Last day on MAX

Well the day is here. Today is my last day riding the MAX in Portland. For almost 2 and a half years I have rode the Red Line from ParkRose to downtown 5 days a week religiously. It was only recently that I started this blog to record my daily travels and tribulations. I wish I had started it sooner because its always been an adventure to share.

The MAX to some is a means of transportation that they will never step foot on due to the news reports of random violence that litter the local news media. Yes there is some crazy shit that goes down on MAX sometimes. But shit, there a hundreds on crazy things that happen on other mass transit systems every damn day and people still ride. Look at the NJ/NYC PATH or NYC subway even BART in Cali has violence. I believe that you need to get on and ride to see the real deal. I also believe that 90% of the shit that happens on MAX is a direct result of bad fair management on TriMet's part.

Young teens and homeless in my opinion make up the majority of these problems. You never hear of a 35yr old business man calling another passenger a "fuckin whore" and then stealing his/her bag? Its always some deranged homeless dude or a kid trying to look tough in front of friends that is beating down a 70yr woman or snatching purses from other teens minds their own business. TriMet does nothing to stop fair jumpers at all. They put random fair inspectors at some stops to check fair, when they have 5mins free from stuffing their faces with donuts and coffee. Ridiculous.

If MAX was run like a subway or PATH train system passengers would pass through a turn style system by swiping their monthly/yearly card or purchasing a single ride ticket. This would cut out a great percentage losers that skip fair each day and cause the issues TriMet faces. Its just a bad design they have now and they think by hiring cops for stops or trains will help. Money could be spent on better equipment that could outlast an officer's shift.

Obviously I have a lot to say about how TriMet manages their system. One day they will get it, right now they don't.

When I moved here from New Jersey about 3yrs ago I never thought I would love it so much. MAX has been but a small part of my Pacific Northwest adventures over the last few years. Hiking in the Gorge and around Mt Hood and St Helens is an experience that I will always remember and also a reason to one day return. As for now, I am transferring to my firm's main office in Houston, TX. I am not at all trading my hiking boots for cowboy boots, no way no how.

A great opportunity has guided me this way. It is a huge move for me and my family but has many benefits right now in my life and career.

MAX, I will miss you and your interesting characters you shuffle to and fro...

Peace out for now-

pdxMAX (Nigel)

Fair Inspectors arer back!

Wow! TriMet is working these inspectors. This is the 4th time in two weeks we have stopped at 82nd Ave for Fair Inspectors to board and take off the deadbeats. The MAX operator has even been announcing a warning that they will board and we still have idiots saying "I didn't know where to pay" or "its not free".

Haaah. I love it. And why is it that everyone they bust has no form of ID!? WTF?

Anyway. iPod battery is dead have to listen to rider commentary.

pdxMAX

PDXMAX blog is moving

Its sad to announce that I will be leaving the PAC NorthWest in the next couple of months. My job is taking me to Houston, TX. Wow, big change I know.

My family and I have found a new home and will be moving around the 1st week of December 2008. Houston has a small light rail system in downtown but I will be able to make it part of my daily commute. I will miss the MAX and its strange/odd/weird/asshole/funny/freaky/smelly riders.

You never know, maybe TriMet will buy my blog! Haah! Yeah right.


More updates will follow.

pdxMAX

 

It's Official

Well it is indeed official, I am being relocated to Houston, Texas. My firm's main office is in Houston and my position is in great demand down there. My family and I will begin our journey sometime in Oct/Nov.

I will be heading down there for work and house hunting the week of the 25th. My wife will follow for a few days. We have been looking in the area of Houston called "The Woodlands" about 45miles north of downtown. Friends and co-workers in that area will make a move much easier to deal with.

I will definitely miss the Pacific Northwest although its only been 2yrs since I got here from NJ. I thinks its a wonderful place to live and have a family. Texas I hope, will provide that same feeling, less the beautiful mountains and cooler air!

I will post more about the move as the days wear on.

pdxMAX

Back to School

Back to School week:

It used to be a fun time when you could catch up with friends that you hadn't seen all summer. Trade new numbers, talk about what classes you had and such. But that was back in the day...

Now its... Hang out at the MAX platform and talk shit about your friends and family. Talk as loud as possible on your cell in a full train to your BFF who is riding in the car behind you. Then at the next stop yell louder into your cell while your BFF runs out of one car and into the other before the doors close.

