individuals taken into police custody.<br /><br />9524 responding. Police on the way to 82nd Ave max for a disturbance. MH in<br />a stripped hoody making threats.<br />Police arrive. No crime. Suspect has left.<br /><br />9532 called east air trying to stop 9004 from departing from 82nd AVE. We<br />got the train holding for medical for a juvenile that is unresponsive at<br />60th w/b. Medical on the way, their incident # 643. Medical on scene at<br />1202. Medical has subject off the train at 1206. We are all clear at 1219.<br /><br /><br />Tuesday, January 19, 2010<br />Train was missing the side crank tool. The Operator had to retrieve one so<br />was late leaving the Yard.<br /><br />The Operator of 9071 called WB into GTC to say he had some commotion on his<br />lead car and was going to get out and<br />check when he reached the platform. I called 9509 and he stated he was<br />already there. 9509 called and requested 911 with<br />priority for a fight between 2 passengers.. I called 911 and they arrived at<br />06:10. 9071 was delayed for 5 minutes.<br />Data packs have been requested by 911.<br />Chain of custody has been sent to REM.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-86065133381878254302010-01-20T22:55:00.001-08:002010-01-20T22:55:53.733-08:00BRIAN PLAYFAIR QUESTIONS POLICE TRANSIT PASSES?November 25, 2002<br />M. Brian Playfair<br />General Counsel<br />Tri-Met<br />4012 SE 17th Avenue<br />Portland, Oregon 97202<br />Dear Mr. Playfair:<br />This letter is in response to your correspondence dated November 19, 2002 concerning<br />sworn police officers receiving free transportation from Tri-Met.<br />OREGON GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION STAFF<br />OPINION NO. 02S-030<br />STATED FACTS: In 1980 the Tri-Met Board adopted Ordinance No. 75, making a<br />specific legislative finding that the requirement for security for drivers and passengers<br />on Tri-Met buses would be met by augmenting Tri-Met’s own police surveillance and<br />protection by encouraging local and state law enforcement officers to ride Tri-Met buses<br />at no cost to the officers. In addition, the board made a finding that the fare exemption<br />is of assistance to local enforcement agencies in apprehending offenders who use the<br />transit system in the execution of crimes. In 1987, the board extended the fare<br />exemption to include light rail vehicles.<br />The fare exemption is based on the expectation by the board and staff that sworn police<br />officers present on Tri-Met vehicles would respond in their official capacity and take<br />police action if the need were to arise. It was the belief of the board and staff that the<br />presence of sworn officers on Tri-Met vehicles would increase Tri-Met security<br />resources for arrests and protection of individuals and serve as a deterrent to criminal<br />behavior.<br />Section 19.20 of Ordinance No. 75 is entitled “Exemption from Fares.” Section 19.20(C)<br />states “Regularly sworn officers of local law enforcement agencies within the Tri-Met<br />boundaries, and the Oregon State Police, are exempt from payment of fares on District<br />vehicles upon displaying police identification or police badges upon request when<br />entering or remaining upon any District vehicle.”<br />M. Brian Playfair<br />GSPC Staff Opinion 02S-030<br />November 25, 2002<br />Page 2<br />This ordinance establishes a policy that encourages local law enforcement officers and<br />Oregon State Police Officers to provide added protection for drivers and passengers<br />and to discourage incidents occurring on the busses.<br />RELEVANT STATUTES: The following Oregon Revised Statutes are applicable to the<br />issues addressed herein:<br />244.020(15) “’Public official’ means any person who, when an alleged violation of<br />this chapter occurs, is serving the State of Oregon or any of its political<br />subdivisions or any other public body of the state as an officer, employee, agent<br />or otherwise, and irrespective of whether the person is compensated for such<br />services.”<br />244.040 “Code of ethics; prohibited actions; honoraria. The following actions<br />are prohibited regardless of whether actual conflicts of interest or potential<br />conflicts of interest are announced or disclosed pursuant to ORS 244.120:”<br />244.040(1)(a) “No public official shall use or attempt to use official position or<br />office to obtain financial gain or avoidance of financial detriment that would not<br />otherwise be available but for the public official's holding of the official position or<br />office, other than official salary, honoraria, except as prohibited in paragraphs (b)<br />and (c) of this subsection, reimbursement of expenses or an unsolicited award<br />for professional achievement for the public official or the public official’s relative,<br />or for any business with which the public official or a relative of the public official<br />is associated.”<br />QUESTION: Would it be a violation of Oregon Government Standards and Practices<br />laws for a police officer to accept free transportation from Tri-Met under the provisions<br />outlined in the stated facts?<br />OPINION: ORS 244.040(1)(a) prohibits a public official from using, or attempting to<br />use, their official position or office to obtain a financial gain or the avoidance of a<br />financial detriment that would not otherwise be available but for the public official’s<br />holding of the official position or office, other than official salary, honoraria, the<br />reimbursement of expenses or an unsolicited award for professional achievement for<br />the public official.<br />The Supreme Court, in Davidson v Oregon Government Ethics Commission, 300 OR<br />414, 712p. 2d 87 (1985), identified the broad policy of Oregon’s ethics laws as ensuring<br />that government employees do not gain personal financial advantage through their<br />access to the assets and other attributes of government. In that case, the Supreme<br />Court held that a public official could not use his official position to obtain financial gain<br />for himself where, through access to his governmental body’s buying power, he<br />purchased an automobile at a discount price. The Court emphasized that the term<br />M. Brian Playfair<br />GSPC Staff Opinion 02S-030<br />November 25, 2002<br />Page 3<br />“use” in ORS 244.040(1)(a) includes availing oneself of a benefit not available to the<br />general public. The Court applied a “but for” test, i.e., but for his position, the public<br />official would have been unable to purchase the car at the discount price and, thus,<br />obtain a personal gain. 712 p 2d 92.<br />The stated facts indicate that, for sworn police officers to receive free transportation on<br />a Tri-Met vehicle, the officers are expected to respond in their official capacity and take<br />official police action when the need arises. An additional incentive to the fare<br />exemption is that the presence of sworn police officers on Tri-Met vehicles would<br />increase Tri-Met security resources and serve as protection to individuals and as a<br />deterrent to criminal activity.<br />It is the belief of GSPC staff that, given the stated facts, the police officers would be<br />performing official duties which, the officers took an oath to perform and the officers<br />would not be in violation of ORS 244.040(1)(a) by accepting free passage on Tri-Met.<br />This staff opinion is a supplement to Oregon Government Standards and Practices<br />Commission Staff Opinion No. 02S-029 issued on November 12, 2002.<br />THIS RESPONSE ADDRESSES ONLY THE APPLICATION OF ORS CHAPTER 244<br />TO THE FACTS STATED HEREIN. ANY RELEVANT INFORMATION, WHICH WAS<br />NOT INCLUDED BY THE REQUESTER OF THIS OPINION IN THE STATED FACTS,<br />COULD COMPLETELY CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THIS OPINION. OTHER<br />LAWS OR REQUIREMENTS MAY ALSO APPLY. THIS IS NOT A FORMAL<br />ADVISORY OPINION PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 244.280. THIS OPINION<br />DOES NOT EXEMPT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL FROM LIABILITY UNDER ORS<br />CHAPTER 244 FOR ANY ACTION OR TRANSACTION CARRIED OUT IN<br />ACCORDANCE WITH THIS OPINION. THIS OPINION IS ONLY MY PERSONAL<br />ASSESSMENT AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OREGON GOVERNMENT<br />STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION.<br />Please contact this office again if you would like this opinion submitted to the Oregon<br />Government Standards and Practices Commission (GSPC) for adoption as a formal<br />advisory opinion pursuant to ORS 244.280.<br />Sincerely,<br />L. Patrick Hearn<br />Executive Director<br />02S-030-JPAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-69729830244372836032010-01-19T16:25:00.000-08:002010-01-19T16:26:18.846-08:00EXCLUSION HEARINGSCITY OF LaVonne Griffin-Valade, City Auditor 1900 SW 4th Avenue, Room 3100 Portland, Oregon 97201<br />PORTLAND, OREGON<br />Telephone: (503) 823-7307 Fax: (503) 823-4347<br />OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR<br />TDD: (503) 823-6868<br />Hearings Office<br />www.portlandonline.com/auditor/heariqgs<br />HEARINGS OFFICER'S ORDER<br />TriMet vs. Steve P. Mansell<br />CASE NO. 3090530<br />(TriMet Exclusion Number 165108)<br />HEARING DATE: January 5, 2010<br />APPEARANCES:<br />Steve P. Mansell, Excluded Party<br />Rail Supervisor Mark Levingston, for TriMet<br />HEARINGS OFFICER: Mr. Gregory J. Frank<br />FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:<br />Timelines: The Hearings Officer finds the following concerning the Notice ofExclusion being issued:<br />TriMet issued the Notice ofExclusion to Mr. Steve P. Mansell on December 25,2009. The case was forwarded to the City ofPortland Hearings Office on December 29,2009. The Hearings Office mailed a hearing-notice to the parties on December 29,2009, within the time prescribed in the TriMet Code. The notice contained the required information concerning Mr. Mansell's rights in the hearing process.<br />SufficiencyoftheNotice ofExclusion: Acopy oftheNotice ofExclusionwasprovidedtoMr. Mansellwhenhe was excluded. The notice did reference the violating conduct/applicable code provision.<br />Stays: The exclusion was subject to an automatic stay upon being issued.<br />Mitigating and/or Aggravating Factors: The Hearings Officer fmds Mr. Mansell's conduct on December 25,2009 interfered with the safe operation ofa District Vehicle and posed a serious threat to his personal safety.<br />Probability that the excluded individual engaged in the conduct supporting the exclusion: Mr. Mansell appeared at the hearing and testified on his own behalf. Rail Supervisor Levingston appeared at the hearing and testified on behalfofTriMet. The Hearings Officer makes this decision based upon the testimony ofMr. Mansell and Supervisor Levingston and the documents admitted into the evidentiary record (Exhibits 1 through and including 3 and 5 through and including 7). Exhibit 4 was not admitted because Mr. Mansell did not have a copy, at the hearing, ofExhibit 4 and the Hearings Officer determined that with the presence of Supervisor Levingston neither party would be prejudiced by the exclusion ofExhibit 4.<br />CASE NO. 3090530 Page No. 2<br />Mr. Mansell and Supervisor Levingston, by their testimony at the hearing, agreed that on December 25, 2009 Mr. Mansell did climb upon the back "coupler" (equipment at the end ofa Max train car used to connect to another Max train car) and ride for a distance. Mr. Mansell stated that he only rode upon the "coupler" because the doors were closed. Supervisor Levingston stated that a driver ofa bus following the Max train observed Mr. Mansell riding on the "coupler" and contacted TriMet dispatch who in tum contacted Supervisor Levingston and the TriMet Max train operator. Supervisor Levingston stated that the Max train operator stopped the Max train and asked Mr. Mansell to get offofthe "coupler" and then waited for Supervisor Levingston to arrive. Supervisor Levingston stated that the Max train, upon which Mr. Mansell was riding the "coupler" was delayed by Mr. Mansell for approximately 5 minutes.<br />Mr. Mansell received a Notice ofExclusion on December 25,2009 for allegedly violating TMC 28.15 D (4) (Interferenceffrespass on Right ofWay). The Hearings Officer finds no dispute among the witnesses that Mr. Mansell did get upon and ride a Max train "coupler" on December 25, 2009. The Hearings Officer finds that riding a Max train "coupler" constitutes, while on the TriMet right-of-way, a hazard to Mr. Mansell and interfered with the timely passage ofa TriMet Max train. The Hearings Officer finds it more probable than not that on December 25,2009 Mr. Mansell did violate TMC 28.15 D (4). The Hearings Officer finds the Notice of Exclusion issued to Mr. Steve P. Mansell on December 25, 2009 is valid.<br />Special Exceptions: The Hearings Officer fmds Mr. Mansell is transit dependant and partially disabled. The Hearings Officer finds that Mr. Mansell needs access, Monday through and including Friday, to bus lines 8 and 15 and the Blue Line Max trains between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Hearings Officer notes that Mr. Mansell was infonned at the hearing that if similar conduct occurs (endangering his personal safety and the safety ofothers on the TriMet system)· and he requests a qualified exclusion such request will likely be denied.<br />ORDER AND DETERMINATION:<br />1. Validity ofthe Notice ofExclusion:<br />The Hearings Officer modifies the Notice ofExclusion issued to Mr. Steve P. Mansell on December 25, 2009.<br />2.<br />Length ofthe Exclusion:<br />The exclusion shall become effective with this Order, on January 13, 2010, and shall conclude on April 7, 2010 at 5:00 p.m.<br />3.<br />Scope ofthe Exclusion:<br />Mr. Mansell shall have access, Monday through and including Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., to bus lines 8 and 15 and Blue Line Max trains.<br />4.<br />This order has been mailed to the parties on January 7, 2010, not more than five (5) business days following the hearing, and will become final on January 13, 2010.<br />CASE NO. 3090530 Page No. 3<br />5. This order may be appealed to a court ofcompetent jurisdiction pursuant to ORS 34.010 et seq.<br />Dated: January 7, 2010<br />GJF: gj/cb<br />Enclosure<br />Exhibit #<br />DescriDtion<br />Submitted bv<br />DisDosition<br />1<br />Anneal Form nal!e 2<br />Turner Anna<br />Received<br />2<br />TriMet Fare Insnection System nrint out<br />Turner. Anna<br />Received<br />3<br />Notice ofExclusion<br />Turner. Anna<br />Received<br />4<br />Issuinl! Person's Affidavit<br />Turner Anna<br />Reiected<br />5<br />Mailinl! list<br />HearinQ:s Office<br />Received<br />6<br />HearinQ: notice<br />Hearin2s Office<br />Received<br />7<br />Statement ofRiehts<br />Hearines Office<br />ReceivedAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-13032975853560285912010-01-18T21:11:00.001-08:002010-01-18T21:11:56.657-08:00NEWS IGNORES THE FACTS, VIDEO NOT AVAILABLE!TriMet has released a video of an incident in which a Gresham man said a MAX train’s<br />doors trapped his son in his stroller.<br />But the father doubts the video’s validity, saying it doesn’t reflect the panic and fear he felt.<br />In an e-mail accompanying the video, TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said, “While this remains<br />under investigation, we are providing the video showing that the sensitive edge worked as the father had<br />difficulty boarding the train with a stroller that did not have a left front wheel.”<br />Andrew Kiloh doesn’t dispute that. In fact, he wonders why TriMet didn’t release video of him on the<br />station platform, waving the broken stroller wheel at the MAX driver in an effort to explain he needed<br />more time to board the train.<br />“The driver looked right at me,” he said over the phone from his Gresham home. “I don’t think they<br />understand they are a public service and they don’t treat their customers with any respect.”<br />Kiloh filed a complaint with TriMet following the Sunday, Jan. 10, incident at the Gresham City Hall<br />MAX station. He said his 2-year-old son, Gavin, got trapped in his stroller as the MAX doors closed,<br />opened, closed and opened again.<br />He told reporters one of the stroller’s wheels popped off, slowing him down as he and his fiancée<br />boarded the eastbound train.<br />With the doors closing, reopening and closing again, Kiloh said he struggled to free his son while<br />screaming for help. He feared the train would leave the platform, smashing his son into a nearby rail.<br />Kiloh said he didn’t have time to hit emergency buttons, but because it happened at the front doors<br />next to the operator, she should have heard his screams for help.<br />He also expressed frustration that the train operator, when confronted at the end of the line when<br />Kiloh got off the train, blew him off.<br />“Do you realize you just closed the door on a child?” Kiloh said he asked the driver. She reportedly<br />replied by telling him he should have been on the platform when the train arrived. When he said the<br />broken wheel delayed him, she said, “Well, you should have moved faster.”<br />Video shot from four angles within the train shows the front of the stroller – missing a wheel and with<br />its front end off the ground – stop between the open doors. The doors close on the stroller but<br />immediately open up as Gavin’s mother, who was already on the train, rushes over to help.<br />As she picks the stroller up and pulls it inside, the doors close again, this time near the handles. The<br />doors open right away. Then with the woman pulling and Kiloh pushing, they get the entire stroller on<br />board.<br />Kiloh then hands the woman the missing wheel and she pops it on the left front end of the stroller.<br />Although he’s viewed the video, Kiloh thinks it has been sped up to make it look like the doors open<br />faster than they did. “Not true, not true at all,” Kiloh said. He claims that instead of opening in half a<br />Father disputes TriMet video of child trapped by doors Page 1 of 2<br />http://www.greshamoutlook.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=126335154298037700 1/18/2010<br />second as shown in the video, it took one to two seconds for the door to open the first time, even longer<br />the second time.<br />Fetsch said doors on the MAX are designed to reopen if something blocks them. Also a MAX train<br />can’t leave the station if all the doors are not closed.<br />But Kiloh points to a recent incident as proof to the contrary – TriMet’s firing of a MAX driver for<br />ignoring emergency calls from a father separated from his 3-year-old son.<br />As the father and son got off the train holding hands, the doors closed between them, trapping the<br />father on the train and leaving the child stranded on the platform.<br />“So that’s proof the doors don’t always open if something is blocking them,” Kiloh said.<br />Fetsch said in that case, the father pulled his hand back as the doors closed, so the door sensors didn’t<br />register that they needed to open. The real issue was the driver not responding to the father’s calls for<br />help, Fetsch said. “It had nothing to do with the doors; the doors worked fine.”<br />In addition, she has watched video surveillance of Kiloh on the platform and said he doesn’t appear to<br />be waving a stroller wheel at the driver or struggling with the stroller. “You don’t ever see that<br />franticness.”<br />Kiloh acknowledges that in his panic, the doors may have seemed closed longer than they were. And<br />that the doors did open as designed. “But not fast enough,” he said. “My son was trapped, in my eyes.”<br />As for his complaints about the driver, “We’re looking into that,” Fetsch said.<br />Copyright 2010 Pamplin Media Group, 6605 S.E. Lake Road, Portland, OR 97222 • 503-Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-15281187481688856262010-01-16T11:54:00.001-08:002010-01-16T11:54:47.199-08:00Public Transportation and Me.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div>Alright, I’m going to admit it. I didn’t learn how to drive until I was 20 years old. Yes,<em>twenty.</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You see, I lived in Gresham and was residing about ten minutes away from a MAX stop. It’s a wonder that I didn’t get shot. So there was really no need beyond personal safety to have and drive a car. So I used<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>a lot</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of public transportation. Partially why I’m such an avid music lover is the fact that I constantly was updating my music library to have stuff to listen to whilst on my adventures around town. I didn’t get my license until a month before my 21<sup><span style="font-size:78%;">st</span></sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>birthday, and didn’t get a car until 2 years later.</div><div>One day, when I was about 22 years old, I was headed to my orthodontist (because I had a<em>jacked up</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>grill. Yes, that’s Greshamese for my teeth were fucking horrible) to get my braces tightened. My orthodontist was near Clackamas Town Center, so that means I got the joy of riding the 82<sup><span style="font-size:78%;">nd</span></sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>avenue bus to its natural conclusion at the suburban mall full of broken dreams and Slipknot jeans. (huh, that rhymed. Not intentional…) I sat in front of this woman that was obviously quite slow and had a pleothra of whiskers growing out of her double chin. Now, 82<sup><span style="font-size:78%;">nd</span></sup>avenue is a rather busy area for the public transportation system, so it was a bus that grew quite crowded rather quickly. As seats were growing more difficult to find, this old lady that could barely keep her balance while the bus was moving climbed aboard and moved to the back with her bags full of god-knows-what.</div><div>She asked the whiskered woman if she could sit there…and whisker face went god damned fucking ballistic. “I’m standing up for myself for the first time ever! No you cannot sit next to me!” I looked at whisker-bitch, told her that she was extremely rude and scooted my booty over so the old woman could rest her weary bones. Whisker-bitch continued to freak out and flap her hairy gums for about another 10 minutes until a kind gent told her rather bluntly that she really was being disruptive. So she quietly mumbled to herself for a bit. Some kids got on and went to go ask her if they could sit next to her. Already kind of pissed about the previous encounter, I let them know that she was being obstinate and rude about the whole situation…and then,</div><div><strong>AND THEN WHISKER-BITCH SMACKED ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD!!11!!!!!!1</strong></div><div>I’m not kidding. We were by Johnson Creek Blvd. and she was<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>still</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>freaking the fuck out. Screaming, muppet hands, the whole nine yards. So of course at this point the bus driver became involved. I was sitting there, fucking pissed that I had just gotten slapped by some woman on 82<sup><span style="font-size:78%;">nd</span></sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>with whiskers and running late for my orthodontist’s appointment. And he was a grumpy orthodontist. About 15 minutes later, the bus driver finally figured out who was the antagonist in the situation and threw whisker-bitch off the bus. She continued to yell at me up until the point that the bus drove off.</div><div>And that, folks, is why I avoid MAX, Trimet and all things public transportation-y like it’s the god damned plague.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;" valign="top"><div>Kristen Bowie was the board operator for the Rick Emerson Show.She also co-hosted a punk rock show with Sara Dylan on KUFO.</div><div> </div><div><div><div><h3><a title="Permanent Link to Public Transportation and Me." href="http://kristenbowie.com/wordpress/2009/11/12/public-transportation-and-me/" rel="bookmark" target="_blank">Public Transportation and Me.</a></h3><p><span>By<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="Posts by Kristen" href="http://kristenbowie.com/wordpress/author/admin/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1e1c1a;">Kristen</span></a></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Thursday November 12, 2009</p></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span><br /></div></span></span>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-88058811669595931452010-01-06T17:41:00.000-08:002010-01-06T17:50:49.008-08:00GET YOUR JOBJob Title:<br />Executive Director, Operations<br />Job Type:<br />Non-Union Regular Full-Time<br />Location:<br />4012 SE 17th Avenue, Portland, Oregon<br /><br />Print Job Information |<br /><br /><br />Description Benefits Supplemental Questions<br /><br />TriMet is a municipal corporation providing public transportation for much of the three counties in the Portland, Oregon metro region. TriMet operates a multi-modal transportation system that provides more than 100 million boarding rides per year. This extraordinary organization has earned international recognition for building a world-class transit system in a large metropolitan area where livability and preservation of the quality of life are taken very seriously.