I never thought I would say this but, "damn kids these days!"

Stay tuned for my back to school fashion report friday.

pdxMAX

Cat on a leash

Friggin white trash idiots. What the hell are you doing dragging a cat around on a leash? Then bringing it on the MAX? She talking to the cat like it knows what the Eff she is saying. "Come on kitty, move over so people can walk here". shorten the friggin leash you dumbass then the cat won't be able to walk under folks as they make their way to the platform.

I don't understand it

Blog Drought

Its been a week or so since my last post and I apologize. I was in Houston, TX for a few days last week/weekend on business so that took me away from riding MAX. Houston has a light rail system I found while there but I don't think it has a cool name like, MAX, PATH or BART. I think they just call it the "Light Rail".

Portland light rail has been interesting this week to come home to: Steel Bridge is closed.

I almost forgot about it. So now you can ride the MAX to Convention Center and exit to catch a Shuttle bus that will take the Burnside Bridge across the river and drop you at the Chinatown platform. Or ride MAX to the Rose Garden stop and exit there (if you don't get off, the Blue or Red line that you are on will become a Yellow line and head towards the Expo Center) and walk across the bottom of the Steel Bridge. The bottom of the bridge is used by freight trains and has a bike/walk path. This walk takes about 10 mins to get to Chinatown and is much nicer than the Shuttle run I think. The down side: the bottom bridge is a draw bridge and will open for large boats/barges. This sucks cause that adds like 15mins on to your walk while you wait for the bridge to close again.

Its a nice walk from Rose Garden to the office (on 6th ave) on a nice, dry day- rainy days will mean shuttle time.

Time to get off the MAX and walk! Till next time,


pdxMAX

On business, in Houston

I will be in Houston until late next week. Hopefully I will be back in time for the Friday Eavesdrop.

See ya soon-

pdxMAX

Monthly Pass Reminder

TriMet Monthly Pass Reminder - Get your August pass now!


http://trimet.org/fares/wheretobuy.htm

Friday Eavesdrop

Man and Woman talking(man is a case worker)

"I work as a case worker"
"Do you like it?"
"Yes. We help lots of families"
"Abused kids?"
"Yes"
"Wow, isn't it illegal to whoop yer kids"
"No, beating is illegal, whoopin' ain't. I have never been whooped. My family never whooped me"
"Damn! My daddy whooped me and I turned out ok! Haha!"
"Yes you did"...

"So do you plan on moving back here"
"Nope"
"I'm gonna move to Jersey or Detroit"

pdxMAX

Wednesday Fair Inspection

Wednesday brought at least 8 active TriMet Fair Inspectors to the Parkrose Transit Center. When I say "active" in mean those who actually work or inspect. Not hold up the wall with their back and just stare into space collecting a paycheck.

It was nice to see them working. The crew formed a line at the top of the freeway overpass that leads to the Parkrose platform. As riders made their way across the overpass to the parking lot, each person was asked to show valid fare. Quite creative I'd say. If you pay one guy to do this job and he continually fails at it, why not hire 7 more and place them all at the same bloody station! Hah! That's efficiency TriMet!

They did end up catching 5-10 different fair skippers. So job well done Fred Hansen, now if you keep that up at each station with less inspectors per station you might be on to something.

pdxMAX

Rude kids & Seat robbers

Monday was very uneventful on MAX. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I heard a young teen boy yelling at his parent over the phone that he needed them to bring him to the mall so he could buy a new PlayStation game. But that's the norm for America lately, letting kids act like adults or have no form respect for anyone older or of authority.

Today I'm sitting behind the "Corporate" MAX rider. Yeah, the guy with his luggage in the seat next to him taking away from the elderly lady who now must stand. Sipping on his Venti Starbucks and reading some classified technical document on his laptop while sporting his Sony ear buds. What a D-Bag. I mean at least offer a the seat and put your case in the aisle. Not sure why I seem to get pissed at these fools but they get to me. 

pdxMAX

The Friday Eavesdrop

"I will be there is five minutes or less"

"Follow that street down to Halsey. Damn it I can't think of that other street name"

"We're about to go so sit down"

"There is a sign on the front and the back of the train that tells you where its going"

"I'm gonna be another 15-20 minutes, yeah, sorry"

"Call her, she wants you to call her"

Enjoy your weekend-

pdxMAX

Quiet Week

It's been quiet riding the MAX this week. I will try and re-cap...

Summer is definitely here. The temps have been in the high 80's and 90's so that means less clothes for the women and more gawkers at each stop.
I've seen a huge increase in the 'nomads', as I call them, or transient teens. You know; army fatigue shorts, ripped up old punk band t-shirt, kool-aid colored and/or shaved heads, sporting large backpacks or army rucksacks. I swear they all walked here from Burning Man. I have nothing bad to say about this group. They are always chill when I see them, they seem to come outta the wood work!

I seen a young boy and his mom on the MAX this week and they were singing a child's song. When they came to a part about milk the young boy grabbed a hold of moms milk factory joking of feeding like a baby. Quite funny actually. Mom quickly stopped the boy in his tracks..."That is my body! It's not funny. They are not toys!" And after all these years I thought they were toys, I stand corrected!

Fair Inspectors and Portland Police were spotted and a few stops (Gateway, Rose Garden, 82nd Ave and even Parkrose). They seemed to be there as a threat to make you think they were checking fairs, but never entered the MAX to do so. I did get to see some very panicked faces on a few riders who were praying they wouldn't get spotted.

Steel Bridge construction continues to move forward. It actually looks like they could complete it by end of August. Starting August 2nd TriMet will close the bridge to allow the project to be finished forcing riders off the trains at the Rose Garden and offering a shuttle to Chinatown (15-30min) or walking the bike path on the lower level of the bridge to Chinatown (15mins). From Chinatown the MAX will continue on its path.

And last but not least-TriMet Code 28.15 violators, the platform smokers. It's the one thing that I can't friggin stand. Smoke in your car, home or in the parking lot but don't light up on the platform. It's a non smoking zone and I don't want to breathe it in assholes.

pdxMAX

The Friday Eavesdrop on Thursday

Happy Friday on Thursday!

"There is a blue line train right behind us that has more room"

"The map is right there by the desk. You can call her back if you want? I'll take care of it when I get home."

"My fiance got off early"

"We have been talking bout it for years"

"Excuse me! Pregnant lady coming through! Excuse us.... Don't listen to him..."

"Who needs to get off? I do! Well I'm doing the best I can!"

Enjoy the long weekend!

pdxMAX

Lazy TriMet Inspectors

3 Fair Inspectors hanging out on the Park Rose platform and not once did I see them attempt to check for fairs! Now granted this is usually more of a "corporate" transit center full of daily commuters and very few fair skippers. Still this shouldn't be a hangout for the overweight ex-bus driver turned Fair Inspector.

These clowns have it made, hang out, look busy, and get paid. And TriMet wants to put police at stops? Make these fools work Mr. Fred Hansen! Sure cops could help with crimes at stops but so could these guys. Stop letting the fair skipper go free and unchecked.

Normal Monday Morning

Sorry for leaving you hanging last week but a man needs his time off from work on occasion.

Today has started off to be a typical Monday MAX ride full of platform smokers, seat hoggers (airline employees! WTF, share the seats ass) and MAX engineers that can't tell time (see my Twitter post). School and the sun is out so that must mean all of the jackasses are here too!

Portland Police and TriMet Fair Inspectors were at the 82nd Ave MAX stop today. This is the first time I have seen Fair Inspectors since mid May! But they of course were too lazy to check our train. It was easier for them to stand like wall flowers against the light post and ask to see fairs before riders boarded. Moving more than 3ft to enter a train and check fairs would be considered work and may cause them to drop a few pounds as well. Lazy ass fools.

That's enough from me this morning...

pdxMAX

Freight Train derailed in NE Portland

A freight train derailed around 7 a.m. Thursday at Northeast 102nd Avenue and Northeast Fremont Street, not far from MAX's Gateway Transit Center. Clean up will continue through Friday causing traffic delays on I-205 and 84.

Read more @ KOIN NEWS

On Vacation

Sorry for the lack in posts this week. I am on vacation relaxing at home with the young ones. I may have a reason to ride the MAX this week, so we will see what happens. If not, I will resume diary entries on Monday the 30th.

pdxMAX

Portland MAX Diary on Spicypage

Check out The Portland MAX Diary on Spicypage.com


Vote for my blog at

TriMet's WES Rail Cars are Here

These vehicles will be used on TriMet's new Wilsonville-Beaverton commuter rail line.

http://trimet.org/wes/vehicles.htm



WES will begin serving Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville in the fall of 2008.

http://trimet.org/wes/index.htm

Light rail construction to interrupt MAX two weekends this summer

Gateway to 102nd Ave service impacted in June & July...