<br />We are seeking candidates for the Executive Director, Operations (EDO) position. The EDP is accountable to the General Manager for all TriMet operations, managed by nine direct reports. Operations is the largest division in the agency with approximately 2,100 employees, a general fund budget of $260 million, annual capital expenditures of more than $150 million, and assets that include 654 buses, 254 lift buses and 127 rail cars.<br />TriMet’s reputation is built on high-performance customer service. The EDO’s leadership and management are instrumental in delivering effective, economical and safe service on a consistent basis by ensuring that the district has outstanding service planning, appropriate and well maintained vehicles, reliable schedules and most of all, well-trained and customer-oriented employees. The EDO’s key responsibilities include service planning, maintenance, safety and security, transportation operations, scheduling, labor relations and workforce development.<br />Candidates should offer bachelor’s degrees and extensive management experience in large, complex transportation organizations (i.e., diverse, geographically-spread, multi-modal, multiple technology organizations). Both public transit and private transportation company backgrounds will be considered. We are seeking strength of leadership with specific experience managing large and diverse workforces, unionized employee groups, and customer service intensive organizations. Ability to address both strategic and tactical issues is essential.<br />If you qualify, please submit your complete resume to our executive search consultants via e-mail at rog@pringleco.com. Our search firm is The Pringle Company, P.O. Box 25392, Portland, OR, 97298. Our search leader is Roger Pringle, 503/221-0048 (office), 503/789-9401 (cell).<br /><br /><br /><br />Email Updates • RSS News Feeds • Contact/Feedback<br />Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Linking to trimet.org • Site Index<br />© 2008 TriMet • Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon • Portland, OregonAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-69517134120789933102010-01-06T15:40:00.000-08:002010-01-06T15:41:08.643-08:00APPEALS COURT REVERSES EXCLUSION<title>Oregon Judicial Department Appellate Court Opinions</title><a name="TOP">
<br /></a><p style="text-align: right;"><a name="TOP"><b>FILED:</b> January 6, 2010</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a name="TOP">IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF OREGON</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">STATE OF OREGON,</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Plaintiff-Respondent,</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">v.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">JEROME MICHAEL BEGAY,</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Defendant-Appellant.</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a name="TOP">Washington County Circuit Court
<br />D080840M
<br />A139130</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Marco Hernandez, Judge.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Submitted on October 28, 2009.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Peter Gartlan, Chief Defender, and Carolyn Bys, Deputy Public Defender, Office of Public Defense Services, filed the brief for appellant.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">John R. Kroger, Attorney General, Jerome Lidz, Solicitor General, and Justice J. Rillera, Assistant Attorney General, filed the brief for respondent.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Before Haselton, Presiding Judge, and Armstrong, Judge, and Carson, Senior Judge.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">HASELTON, P. J.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Reversed.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">HASELTON, P. J.</a></p> <p><a name="TOP">Defendant appeals from the judgment of<b> </b>his conviction for interfering with public transportation, ORS 166.116(1)(a), assigning error to the denial of his motion for a judgment of acquittal (MJOA). In particular, defendant contends that he had not "enter[ed] or remain[ed] unlawfully in * * * [a] public transit station," ORS 166.116(1)(a), in violation of a TriMet exclusion order because the area at the Hillsboro Transit Center where he was walking when he was arrested was not a "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platform[ ]" as defined in the Notice of Exclusion. We agree with defendant and, accordingly, reverse.</a></p> <p><a name="FNT1">In reviewing the denial of an MJOA, we view the evidence and reasonably related inferences in the light most favorable to the state. <i>See </i></a><i><a href="S44712.htm">State v. Hall</a></i>, 327 Or 568, 570, 966 P2d 208 (1998). Consistently with that standard, the material facts are as follows: On January 27, 2008, Hillsboro police officer Bunday issued a TriMet Notice of Exclusion to defendant for riding on a MAX train without having paid the fare. As pertinent here, the notice stated that defendant was "excluded from and prohibited from entering or remaining upon, the TriMet system, as described in the attached Exhibit D" for a period of 60 days.<a href="#N_1_"><sup><strong>(1)</strong></sup></a> As described in detail below, Exhibit D to the notice specified that the exclusion applied to, <i>inter alia</i>, "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms."</p> <p>On February 16, 2008, during the period of exclusion, Hillsboro police officer Morse saw defendant walking on the westbound MAX train platform at the Hillsboro Transit Center. The transit center is a complex that includes not only platforms for eastbound and westbound MAX trains but also bus shelters and bicycle racks, as well as two buildings that are immediately adjacent to the westbound train platform. One of those buildings houses a Hillsboro police substation, and, in the walkway between the two buildings, there are public pay telephones.</p> <p>Unlike at some other TriMet locations, where access to platforms is restricted to persons possessing proof of fare, the MAX train platforms at the Hillsboro Transit Center are open to members of the public without proof of fare. Consequently, members of the public without a MAX ticket and who have no intention of riding the MAX train can use the westbound platform--the location where defendant was walking--to gain access to the adjacent pay telephones and police substation. Similarly, members of the public can, without proof of fare, enter the platform area to park their bicycles at the adjacent bicycle racks.</p> <p>Morse recognized defendant from a previous encounter and knew that he was subject to a currently effective TriMet exclusion order. Accordingly, he arrested defendant, and defendant was charged by complaint with one count of interfering with public transportation, ORS 166.116. That statute provides, in part:</p> <blockquote> <p>"(1) A person commits the crime of interfering with public transportation if the person:</p> <p>"(a) Intentionally or knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in or on a public transit vehicle or public transit station;</p> <p>"* * * * *</p> <p>"(3) As used in this section:</p> <p>"(a) 'Enter or remain unlawfully' has the meaning given that term in ORS 164.205."</p> <p>ORS 164.205(3), in turn, defines the term "enter or remain unlawfully":</p> <p>"'Enter or remain unlawfully' means:</p> <p>"(a) To enter or remain in or upon premises when the premises, at the time of such entry or remaining, are not open to the public or when the entrant is not otherwise licensed or privileged to do so[.]"</p></blockquote> <p>Defendant waived trial by jury, and, after the state presented its evidence, he moved for a judgment of acquittal. Defendant argued that, given the terms of the exclusion notice--and particularly the description of the scope of exclusion in Exhibit D--his presence on the platform did not violate the exclusion and, thus, was not "unlawful" for purposes of ORS 166.116(1)(a). Defendant contended, particularly, that the platform where he had been arrested was not a "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platform[ ]" as defined in Exhibit D, because that area was not used solely for purposes of transit but, instead, could be used by members of the public who are not TriMet riders for a variety of purposes not related to mass transit, including making telephone calls at the pay telephones, contacting the police at the adjacent substation, and parking bicycles. The trial court denied that motion without comment. When defendant renewed his MJOA at the close of all evidence, the court again denied the motion, observing that</p> <blockquote> <p>"[p]eople that are excluded are excluded from transit dedicated light rail platforms in general. This was a transit dedicated light rail platform."</p></blockquote> <p>On appeal, defendant assigns error to the denial of the MJOA and reprises his arguments before the trial court. We begin with the operative language of the exclusion notice, including Exhibit D. As noted, the face of the notice, under the heading "Effect of this Notice," provides, "Unless your exclusion is modified or set aside * * * you will be excluded from and prohibited from entering or remaining upon, the TriMet system, as described in the attached Exhibit D." Exhibit D provides, in part:</p> <blockquote> <p>"Notwithstanding any definition of the geographic boundaries of the District Transit System contained within [ORS] 267.010, resolutions affecting TriMet's boundaries, contract provisions, the TriMet Code, any formal legal designation of certain property as owned or controlled by TriMet, or elsewhere, the geographic boundaries of the District Transit System, for the purpose of enforcing TriMet regulations through exclusions, or enforcing exclusions through arrest or criminal citation, shall be construed as limited to the areas that are readily discernable as TriMet property, as defined herein. No person shall be issued a Notice of Exclusion for conduct that occurred outside of the boundaries defined herein. <i>In addition, the 'part of the District Transit System [from] which said person is excluded' shall be limited to the following</i>:</p> <p>"1. TriMet Vehicles. * * *</p> <p>"2. TriMet Parking Facilities. * * *</p> <p>"3. Partially or Fully Enclosed Bus Shelters. * * *</p> <p>"4. Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms. Transit Dedicated Platforms <i>include those platforms that are used solely</i> for the purpose of transit and <i>have no shared use with the public or public walkways</i>, through-ways, or sidewalks, and includes adjoining stairways, ramps and elevators.</p> <p>"5. Trackways * * *."</p></blockquote> <p>(Emphasis added.)</p> <p>At first blush, the use of the term "'part of the District Transit System [from] which said person is excluded'" seems inscrutable because there is no explicit referent in the text of the notice or the balance of Exhibit D. However, contextually, it is patent that that language corresponds to, and is derived from, TriMet Code section 28.18B., which provides:</p> <blockquote> <p>"A person excluded under TMC Section 28.18 may not during the period of exclusion, enter or remain upon any <i>part of the District Transit System from which said person is excluded</i>. An excluded person who enters or remains upon any <i>part of the District Transit System from which the person has been excluded</i> may be charged with the crime of Interfering with Public Transportation (ORS 166.116) or the crime of Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree (ORS 164.245)."</p></blockquote> <p>(Emphasis added.)</p> <p>Given that context, Exhibit D, by its terms, limits the scope of the exclusion to five precisely defined types of locations that do not collectively comprise the totality of TriMet's property. That is, a person who is subject to the exclusion would not violate that exclusion--and, derivatively, ORS 166.116(1)(a)--merely by entering upon TriMet property; rather, the state, to establish a violation, must demonstrate that a defendant intentionally or knowingly entered one of the five specifically defined types of locations. Consequently, in the circumstances of this case, the inquiry reduces to whether the westbound MAX train platform at the Hillsboro Transit Center was a "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platform[ ]" as defined in Exhibit D.