Read More at:

http://trimet.org/news/releases/june20_blueline.htm

The Friday Eavesdrop

"Either you or Holly need to go to the airport today and get $50 worth of Pesos"

"Mom, is this what rush hour looks like?"
"I hate math, I don't get the numbers part"


Kinda quiet Friday ride home.

Observed many woman with low cut shirts and shorts, must be summer. Guys sporting shorts and sandals to work as well. A cute couple holding hands in the square and a ton of homeless teens/young adults. Not sure where they all came from but the warm weather drew them out. Oregon has a top ten rating for the amount of homeless (16,221 as of Jan 2005) individuals living in the state.

Well- on that downer... I'm getting off of this MAX train.

pdxMAX

Timelapse Video of MAX Crossing Installation

A cool little video of construction workers moving WAY faster than they do in real time...

http://www.portlandmall.org/video/crossing/index.htm

Friday Eavesdrop

Man says to woman-
"Should I drop you off at the Barn first?"

Person on cell-
"Do we still have potatoes at home?"

Woman-
"No thanks, I have been sitting on my behind all day"



Boring day for conversations. The man next to me is reading 'Jumper'. He is quite ripe smelling too. Someone 2 rows back is cranking the Eagles at like 200 decibels in their headphones, sounds good though.

Enjoy the weekend!

pdxMAX

No Biting

My toddler was in a stage where biting was her best defense as well as favorite thing to do at daycare. My wife and I would give the morning reminder "no biting at school today" in hopes that would deter her from doing so. Well I'm glad to say that she has moved on from that and has only bit on occasion.

So this morning my little reminds me "no no biting on the train daddy!". My wife and I broke out laughing. I said, "daddy won't bite on the train, don't worry". It got me thinking though...imagine the diseases you could quickly get by biting your neighboring rider?
Or could you use this technique as a deterrent?

Imagine...

-A lady is flipping out on her cell and is so loud its getting on everyones nerves... Bite that bitch! I bet she shuts the hell up quick. Or at least drops the cell fast.

-A business man has just boarded the train and is taking up 2 seats with his bags... Bite that fool right in the shoulder and let him know that he is only allowed to occupy one seat at a time! (A shoulder bite should make him remember you each time he mounts that laptop bag on it)

-A transient bugs you for change even after you have told him you have none... Bite that dude (if you want an instant dose of Hepatitis) in the back of his hand so every time he puts it out for more $$ he will remember that time some dude said no, twice!

-A smoking hot female (or male depending on your wants & needs) sits next to you and you can't help but notice... Bite her! This bite is not meant to be sexual, it is performed to let that person know that they are hot and you noticed. (Ok, maybe I'm off my rocker on this one- but it could be fun)

A world of biters would and could be safer than the world we have now...all diseases aside.

Ok back to reality-

pdxMAX

Steel Bridge Construction through August 24, 2008

Taken from The Portland Mall's site:

http://www.portlandmall.org/news/steelbridge.htm

Transit and auto traffic will be affected as crews install new MAX infrastructure.

New MAX tracks on 5th and 6th avenues will connect with the existing MAX system on the Steel Bridge. Construction on the Glisan Ramp is under way, with more extensive work to begin in June

TriMet continues to break ridership records

From TriMet's site...

http://trimet.org/news/releases/june10_ridership.htm

Agency sets new record of 8.9 million monthly ridesTriMet MAX and bus
ridership breaks new records in May 2008:


-A record 8.9 million monthly rides were taken during the month.

-Weekly rides on MAX and buses were up 4.4 percent from May 2007,
averaging 2,064,800 rides. This record is also a 3.3 percent increase over April
2008 weekly figures.

-Weekday trips increased to an average of 225,200 bus rides and 112,100
MAX rides. Bus increased 4.4 percent and MAX increased 1.6 percent from May
2007.

-Weekend ridership averaged 217,500 bus trips and 160,800 MAX trips.
Bus increased 7.6 percent and MAX increased 11.2 percent from May 2007.

-More commuters are riding during morning rush hour (7-9 a.m.): an
additional 5,400 trips were taken as compared to May 2007, an 11.2 percent
increase from May 2007. This brings the total morning commute trips to 52,500.