</p> <p>Defendant contends that the uncontroverted evidence established that the platform could be, and was, used by members of the public, including those who are not TriMet passengers, for a variety of purposes that are not related to mass transit, including to make pay telephone calls, to park and lock their bicycles at the bicycle rack on the platform, and to gain access to contact police at the adjacent police substation. Defendant reasons and asserts, consequently, that the westbound platform was not a "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platform[ ]" because it was <i>not</i> "used solely for the purpose of transit" and that it <i>did</i> have a "shared use with the public or public walkways [and] through-ways."</p> <p>We do not understand the state to dispute defendant's characterization of the nature and multiplicity of the platform's shared public uses. Rather, the state contends that defendant's understanding of the scope and content of "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms" is erroneously restrictive. Specifically, the state stresses that the operative provision begins, "Transit Dedicated Platforms <i>include</i> * * *." (Emphasis in state's brief.) The state then highlights the distinction, in its view, between "means" (as a term of exclusive definition) and "includes" (as a term of nonexclusive description). That is, the state posits that "includes" in this context functionally connotes "including, but not limited to." Thus, in the state's view,</p> <blockquote> <p>"platforms that are solely dedicated for transit purposes and have no shared public use are only a part of a larger category, i.e., all transit dedicated light rail platforms. In other words, transit dedicated light rail platforms are not limited to those that are solely dedicated for transit purposes and have no shared public use."</p></blockquote> <p><a name="FNT2">As further contextual support for that construction, the state points to other provisions of Exhibit D that either begin with "include" but subsequently qualify that description with limiting "but not including" language or explicitly employ terms of exclusion.</a><a href="#N_2_"><sup><strong>(2)</strong></sup></a></p> <p>The state's efforts are unavailing as contradicting the plain language of the pertinent provision of Exhibit D. Again, that provision reads:</p> <blockquote> <p>"4. Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms. Transit Dedicated Platforms include those platforms that are used solely for the purpose of transit and have no shared use with the public or public walkways, through-ways, or sidewalks, and includes adjoining stairways, ramps and elevators."</p></blockquote> <p>The operative term in that provision is "[d]edicated." "Dedicate" means, as pertinent in common use, "to set apart or devote formally or seriously to a definite use, end, or service." <i>Webster's Third New Int'l Dictionary</i> 589 (unabridged ed 2002).</p> <p>Consistently with that understanding, "include" in the definition connotes "means"--that is, "Transit <i>Dedicated</i> Light Rail Platforms" means platforms that are used solely for transit purposes and does not include those platforms for which there is a shared public use. Conversely, to construe "includes" as the state urges--<i>viz</i>., that "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms" includes all platforms used in part for transit purposes, regardless of the nature and degree of the shared public use for nontransit purposes, ignores or obviates the sense and significance of "dedicated."</p> <p>Further, under the state's reading, the wording "that are used solely for the purpose of transit and have no shared use with the public" would be gratuitous, as self-evident. That is, if the universe of "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms" includes all platforms with any transit-related purpose, however slight, then, of course, that universe includes "those platforms that are used solely for the purpose of transit." Logically, linguistically, and functionally, it is counterintuitive to define an (allegedly) broadly inclusive class solely by reference to its most indisputably obvious member. <i>Accord <a href="A136949.htm">Kelly v. Hochberg</a></i>, 231 Or App 155, 160, 217 P3d 699 (2009) (addressing construction of "recreational purposes" definitional statutes, which stated that the term "includes, but is not limited to" a variety of listed uses); <i><a href="A141390.htm">Friends of Yamhill County v. Yamhill County</a></i>, 229 Or App 188, 193, 211 P3d 297 (2009) (noting that, under principle of <i>ejusdem generis</i>, a court, in construing statutory definition that begins with "includes" followed by "an open-ended statutory list," "is limited by the common characteristics of those things already in the list").</p> <p>We thus agree with defendant that "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platforms" for purposes of Exhibit D means those used "solely" for transit purposes and does not encompass those with a "shared use with the public." We further agree with defendant that, even viewed most favorably to the state, the evidence in this case did not establish that the westbound MAX train platform at the Hillsboro Transit Center was a "Transit Dedicated Light Rail Platform" as so defined. Consequently, defendant's presence at that location did not violate the exclusion order, and there is no evidence that defendant had otherwise "enter[ed] or remain[ed] unlawfully" in that location. ORS 166.116(1)(a). Accordingly, the trial court erred in denying the MJOA.</p> <p>Reversed.</p> <p> </p><hr align="left" width="10%"> <p></p> <p> </p><p><a name="N_1_"><strong>1.</strong> </a>The notice specified that, unless defendant timely requested a hearing, the exclusion would take effect 10 business days after receipt of the notice. Defendant requested a hearing, staying the exclusion, but his challenge was unsuccessful. Accordingly, the exclusion became effective on February 14 for the period through April 12, 2008.</p> <p></p> <p>Return to <a href="#FNT1">previous location</a>. </p><p> </p><hr align="left" width="10%"> <p></p> <p> </p><p><a name="N_2_"><strong>2.</strong> </a>The state refers, for example, to the provisions of Exhibit D pertaining to "TriMet Parking Facilities" and "Trackways":</p> <blockquote> <p>"2. TriMet Parking Facilities. TriMet parking facilities shall <i>include</i> all parking lots reserved for transit purposes, including park and ride facilities, and including all driving pathways to and within a parking lot, <i>but not including</i> adjacent sidewalks or walkways.</p> <p>"* * * * *</p> <p>"5. Trackways: All trackway areas where pedestrian traffic is prohibited, but <i>excluding</i> all areas of trackway in downtown Portland where tracks lay upon city streets, and <i>excluding</i> areas of trackway located at signalized or signed intersections designated for pedestrian or vehicular crossing."</p></blockquote> <p>(Emphasis added.)</p> <p></p> <p>Return to <a href="#FNT2">previous location</a>. </p><p> </p><hr /> <p></p> <table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" valign="bottom"><a href="#top"><img alt="Top of page" src="images/up.gif" border="0" /></a></td> <td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="welcome.htm"><img alt="Go home" src="images/hbutton.gif" border="0" /></a> <p></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-24747062611219072882010-01-04T10:26:00.000-08:002010-01-04T10:30:58.488-08:00Dan Christensen on "Unfareless Square"<a href="http://danbusdriverman.blogspot.com/2010/01/say-good-bye-to-my-little-friend.html">http://danbusdriverman.blogspot.com/2010/01/say-good-bye-to-my-little-friend.html</a><br />Say Good BYe TO My Little Friend<br /><br />The long delayed death of Fareless Square.<br /><br />For those of you not familiar with the fareless square in Portland Oregon. Its first important to go way way way back to the primitive days of 1975. On TV we were getting down to Kojac, the streets of San Francisco, All in the family and Sanford and son. In the theaters Jaws was the big deal on the radio the earth shattering Captain and Tennille was singing "Love will keep us together" and if that wasn’t enough for you Glen Campbell was also hitting you with a little “Rhinestone Cowboy.”<br /><br />It was a crazy time, the hippies were dead, the Beatles were gone, Vietnam was over, Nixon had flown the coup and Disco was raising its ugly head. In this Post hippie era Portland seemed to be making even worse decisions then usual. Five years earlier Portland created a flag something we had lived without for over a hundred and fifty years and when this hideous idea came to fruition. This travesty some how managed to evoke the strange pot smoking earth kissing philosophy of the Northwest and yet still look vaguely fascist. Here you judge.<br /><br />Bad ideas were as common as Birkenstocks and crappy long hair back then. One of these “Utopian concept vs Reality” ideas was this, making the transit area in downtown Portland a Fareless Square. To be sure they had plenty of justification and all of them seemed like they could be true. “It fights pollution” was a major one, remember cars in 1975 were as big as a dump truck and would cause shifts in the tides of the ocean when you drove them.<br /><br />Mainly this idea was a copy of what other cities were doing and a symbol of the sort of central thinking that dominated that time. Trimets job back then was serving a tri-county area and by service I mean bringing them all into downtown Portland. Thus Trimets little symbol that originally showed everything directed downtown.<br /><br /><br />You will notice the modern badge of Trimet is lacking the arrows showing a more holistic image of “connection & Love” The new image is saying, “Quick hug someone!”<br /><br /><br />“But now the time has come to face that finale curtain” -- Frank Sinatra<br /><br />So it has been decided that it’s time to kill Fareless square for the buses. The powers that be are creating instead a rail free zone. This will mean the MAX trains and Portland Street Cars that crosses down town will be free in the central area but buses you have to pay for.<br /><br />The idea of ending Fareless square has elicited howls of complaints from the type of people and organizations that everyone in Portland usually ignore. Homeless advocates (that name scares me) and the self appointed, self-important “Riders Union.” Riders unions has inspired me to make an “Air Breathers Unions” in Portland more on that latter. So we have the inevitable protest because hey this is Portland and we hate change.<br /><br />So I thought I would hit you with a Bus driver’s point of view. That would be a point of view you don’t see in the news, or hear from Trimet and because it doesn’t rhyme well, you will never hear chanted at a protest by the Riders Union. Here are what I hear bus drivers saying.<br /><br />Unfareless Square.<br /><br />This argument is based on what I call “Unfareness”<br /><br />It’s safe to say that if we didn’t have every company in a three county area paying employee taxes we would not have Trimet as we know it. This pays half our budget and that demands a little bit of respect in my book.<br /><br />It is expensive to run Fareless and current estimates are about $800,000 in lost revenue per year. This is no small sum when you add it all up since 1975. Slap on a little interest on it and you have an entire large section of light rail there. How about a fleet of new buses to replace the crappy old beast we have running.<br /><br />Old buses hurt drivers. It also cost lots of money to pay for back injuries and time off of work. I have seen this and have experienced it first hand. I didn’t miss work but I was in enough pain to never want to drive a model 1600 again.<br /><br />The cost of Fareless is not just the loss of revenue it’s what could we have done with that revenue to make our system better.<br /><br />King Portland<br /><br />King Portland is the idea that Portland is the center of the universe and that all things must flow to it. This idea was a dominate one back in the 70’s and it was not until the late 90’s that it started to fade as the surrounding areas grew and Portland stayed more or less the same. In the old days Portland was the big dog but now the pack of other cities not only outnumber us but are pretty big them selves.