-New record trips taken during evening rush hour (4-6 p.m.): an
increase of 6,000 trips as compared to May 2007, a 10.2 percent increase. This
adds up to 65,100 daily commuter trips in the evening.


"This continuation of record ridership shows that riders are looking
for alternatives to driving and ways to help offset high fuel prices, and TriMet
is a great alternative," said TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen.

Ex-cons

To pieces of shit sat behind me today talking about how they both got locked up and why. Both couldn't have been more then 22yrs old. They laughed about a woman who was raped and murdered (by a cell mate) and were just plain d-bags. I'm sure they rode Max for free today as well.

It sickens me that they both had the same views.

pdxMAX

Friday Eavesdrop

Each Friday I will post the random phrases and conversations that I can hear from my seat. Enjoy.


"It's ok my uncle just moved out of his parents house and he is 38"

"I have to clean the bathroom at home since it's my weekend"

Man says to woman: "Did you vote for Obama in the Primary?"
Woman says: " I'm not gonna answer that!"

-----News Break-----
A small pickup truck just came within about a foot or less of running straight into the MAX that I am on in downtown. The truck came barrelling out of a parking garage and right towards my window! Holy Shit! Ok sorry, back to the eavesdrop.
-----------------------

"If I hold the END button down on my cell while it powers off it keeps vibrating and won't stop, nifty feature"

"You need a job like WalMart cause when have that baby, they will put you on maternity leave, they have to!"

Have a great weekend...

pdxMAX

Can I borrow your phone?

This is not the 1st time I have been faced with this question. Its probably the 5th. The last time I agreed it was for a guy lost trying to get to his girl's house and being from outta town he was way lost. So a 2min call wouldn't kill me.

This morning I step on the MAX and within 30 seconds this homeboy asks me if he could use the phone or if I could make a call for him and tell the girl on the other side that he's on his way. Without hesitation I agree. Now for those that may know me that would not have been my answer 2 or 3 years ago riding the MAX or better yet the NY/NJ PATH train. It woulda been "get a effn job!" Or "sorry can't help you". But living on this side of the world has calmed or smoothed out my rough edges.

Anyway, homeboy tells me the number, I call and no answer. He thanks me and says "she prolly still got da ass in bed". At that point she calls me back. I put the cell on speaker and let them chat. The thought crossed my mind as it did the last time I lent my phone...'don't jack my phone'.

Homeboy made his call and got his pickup lady to meet him at the next stop. He thanked me again and hand back the cell. Now I know what your thinking, what if she calls back the next time she is looking for him thinking this is his cell? What if it was just a drug pickup and she gives my number to the police. (That would be funny!) You know what, who cares. You live only once and if you stay hiding in the shadows I'm sure your time here will get real boring.  I answered a simple favor from a stranger, maybe one day when I need a favor a stranger will lend me a hand too.

pdxMAX

Monday Night Max

The crowded train is packed tight with mostly high school kids making their way to the Lloyd Center mall. Conversation fills the car from front to back. Cell phone chatter about what's for dinner to dropped calls ("did you hang up on me!?") Can be heard from any seat. I'm in the front of the train near the driver and for some reason there is this obnoxious beeping coming from behind the driver's door. Has he fallen asleep at the controls while riders exit? Are we stuck at this stop and its time to walk? What the heck is beeping and why can't he make it stop!?

Now the driver has just parked the MAX and powered it off at this stop. He comes out of the drivers pod and says "Someone was nice enough to pull the Emergency Door lever at the stop" as he makes his way to check both cars and reset the door. Ah ha! The Emergency Door Is Ajar Alert was going off, I get it now.

He's back and spits "I love 2 year olds!" as he starts the train back up without delay. The overhead speakers should be playing Willy Nelson's "On the Road Again".  That might help me from overhearing some kid on his cell explaining the meaning of Eminem's song "Cleaning out my Closet" to his girlfriend.

Ok good he got out, thank you God.

Almost home...

pdxMAX

Panhandlers

What's the law? Are they allowed to solicit on the train?

There is one guy in his early twenties that will get on an try to sell candy. He makes his way through the car asking for any amount of cash for candy in trade. I did see a lady dig in her purse one day to find a quarter...she got a box of orange Tic-Tacs on that trade. Nice deal, but where did those Tic-Tacs come from?? Did he get them new or were they just a homemade refill? No one knows and no one seems to have the balls to ask him.