<br /><br />So the question is why don’t they get fearless squares are well? What about Gresham, Beaverton and all the others who could “enhance their transit experience” by having free central cores? Any argument you can make about Portland having a fareless square, every one of these major cities can also make for their cut of the free pie.<br /><br />The truth is that Portland is no more due a free central area then anyone else. Maybe back in the day when Portland dwarfed those little bergs but not anymore. Portland is no longer King. Portland is like a prince or maybe a Baron.<br /><br />Trouble Square<br /><br />Ask any driver that does a late night run and they are giving one another high fives over the loss of fareless. This may not make sense to those who have appointed them selves as watchdogs of transit but here is a clue “Fareless Square Causes Trouble” That is why drivers hate it, that is why everyone is happy its going away.<br /><br />I could fill a book with experiences of the fareless kind the problem is no one would believe me. They would think I was on some sort of vendetta but in truth Fareless can be a huge problem. Not all the time mind you but just talk to drivers and you will find out the truth.<br /><br />This is what kills me. Self appointed watchdog groups who say things like “What goes wrong in fareless square, tell me?” I say, “Wait you are the experts? You are the watchdogs you don’t know? How good a job are you doing if you have no idea about what is going on?” That would be like the FAA being manned by people who knew nothing about how planes are made or flown.<br /><br />The Rail Free Zone<br /><br />The rail free zone is just an interim step until everyone is paying for his or her ride. There is no shame in that. Everyone pays a bit and rides that is what makes it work. If you don’t pay, you shouldn’t ride. Sooner or latter the inherit unfairness or of the situation will add pressure to do away the rail free zone maybe not now but soon and for the rest our lives.<br /><br /><br />Someday it will all be fare until then you all Roll Easy My Friends.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-9814559698482398612009-12-24T18:01:00.000-08:002009-12-24T18:02:18.935-08:00A CONVERSATION WITH FRED-NOVEMBER 2006<span style="font-size: 78%;">The Pearl District resident and general manager of TriMet takes the No. 17 bus to and from the Portland-area public transit agency's eastside headquarters every day.<br /><br />"I have these patterns of what I read in the morning and at night when I'm going home," Hansen said. "I'm one of the lucky ones because ... I can take the (bus) without changing downtown."<br /><br />But the TriMet general manager isn't just along for the ride. Hansen guided the outfit through a three-year recession that left all of Portland's agencies struggling just to provide basic services.<br /><br />His policies of focused investment and streamlining for efficiencies axed nearly $20 million per year in operating expenses, helping to keep the agency afloat.<br /><br />Now, Hansen says, the agency is nearly back to its pre-recession revenue, and it has three major rail projects under way that will greatly expand its services. The Washington County Commuter Rail project began in October and will connect Wilsonville to Tigard and Beaverton. The downtown Transit Mall light-rail project will bring MAX service on Fifth and Sixth avenues from Union Station to Portland State University. And the Interstate 205 MAX line will link the Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center.<br /><br />DJC: What were the highlights of 2006 for TriMet?<br /><br />Fred Hansen: A whole series of things.<br />DJC: As general manager you introduced the idea of focused investment to TriMet. Where does that idea come from?<br /><br />Hansen: I'm a believer that you have to be able to touch and feel things for it to be a difference. I'm a regular rider and I know those things.<br /><br />What we did (in the past) was we spread whatever investments we had over a wide distance and nobody could tell any real difference. Now we're able to promote them. Here's a bus that's going to be coming at least every 15 minutes seven days a week. And as a rider that makes a real difference.<br /><br />DJC: Where is TriMet sitting financially?<br /><br />Hansen: We've had, as most every business in the greater Portland region in the three-and-a-half-year period between 2000 and 2003, we really saw essentially flat revenues, and that was a direct reflection of the fact that this region had lost a little over 30,000 jobs and most of our revenue is based on the payroll tax.<br /><br />But what we did during that period is we launched an effort that we call the productivity improvement program, and what it was really aimed at ... was how do we get more resource out of our existing base and put it into more service. Do things smarter, do it cheaper. And as it ended up ... we've been able to save on, an annualized basis, a little over $20 million and still deliver the same service.<br /><br />And we've done it in a thousand different things. Literally our frontline workers came up with virtually all these ideas. And it's everything from how do you tighten up the front-end alignment of buses so we get less tire drag because there's play in the wheel, and that means we need to use less diesel fuel. And so we've increased our fuel efficiency. And putting nitrogen, not air, into the tires because nitrogen's a bit heavier, it doesn't leak as easily, and therefore we're able to maintain tire pressure a little bit more consistently. We're a big business. ... We run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. When the vehicles aren't out they're in being maintained, so in many ways we're a very big pick-up and delivery service that runs all the time. So we applied business practices to all those things.<br /><br />DJC: What are you looking forward to in 2007, both in projects and financially?<br /><br />I-205 is a lot longer alignment but, because it's in a dedicated right-of-way, we're not going to be going through as much activity like the mall. ... It's a bit easier setting because when they built I-205 Multnomah County required that there be a transit way set aside along and in the middle of 205, and we're going to use that and that makes it a lot easier.<br /><br />DJC: And that downtown mall project also has requirements for minority and women participation?<br /><br />Hansen: Absolutely.<br /><br />We set the bar higher than anybody has ever set it before on Interstate MAX. We set a goal of having 16 percent participation in our contracting; we reached 19 percent.<br /><br />A lot of people use those numbers, (but) what to us is very important is we used locally owned minority and women businesses and we put about $8.6 million on Interstate MAX into businesses that were located in that area.<br /><br />And it wasn't the big businesses. This is the one- or two-dump- truck operators or the small engineering firm that's trying to get going.<br /><br />DJC: I know the Portland Development Commission is looking at setting goals for minority and women participation. Is there a difference between how such a program would be implemented in an agency that oversees building construction versus transportation?<br /><br />Hansen: Obviously there are differences, but the ability to break down contracts is very similar in both settings. ... So the ability to do that is there, but it takes effort and real commitment. And very frankly, we got quality work, a very low changeover level, no litigation that came out of Interstate MAX, and those are the things you can actually deliver for the community, the project and the overall budget.<br /><br />DJC: All of the agencies involved in transportation in the region are feeling the budget crunch of huge looming projects, such as the Columbia River Crossing. Yet it sounds like you're saying that TriMet is doing well. Do you not feel the squeeze?<br /><br />Hansen: Let me not leave you with the impression that we feel like we're doing well. We've had a very tough three years - flat revenues with normal inflation or expenses, about $10 million more a year just to stay in place. And that $20 million total essentially offset the additional (annual) costs just to stay in place. So we felt the exact same pressures. ... We're suffering much the same thing every other business and government has suffered.<br /><br />We've just been able to leverage our investments in a way that's been very critical. The mall I-205 project, 60 percent of that is being funded by the federal government. And that means every time that goes into the local economy we get that extra benefit. ... What we're able to do is really build off of that and make things work.<br /><br />Bridging the authority gap<br /><br />DJC: Have you heard Ted Wheeler's proposal about a regional bridge authority?<br /><br />Fred Hansen: I smile only because I think I was one of the sources of that idea. Obviously, you have to figure out how to make it happen but I think if you look right now the mixture of bridge ownerships are really kind of screwy. You have ODOT owning the big ones, Ross Island and the interstates, you've got (Union Pacific) owning the Steel Bridge and Multnomah County essentially with the rest of the bridges.<br /><br />And they're not the highest focus certainly within Multnomah County, so you end up getting to this crisis where something's got to happen, and that's not the way we ought to be maintaining things. So, in the long run, something like an authority makes sense.<br /><br />DJC: Do you think (Wheeler) is the natural champion of that?<br /><br />Hansen: He certainly has the most bridges.<br /><br />I was just talking with Sam Adams two days ago and we were talking a little about the bridge authority as well, and he sees it doesn't make sense that what are essentially city streets but have to cross a river are now in another jurisdiction.<br /><br />How do we think smarter about this? I don't think it's going to come quickly because you need to have a revenue source that goes with that. ... You've got to have a way that is dedicated dollars so those bridges are maintained. But I think in the long run it does make sense, given how critical river crossings are to Portland.<br /></span><a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4184/">Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland, OR)</a>, <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4184/is_20061117/">Nov 17, 2006</a> by <a href="http://findarticles.com/p/search/?qa=Libby%20Tucker">Libby Tucker</a>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-65407048145190947632009-12-14T20:17:00.000-08:002009-12-15T11:37:51.003-08:00MICHAEL OLIVER TELLS ME ABOUT THE LIBELOUS WEB SITE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmh1k8Rbv-iZ08-eP8ykotcoDSIC8w3IKmG8uwJNoLu6uDb9l_8tMrGkTJdGMh8tFh0jYUwXRMAf826bdyklApKGVeFpMPVQ20TPl2NwX_3o3Q1Ahw4nMC8eSqmMt11E_bHe39skoHW-4/s1600-h/michaelOliver.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmh1k8Rbv-iZ08-eP8ykotcoDSIC8w3IKmG8uwJNoLu6uDb9l_8tMrGkTJdGMh8tFh0jYUwXRMAf826bdyklApKGVeFpMPVQ20TPl2NwX_3o3Q1Ahw4nMC8eSqmMt11E_bHe39skoHW-4/s200/michaelOliver.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415312417417950786" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CMARGU4%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">The following conversation is based on an actual conversation that occurred between myself and Michael Oliver.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: I appreciate you calling me.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Al ; Of course, you’ve seen that site I take it</p> <p class="MsoNormal">.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mo; The aids thing? The state dept. called me last week, the state dept police, and they asked me if I had put up a site, and I said no, and they told me how to get to it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I figured out what was going on, it was Jim Stenger, he’s out of the country. He’s been doing stuff to various people. So I looked at it and I thought you know, what was I gonna do. There’s not much I can do. The state dept says that the FBI is on the case.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is a warrant out for the<span style=""> </span>guys arrest. He has violated some terrorism acts. They are looking for him. What bothered me I was told, this afternoon over at BTC, that you had added a link at your web site!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: I took it down once I found out it was a phony. It came in as a Google altert! So Google picked it up as an alert on a “trimet” search for news and blogs with that subject. Do you know anything about Google alerts?</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: No I do not Al, I drive a train, that’s about all I can do.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: (I proceed to tell him how Google alerts work). That’s really low class man, I couldn’t believe it either when I found out.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: What he has done to the union is create an alternate union web page for the union.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: I saw John Hunts phony site.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: Yea, I don’t quite know where this is going.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Al: Well if the FBI is on it you got the right people.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: I’ve got nothing to do with that.