Did he make a large Costco purchase and now he is just raking in some mad loot? I doubt it. But I'm sure that 25cents is still helping him show a positive ROI.

pdxMAX

TriMet's Proposed fare increase

From TriMet's website today...

TriMet's fares are reviewed annually to ensure they keep pace with inflation.TriMet had planned to increase fares in September 2008 just five cents for general inflation. But with the exceptional increase in fuel, TriMet is proposing an additional $.15 or $.20 increase to cover the budget gap and future high fuel costs. That would bring the total September fare increase to either $.20 or $.25 for cash fares. Because of the volatility of the fuel market, TriMet’s Board of Directors is watching diesel prices and will make a decision on the rate at its June 25, 2008, board meeting.

Read more here...

The corporate MAX rider

The suit wearing business men that ride the MAX from the airport into downtown, these are the clowns I speak of. Can they not afford a cab? Limo?

My main complaint is how they don't move for other passengers or they take up multiple seats with their carry-on and laptop cases. If you have more than one bag, take a friggin cab jackass!

Don't get me wrong, there are many well dressed riders and the occasional suit rider as well. I'm not grouping them in this category. I'm directly speaking about the business man from out of town that rides and forgets how to be considerate to other riders on his trip.


pdxMAX

Quiet Tuesday

Its obvious that yesterday was a holiday. Its so darn quiet on MAX today. No cell phone gabbers, no loud mouth kids, no teens complaining about school, even the homeless seem to have stayed in bed one more day.

Its kinda nice, although it makes for a boring blog day without these creatures of habit to report on.

I'm sure this afternoon it will more interesting.

pdxMAX

Voices

The voices that surround me...

MAX Speaker:
"The doors are closing. In the priority seating area you are required to move for seniors and people with disabilities." "Doors to my left"

Girl next to me on her cell:
"She said, Oh you want a trim? No I told her I want it cut! Hahaa, what did you say? Yeah, uh huh. I miss you...yeah I do..."

Riders directly behind me:
"I think this is our stop"

Two guys chatting near the door:
"That's fine with me. They have their ways and their deals. I don't care how he does it, I'm just gonna get one for June. He has some of them, and that's what I'm looking for."


Couple behind me a few seats are speaking what sounds to me like Spanish.


Happy Friday-

pdxMAX

Red line #249A

3 stops from mine and these punks ass kids get on screaming over a seat. The 3 of them try to push and shove and yell about who is sitting by the window. All of this is taking place about 4cm from my ear! The mother is on the train somewhere but she doesn't care that they are making a scene she's just happy they are not yelling into the back of her head! She obviously needs to protect that Gucci bag she's sporting 1st, those kids can wait.

Ahhh, I made it outta there. God is good, and he's making tomorrow Friday!

pdxMAX

Red Line Max Car# 210A

On the Red Line from Pioneer Square the driver has the door open and her teen daughter is chatting with her while we are moving. I believe that could be a direct TriMet violation!

Fareless Square...

What is Fareless Square?

"Ride for free in downtown Portland & Lloyd District All trips that begin and
end within Fareless Square are free—all day, every day.
Fareless Square includes most of downtown Portland (within the boundaries of the Willamette River, NW Irving Street, and the I-405 freeway), as well as MAX stations from the Rose Quarter to Lloyd Center and bus stops along NE Multnomah to 13th
Avenue.
When boarding a bus, MAX or streetcar in Fareless Square, just take a
seat and enjoy the ride—on us! Fare is not required unless you are traveling
outside of the Square."

Here is a statement from TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen about the future of Portland's Fareless Square (January 2008):

"Following several high-profile incidents on the MAX system, I outlined a
comprehensive security plan in early December to address safety issues on the
transit system. This plan included hiring more police officers and contracted
security, having a zero tolerance for those who break TriMet rules, establishing
more enforcement tools for our police and security forces, adding more security
cameras to MAX platforms, increasing lighting, fixing faulty Ticket Vending
Machines, increasing fare inspections and limiting the hours of Fareless
Square.