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">AL</st1:state></st1:place>: It is a form of terrorism, by creating libelous internet postings.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: It’s pretty extensive. Other things that he has done are order $300 worth of Pizza and have it sent to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Portland</st1:city></st1:place> streetcar. Sends taxi’s to XXX at 3am in the morning. We are talking a pretty extensive kind of thing. He has basically stayed away from me for the last three years, until this thing.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: So you know him then, you actually know this guy.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: Yea, I know him well. I saved his job on more than one occasion. I was his union rep.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: So why is he coming after you, you tried to help him!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: He’s going after everybody. I never had strong words with him, ever! And now he is going after me!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: So he is just going after everybody then, just for the heck of it.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: He drinks, he gets fucked up, and he does shit. He doesn’t even remember what he does. The guy that was at <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">XXXX</st1:place></st1:city>, the same thing! And was trying to help him! I wanted you to know because I got people coming up to me saying “I’m really sorry” blah blah</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: Well Michael, I’ll write up something about this conversation and put it out there so people are aware of what is going on. I mean, that’s terrible, ridiculous.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO; Yea, I would appreciate that, thanks, I’m sorry.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: Well I’m sorrier, I’m glad that you are at least aware of this. When I found out that is was a lie I asked that they make sure you know about it. Apparently she did the right thing. I thought it was real, it looked real!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: He took my picture right off the union website!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">AL</st1:place></st1:state>: All right Michael, I’ll see ya around!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">MO: Thanks again.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<br />Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-33594864492857830532009-12-07T17:39:00.000-08:002009-12-07T17:43:53.511-08:00BUS DRIVERS DISCUSS THE MAX INCIDENT AND THE MAX DRIVERS<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>(THIS IS A RE-CREATION OF AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN 3 TRIMET BUS OPERATORS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WORKING AT TRIMET 10 YEARS OR MORE)</i></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CC00;">The max incident is still a topic of conversation between drivers during layovers.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CC00;">This is a re-creation of a conversation that occurred between three drivers, we will call them “Driver A, K, S”. The conversation started talking about the max child incident and them moved to max operators in general.</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver S: “I’ve heard things about that operator, and I know that guy too! I’ll tell ya what he did one time, there were some kids causing trouble in the back, like they always do, he points to the leader of the group and says ‘hey, come here for a sec’, he was going pretty fast down the road, so the kid gets up and starts coming up to talk to him, and he </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">slams the break on, and the kid comes flying up right to the window!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></span></o:p></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A: “How do you know this?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver S: “Cause he told me himself! This was back in the days that nobody cared much about this stuff, like 15 years ago”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A: “Well back then you could get away with almost everything, you can’t do that now! There’s camera’s in the bus and shit! You’d be fired immediately!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver K decides to enter the conversation: “He sounds like the max driver I got really mad at once. I was like 10 feet from the door, it was daylight, he slammed the doors shut on me”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A: “in your face?”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver K: “A little boy, 9 or 10 years old, held one of the doors pen for me. The other doors all slammed shut but this little kid kept the door open! So I get on the train and the max driver comes on the pa: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">“don’t hold the door open for anyone!”</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> I went over to the call box and said to that guy: “</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Listen, you knew exactly who I was; you saw my uniform that was very rude to do that!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A+S both start laughing hysterically.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A: “I’m sure she did exactly what she says she did knowing driver K!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver K: “boy was I mad, I was really mad!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver S gets going: “You know what I hate about those Max drivers, when the bus comes up to an intersection with the Max, and they’re sitting there right, just before you get to the intersection they’ll call the light! And then they won’t pull out right away! They’ll sit there for two minutes anyway! Basically they coulda let your ass get through that intersection</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver A: Yea, they’re fucking with us man! But leaving a uniformed Trimet employee behind that they see running for the train, that’s unreal! I wonder if it was that Cooper guy?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Driver S: “Sounds like him.” Did you see who it was “K”?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">“K”: “No he just came on the PA, I was in the last car”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">“A”: “The xx bus would pull into the stop late at night and the max would be there but the mother fuckers would just pull right out! They can see the folks running for the train, the close the fucking doors and away they go. Unfucking real! It’s fucking pouring rain and cold out and they know there is no other train for at least 20 minutes but they just don’t fucking care!”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">“S”: “they have tricks too, they can get the doors closed even faster, they bypass the “doors are closing” announcement until its too late. The doors are already closed and then the announcement says ‘doors are closing’. The train is moving and there goes the announcement ‘the doors are closing’!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">All three drivers are laughing hysterically about all this!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">“S”: “Some of the kids like to go from door to door or train to train at every stop, they can see them doing it and the next time they do it the doors are closed before they know what happened to them! They can’t get back on the train! I’ll tell ya what I hate though, as a bus driver, when someone is pretending to look for the change when they are actually holding the bus waiting for someone else to show up! Or when the guy is looking for his transfer while his girlfriend is trying to catch up! ‘Just get on the bus, I’m gonna wait for her for crying out loud!’</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></i></span></span></div>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-6712039420403802692009-12-06T09:22:00.000-08:002009-12-06T09:23:01.932-08:00THEY LOVE ME IN HAWAII!A Trimet driver got back from Hawaii a couple of weeks back and was riding the buses. Being the kind of person she is she got into a friendly conversation with the bus driver.The driver asked where she drives buses?She answered, "Portland's Trimet".The Hawaiian driver said, "oh Trimet, I know Trimet, isn't there a blog that is published about that agency? I and others I know visit that blog all the time."She was shocked. Today she asked me about my blog. Apparently she had not heard of it before.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-55191822036626387232009-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:002009-12-06T09:21:05.661-08:00SUED!Before video blogging came along I used to write stories about my experiences. Well, video blogging is much easier than writing. There are some Trimet drivers that excel at writing, I am not one of them.Then there are bloggers who write mini novels, Like Adron Hall who publishes the excellent TRANSIT SLEUTH blog, what I would give to have talent like he does.Alas, Trimet management has cracked down on my video blogging around work so now I am actually going to have to think again and write stories based on my experiences.I can't really hold it against them, they tolerated my antics for several years before finally putting their collective foot down.So here I am, back to where I started, writing again.Ah, my nemesis strikes again. This time she has decided to sue me, for $7500! Pretty funny considering she wrote down $600, then changed it to $7500, all clearly visible! This particular person has a long history of messing with various Trimet employees, apparently I am not the first to get sued by her!I have the right to request a jury trial. Do I want a jury trial, will cost both of us at least $5k up front, the loser ends up paying the winners court costs. Let's make this a high rollers game! If your gonna play, play for keeps!At this point in my relationship with her I have a pretty good case for malicious harassment, seeing that we settled this twice now but she keeps coming back.The only question is how much to counterclaim.I have all kinds of documents about her, it should be quite a scene, hopefully the judge will allow the proceedings to be videotaped. It's completely up to the judge to decide that issue.Anyway, stay tuned for more updates on this story. The lawyer of course wants a jury trial, he says its a piece of cake and I will prevail, but he also wants $5k to take the case.I haven't decided which way to go, stay with the small claim or go with the high rollers and send it to a jury!Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-21343708581697079432009-12-06T09:10:00.000-08:002009-12-06T09:11:03.400-08:00SOME DRIVER'S JUST WONT WAITI was upset about the 20 driver leaving two passengers behind after I had made a special stop so that they could catch that bus. The driver was still at the stop but as soon as I let them off she decided to close the door and pull away. Personally I found it very disturbing, and give credibility to much of the Anti Trimet crowd.<br /><br />Many bus drivers live in a world separate from the world of current events, especially the very specific world of transit news, in Portland and of course the rest of the country. They don’t have a clue as too what Is going on around them, nor do they apparently care.<br /><br />Well, the bus drivers in the break room where pretty much laughing about the situation, which I found equally disturbing.<br /><br />As I came out of the restroom, I engaged the three that were joking about the whole situation. This is a re-creation of that event.<br /><br />“I would not have done what she did, I stopped specially so those people could make that bus, and then she took off anyway, obviously on purpose. So now we have at least two more people running around that hate Trimet, which is not what we need. (Driver’s are chuckling as I go on) Would it have killed her to let those people on the bus? No, of course not. So what was the point of that behavior? When is the next bus, a half hour? Now they are stuck out here, in the cold! I know that every driver has the right to run their bus as they see fit, and the rules do permit that sort of behavior, but its not of any positive purpose, it just creates more an more animosity to for us as a group.”<br /><br />We were talking about the rules, “once you pull away that’s it”, said one of the drivers.<br /><br />My pal DT, said, “Once you get close to the end then you don’t give a fuck!” Everybody laughed, including me. “Like you, you mean.” I responded, more laughter.<br /><br />The other driver, we will call him driver X, said “how many people can you leave running to you!”<br /><br />Oh boy, I thought, how does Trimet get these people? Maybe they need a real shakeup in the HR department. They seem to be doing a horrible job, recruiting and hiring real schmucks.<br /><br />“We are supposed to be trying to help people I said”.<br /><br />Driver Y shared a story: “A long long time ago, I was driving a 57, it was late, both of my bike racks were taken, and this third guy comes up and says ‘can I throw my bike inside’? Don’t you see there are two bikes on the rack? ‘Other drivers let me put it inside’! He would have had to roll over toes to get to the back of the bus!<br /><br />“I do it if there is room on the bus”, I said.<br /><br />DT spoke up again, “I won’t do it any more!”<br />“You’re a mean ass person DT!”<br /><br />DT’s eyes lit up after that one: “Trimet won’t back me up so fuck them!”Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-38211854593203717172008-08-01T09:37:00.001-07:002008-08-01T09:37:49.859-07:00ROUGE BICYCLISTS IN SEATTLE ATTACK!SEATTLE (AP) - A mob of bicyclists riding in Seattle with the monthly Critical Mass demonstration injured a motorist after an altercation.<br /><br />Seattle Police spokesman Mark Jamieson says that on Friday between 100 and 300 bicyclists were riding down a street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, blocking traffic on both lanes, when a man and a woman in a Subaru station wagon tried to pull out of a parking spot.<br /><br />But some of the bicyclists blocked them, sat on the car and began banging on the vehicle. Words were exchanged between the male driver and the bicyclists.<br /><br />The driver feared being assaulted and backed up, but bumped a biker and enraged the group. In response, some of the bikers smashed the windshield and rear window. He tried to drive away but hit another bicyclist.<br /><br />The car stopped a block down and the bicyclists surrounded the car. One biker punched the driver through an open window and another used a knife to slash the tires.<br /><br />When the driver got out of the car a male suspect struck him with an unknown object in the back of the head. The driver was later taken to the hospital. His female companion was not injured<br /><br />Jamieson says two men were arrested and police are looking for the suspect who struck the driver in the back of the head. He added police know the man's identity.<br /><br />According to the Critical Mass web site, every month, bicyclists ride to promote bicycle use and assert cyclists' right to the road among many reasons.Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-1845816674474506962008-07-29T16:18:00.000-07:002008-07-29T16:19:47.126-07:00GREAT ARTICLE FROM THE OREGONIAN REGARDING BIKE WAR<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CSgECHgGFlnj0xHvTKwlH_qUHToHdFDFYmFBfBKxZuAXMneKvBZsTVUbuU_yR2KBGYlZyoQ9kca4x6tzjxTF0RVSyChtnZZgf5X-WAHsiB4ZHe1xV6M7vJJ_xzvkFe6rqGl3CtEMKXk/s1600-h/scan0002.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CSgECHgGFlnj0xHvTKwlH_qUHToHdFDFYmFBfBKxZuAXMneKvBZsTVUbuU_yR2KBGYlZyoQ9kca4x6tzjxTF0RVSyChtnZZgf5X-WAHsiB4ZHe1xV6M7vJJ_xzvkFe6rqGl3CtEMKXk/s400/scan0002.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228579672131949922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqhiP1pDfyI6Zn0cLghWXL414qHBLmiHe2jM023i3w8GJSBSwSbu_15TcxjdDQHu4OIgPjQuhDVpMiIo0QtT7_TjIi1HwwIEwNBu0IlfdE3UAVhCsim-K4g_3ox-3lT4QMAzWz5opkWU/s1600-h/scan0003.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqhiP1pDfyI6Zn0cLghWXL414qHBLmiHe2jM023i3w8GJSBSwSbu_15TcxjdDQHu4OIgPjQuhDVpMiIo0QtT7_TjIi1HwwIEwNBu0IlfdE3UAVhCsim-K4g_3ox-3lT4QMAzWz5opkWU/s400/scan0003.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228579678745780418" border="0" /></a>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-71279544438130765812008-03-07T21:14:00.001-08:002008-03-07T21:14:57.220-08:00it was 3 in the afternoon by parvayIt was 3 in the afternoon. As always, I sat in the front seat of the Tri-Met bus, going back home. The bus stopped at Walker Road, and an old African American man walked in. He looked sick and tired and I couldn’t help wishing if I could be of some help to him. After a couple of minutes he smiled and he calmly asked the bus driver, who was a white American, to stop at the nearest stop because he had taken the wrong bus home. I looked at the bus driver's face, which now looked cold and unfeeling. He grinned at the gentleman and said, "Don't you know how to read? It's written 4-8, 48 on the front of the damn bus!" The old man then pleaded with the driver to stop the bus so that he could get off; but the bus driver wouldn't stop. I sat there shocked in disbelief -- not knowing what to do or say. In the next moment, the doors opened and as they slammed shut and the old man stepped out, the driver said, "Damn N-s, don't know how to read!" I was so shocked that I couldn't breath. I just wanted to jump out of the bus! When it was my turn to get out, he smiled and I found myself saying, "Thank you!"<br /> After these discussions, I summed up my strength. I vowed to myself that if I ever saw that man again, I would say something back. Today, on the 4th of Feb, I saw him again; this time cursing a high school freshman for not having the tickets ready while entering the bus. This time I didn't care if he was being racist or just plain mean; I stood up, looked at him in the eye, and said in a broken but determined voice, "You have no right to say that!" As soon as I said that, I walked out the door smiling. I had never felt so good my entire life; I felt like a caged bird that was set free. (Parvathy, Beaverton, OR, USA, 2002)Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-66784841304216561602008-03-06T19:30:00.001-08:002008-03-06T19:30:49.681-08:00posted at craigslist<h2>Attention: OHSU-bound Trimet Riders</h2> <hr /> Date: 2007-04-03, 2:38PM PDT<br /><br /><br />I have worked at OHSU for 4 years. Most of the time, I get to work on one of the many Trimet "Express" buses that serve OHSU. Obviously, these buses are 95% OHSU employees. It is also obvious that most of these riders NEVER ride the bus except to get to work, as they have no idea how to behave or what to expect on a public transit vehicle.<br /><br />Here are a few things to keep in mind:<br /><br />- Medical students, you do NOT need your stethoscope on the bus. Hanging it around your neck like some kind of "I got into Med School" medal is not impressive; in fact, you look like the asshole that you most likely are. Your snotty little haircut and brand-new airline-belt-buckle messenger bag serves as confirmation that you are a dickhead/bitchface.<br /><br />- Middle-aged women with gigantic* asses. Just because a seat remains on the bus, that does not mean that the seat is intended for you. If you lumber on to the bus with your huge purse, a massive lunch cooler and a bouquet of flowers (and did I mention the gigantic ass?) this means that the seat in the back row between the corner and the middle is NOT big enough for you! Do you feel your ass squeezing against the legs of the regular-size people sitting on either side of you? No? Well they do, and that's why they gave you that nasty look.<br /><br />*Note: a curvey or chubby ass that needs a bit of a squeeze to get into a tiny Trimet seat is perfectly understandable and acceptable. But a gigantic ass is another thing entirely, and you know who you are, ladies!<br /><br />- The bus driver will stop at EVERY stop. SOMEONE is getting off at EVERY stop on the Hill. You do not need to lean over me and put your disgustingly saggy tits in my face and breath your rancid coffee-and-egg-mcmuffin breath on me in order to ring the bell. Believe me, we'll be stopping at the VA. We do every morning. Every...single...morning.<br /><br />- Talking in the morning is strongly discouraged. Talking and laughing loudly is prohibited. Do NOT start blabbering loudly with your co-worker. Some of us have exciting and/or scandalous lives outside of OHSU and may or may not have consumed a massive quantity of alcohol last night. Talking in the afternoon is acceptable with the exception of the following topics: how hard your day was, how much you have to do tonight, anything involving your children.<br /><br />- No bitching about the bus being early. This is PUBLIC transportation. And in fact, as OHSU employees we pay less for it than anyone in town. This is not a car service. Don't start running (waddling?) from 10 blocks away clutching that Starbucks between your meaty claws and expect that we'll be rooting for you. Just take the regular bus downtown, catch the 8, be 10 minutes late and learn from your mistake: you don't have time for that 3rd donut before you leave the house. And by the way, it wasn't early. You were late.<br /><br />- The bus will be full by the time we start up the Hill. The empty seat next to you is going to be filled. Don't be one of those assholes who thinks her lunch needs a seat all to itself. Don't sit on the outside seat; scoot in and be a person who lives in a society. When someone approaches your seat and is callous enough to suggest that you should share that 2-seater, don't move your legs into the aisle and expect them to scoot in. Either slide in like a regular person, or get up and let them in (even though you have obvious entitlement issues).<br /><br />- The bus is NOT the place to read the newspaper stretched out to full size. Either learn to fold a newspaper "train style" or wait until later to check your horoscope.<br /><br />- Rolling your eyes, or sighing, or complaining when a person with a disability gets onto the bus is not only rude and intolerant, its also 100% at odds with the fact that you WORK AT A FUCKING HOSPITAL!<br /><br />- Enough with the flowers. Its spring, and its actually nice of you to bring flowers to work (assuming they are for someone else...oh, they're for YOUR desk? Fuck you). Some of us are very allergic to flowers, and jamming them into our face for 40 minutes is going to make the rest of the day miserable. Its obvious that no part of your brain triggers the response, "what about other people?" so I'm here to remind you that yes, there are other people on the bus.<br /><br />- Male nurses in Danskos. You look gay. You might be gay, and that's cool, but know that you most definitely LOOK gay.<br /><br />- Sometimes, we all have to stand. If you are 40+ and overweight, I will not be relinquishing my seat to you, even though I am 30 and in excellent physical condition. I'm tired too, and I'm fucking sitting down. Don't glare at me because you're too heavy and weak to stand up under your own power for 10 minutes.<br /><br />See you this afternoon! <br /><br /><ul class="blurbs"><li> it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests</li></ul>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-81952236660061233262008-03-06T19:26:00.000-08:002008-03-06T19:27:25.130-08:00from metroblogging portlandTwice I've been on the 35 Macadam when the driver crossed the Ross Island Bridge, instead of turning right before the bridge to get on highway 43. <p></p><br /><br /><p>On the 10 Harold once a confused bus driver went around and around the Ladd's Addition traffic circle, and after a few laps and explicit and correct directions from passengers still turned onto the wrong street and had to negotiate those narrow streets in a bus; fun! ;-)</p> <span class="comments-post">Posted by: <a href="http://portland.daveknows.org/" rel="nofollow">Dave</a> at January 14, 2008 08:47 PM</span><br /> <p>OMG that's the biggest screw up I have heard of the driver must have been demoted from MAX to bus cause max only gos in two directions forward and reverse. I'm not a big fan of MAX but at least they don't get lost and I thought that the busses had GPS tracker and a direct raido to the office ie help i'm lost or what are you doing over there.</p> <span class="comments-post">Posted by: Dodge Ram at January 14, 2008 11:36 PM</span><br /> <p>I had a similar experience around Christmas when some smart young lad decided to drive his van over a concrete barrier and up on the max tracks. A bus had to take us the last few stops to the airport and the driver didn't really know where to go so a few of us had to sit up front and give her directions.</p><br /><br /><p>On the other hand I did learn on that trip that there are a small pool of bus drivers that are on call for when someone can't drive their shift. They are usually the new people as well so I think this probably leads to a lot of the lost bus driver stories.</p> <span class="comments-post">Posted by: <a href="http://lower49life.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Derek</a> at January 15, 2008 07:22 AM</span><br /> <p>sounds like someone needs a Garmin!</p> <span class="comments-post">Posted by: McAngryPants at January 15, 2008 08:00 AM</span><br /> <p>Crazy. This happened to me recently on the #4 when the drive failed to turn right from Interstate to Denver. I just recently started riding buses again, though I grew up in NE and took buses all through high school, then college, then when I moved back to PDX in the mid-90s. I *never* witnessed a driver getting lost. I wonder what's happened to their training program. I would think there would be some kind of cheat sheet or a GPS.</p> <span class="comments-post">Posted by: thisKat at January 16, 2008 09:12 PM</span>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-50902741332975180772008-02-28T07:16:00.000-08:002008-02-28T07:17:16.597-08:00Trimet (MAX) safety or lack thereof by Larry Norton<h3>Trimet (MAX) safety or lack thereof</h3> <h4>Posted by <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/oldtown/about.html"> Larry Norton, community blogger </a> February 26, 2008 14:19PM</h4> <div class="categories">Categories: <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/oldtown/crime/">Crime</a></div> <p>I ignored everyone in the world for the last 5 days to spend time with my California son. But, I could not ignore the individual on the Red Train to the airport Monday. An individual determined to pick on me as the main target.</p> <p>This occurred about 7:15 in the morning going east from Old Town. By all appearances, the person was under the influence of something. The train was not empty. Many looked like commuters not just those going to the airport.</p> <p>Although there was an assault - a threat of violence, there was no battery - no touching. Fortunately, I was protected enough by my son, and it turns out, by an unnoticed Trimet security guard. But, I have concerns.</p> <p>It had been clear to me since we boarded the train that something was wrong with this person. The security guard did come forward after the assault, but only after my son started to take action. The guard had been watching from the front of the car.</p> <p>But - the guard did not exclude and did not arrest. He did corner the person who proceeded to hurl epithets at him. The person stayed on for two more stops. After the person left the train, the guard apologized that the incident had occurred. </p> <p>Without my son's presence - old enough and big enough to protect me - what would have happened? Would the security guard have intervened quickly enough? </p> <p>Why didn't the security guard exclude the offender from the train? Why didn't the guard arrest? </p> <p>I don't know - but I am guessing that the security person like the private security supplementing the Portland police - have virtually no powers. If so - what good are they except for show? </p> <p>I'll take show, but I would have felt better knowing the person had been arrested or excluded from the Trimet system. I had to come back.</p>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-72165062191724376122008-02-01T12:52:00.001-08:002008-02-01T12:52:57.227-08:00by spokeninsanskrit<div id="cpost-container" style="display: block;"><div id="cpost-display"><div class="post"><div class="post-body">Trimet is the public transportation system here in Portland. I've been riding the bus & max (max=light rail) to work since last August and for the most part I really like it. It's certainly done wonders for my reading. But there are frustrating parts about it and a few weeks ago I had the worst experience. Here's the email I sent to trimet: To whom it may concern, I'm pretty frustrated. The max ticketing machines at 2nd and Taylor eastbound often don't function. Today the machine ate a 5 dollar bill from me. I had to go to the ATM to get another 5 dollars only to find out that the other machine wasn't accepting bills either. I ended up not paying the fare (or paying 5 dollars depending on how you look at it) to the 42nd ave transit center. I did an errand and then waited at the bus stop going north on 42nd just past Sandy (75 line) where I waited 15 min past the bus due time only to have the bus drive right by and not pick me up! It was right under the streetlight so the driver must have seen me. I would at least like my 3.25 back. Here's the response I got back: You need to call 503-962-2444 and speak to a customer service rep. They will fill out a claim form for you that goes to finance for a refund. Thanks a lot.</div> <p class="post-footer"><em>posted by ./dave at <a href="http://spokeninsanskrit.blogspot.com/2008/01/tri-met-customer-non-service.html">9:17 PM</a> on Jan 31, 2008 </em></p></div></div></div>Al Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-45393468908098883082007-12-25T17:20:00.001-08:002007-12-25T17:20:26.886-08:00THATS RIDICULOUS, by jeff roseThis is what dawned on me tonight:<br /><br />I've noted before that overall communications at Trimet is pretty sub-par. For<br />instance, we<br />might hear about a policy that is going to take effect somewhat in advance- but<br />we never<br />hear about it when it is initially being discussed. I have experienced this<br />outside of work to<br />with stuff relating to my neighborhood. So what dawned on me is that I know<br />more about my<br />work from what I read in the newspapers than I do from actual communications<br />from<br />management. How much have you all read in papers, or heard on the news- and<br />maybe on<br />various blogs about our current security issue? How much have you heard about<br />it through<br />communications at work??!! If I had a passenger who had obviously been reading<br />the papers<br />and asked me anything about what we are going to do to address our problem- I'd<br />have to<br />tell them that they probably know just as much as me. That's ridiculous.<br /><br />JeffAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-51137193685502370662007-12-25T17:02:00.000-08:002007-12-25T17:03:13.765-08:00We need a daily briefing, by jeff roseFirst of all, Merry Christmas!!<br /><br />Now that that's out of the way, I have a little story from the<br />weekend that highlights Trimet's biggest problem- communication.<br /><br />Last week I received an email alert (one intended for the public<br />that I signed up for) that said that from 7 am Friday through the<br />end of service on Monday (I think) busses would not be going into<br />the parking lot at Clackamas Town Center. I think it was either on<br />Tuesday or Wednesday that I got the email. Any of the busses that<br />serve the Town Center (28,29,31,71,72,all the 150's that go there<br />etc) would pick up and drop off people around 85th and Monterey.<br />OK, great!<br /><br />When I started asking people around the Powell garage- nobody had<br />heard ANYTHING about this. On thursday, the night before, the<br />station agent was stuffing notices into the pouches when I was<br />passing through on my way home and I asked her if they were for the<br />Town Center changes. Yes, they were. I asked here when SHE had<br />first heard about the temporary change- She said "less than an hour<br />ago."<br /><br />On Friday I didn't go anywhere near the town center- I was doing the<br />15. I had the weekend off- but on Monday I was doing 72 in the<br />morning. I checked the pouch after I left the garage- no notice.<br />In the garage before I left- no notice about the change posted<br />ANYWHERE. After doing an off-line trip on the westside, I<br />deadheaded to Swan Island and fortunately I got there before my<br />leader left and he explained exactly what was going on at<br />Clackamas. Had I not signed up for public email alerts and had I<br />not been talking to people about this change- I would have probably<br />arrived at Clackamas Town Center completely unaware of what was<br />going on. The best official clue would have been a BDS Message that<br />read:<br /><br />"*Clack TC d'heading buses: please do NOT use the BACK entrance to<br />Clack TC from Sunnyside exit off I-205 use the CENTER lane exit, R-<br />Sunnyside, R-82, R-Monterey to Temp layover"<br /><br />?<br /><br />OK, what does this tell me? If I am clueless about what's going on<br />I'm going to think that there is an accident or something blocking<br />the normal "back door" entrance to the town center.<br /><br />So in any case, what's wrong with posting a notice about the changes<br />a week before they happen so that operators know what the hell is<br />going on? Maybe we could actually tell all the passengers that<br />ride around the Clackamas area a couple days before it happens!!<br />Also, it would greatly cut down on our stress level if we are<br />adequately prepared for this kind of thing.<br /><br />What could we do to set up a system of communications that will<br />allow operators greater access to this and other kinds of<br />information that will help us be better prepared in the future?<br /><br />I would like a daily briefing of some sort posted somewhere in the<br />garage that gives us the heads up on a variety of things that are<br />going on around the company. Little snippets with contact<br />information for the person that we sould have to get in touch with<br />to learn more- or where to find more info on Trinet!!! In any case,<br />I'm tired of being out of the loop.<br /><br />JeffAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5668109517354956318.post-24789491446518504452007-12-09T10:19:00.000-08:002007-12-09T10:20:53.006-08:00listen to me, by jeff roseFred's speech to the City Club appears to be a pretty comprehensive plan of<br />attack- but<br />it's missing one thing. Howabout improving communication with your troops on<br />the<br />ground!!<br /><br />The "Enhanced Safety and Security Plan" suggests taking these steps:<br /><br />1. Increase police presence and officers<br /><br />2. Increase fare inspection<br /><br />3. Improve maintenance of Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)<br /><br />4. Expand the Code of Conduct<br /><br />5. Improve station areas<br /><br />6. Reevaluate Fareless Square<br /><br />7. Establish partnership with Victory Outreach Community Services, Inc.<br /><br />I propose adding:<br /><br />8. Improving communications with operators: operators are the organizations<br />eyes and<br />ears out on the street. Although they don't see everything that goes on, they<br />often times<br />observe the early behaviors that later result in crimes being committed both on<br />Trimet<br />properties and in the areas surrounding them. Operators should feel that when<br />they<br />observe behavior that is in violation of Trimet code, they can easily reach a<br />dispatcher and<br />that the dispatcher will either notify a nearby supervisor, Wackenhut security,<br />or the police<br />depending on the situation. In order to improve communications with operators<br />we<br />should have at least one more dispatcher on duty at all times, and should place<br />an<br />emphasis on being able to communicate safety and security issues quickly when<br />the BDS<br />and VCHs are redesigned.<br /><br />This should actually be number 1, if you ask me.<br /><br />JeffAl Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06670275801784105978noreply@blogger.com0