To date we have:

-Signed agreements to establish a Westside Police Precinct based in
Hillsboro
-Conceptual agreement for an Eastside Police Precinct
-Hired
more police officers and other contracted security spending more time riding the
transit system
-Expanded the authority to immediately remove individuals
from the transit system who are violating the TriMet code – the Interdiction
Command increases by two hours the time an individual is restricted from riding
transit, now set at six hours and is able to be used for disruptive,
intimidating and rowdy behavior
-Installed security cameras at more MAX
platforms, bringing the total to 30 platforms with cameras
-Increased
lighting levels in 1,800 lights, plus installed floodlights at NE 82nd and
Gresham Central MAX stations
-Expanded our Rider Advocate program to have
another community-based organization ride the system to prevent disruptive or
illegal activity
-Increased fare inspections and added the option for riders
to purchase fares at station concessionaires


We will continue to measure the effectiveness of these security
measures and determine if other steps are necessary. Already, feedback from
riders has been that they have begun to notice a difference.

We also heard a lot of feedback about the proposal to limit the hours
of Fareless Square.
Our security plan initially included a two-phase
approach to Fareless Square – take steps now to limit the hours of fareless to 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. – and then launch an all-inclusive public process to study the
future of Fareless Square over the next 18 months.
After evaluating more
than 700 e-mails, letters and comments from two public hearings held earlier
this week, one thing is clear: there is a lot of passion and strongly held views
about Fareless Square.

The comments ranged from wanting to limit the hours or eliminate
fareless altogether, to keeping it just the way it is. There was also support
for taking a broader look at the future of fareless.

Fareless Square is so much a part of this region and its environmental
stewardship and reputation. Taking quick action on changing Fareless Square is
obviously easier said than done."

Fair Inspectors!

Oh my god it must be that time year for them to show their face. I have not seen a fair inspector on the Red line since as far back as October.

About MAX Fair Inspectors:
The Fair Inspector is needed because to ride the Max one needs to purchase a ticket on the platform from a machine (similar to the PATH/Metro Card machines). The ticket is only good for the zones it was purchased for, unless you buy an All Day/All Zones pass. The problem is that a lot of riders don't buys tickets because they have learned from TriMet's lack of Fair Inspectors that they can pretty much ride for free. With that said, I should clarify my phrase "a lot of riders". The majority of non tickets holders that I have seen in my short tenure riding MAX are either teens or the homeless. The homeless ride the lines all day. Back and forth collecting cans, panhandling, begging. Its also an easy ride to the stop right outside of the Portland Mission.


Most of the commuting workforce who ride the Max have yearly or monthly passes with a photo ID on the pass. This keeps us safe from the Fair Inspector. But I could forget my pass at home and not buy a ticket and still have a 90% chance or better of making it all the way to downtown and back home without ever seeing an official TriMet Fair Inspector. That's pretty sad on their part considering the amount of lost revenue they must experience from fair skippers. They do hand out fines (not sure the fee) for not having a ticket/pass but I doubt this makes up for the masses that skip paying and never get caught.


Final thoughts before my stop:

-Could More Fair Inspectors = Less Crime on MAX??

-Get rid of Fairless Square??


pdxMAX

Is it Tuesday?

Monday Morning:

Its 7:45am at the MAX stop and a drunken voice calls out to anyone listening on the platform "is it Tuesday??". No one answers as he continues off the platform. He must hate Mondays as well.

Monday Afternoon:

Max service was halted between PGE park and the Rose Garden Arena because of a damaged electrical cable on the Steel Bridge (max of course is electric). Shuttle buses are moving people from downtown to the Rose Garden to catch the Eastside Max(s).

On the shuttle bus is where a young man sits beside me and begins his chatting. I sense a hint of Pabst Blue Ribbon on his breath..."Hey how are you?" He mumbles. "Good thanks" I reply. "I'm heading to school, here you coming from?" He says. He continues to question me about what I do and where I am from. He tells me that he is a very nervous person and that he has to perform a speech in his Theology class tonight...

Why do they flock to me?? Do I look like someone you know? Huh?!! I like to sit and keep to myself and get the heck home but noooo I attract all the odd ones! Let me be clear, I have nothing against Theology, college, school, PBR or any of that...Just ride the bus already!

"I'm not a nice guy..."

May 16th, Morning-

So I thought that I would make it to the weekend without anything to report, I was wrong. My stop is next so I get up outta my seat and begin to walk past a man that is slightly gaunt and scruffy sporting those "over your spectacles sun shades" and a ratty old baseball hat. His legs are across the seat next to him and feet danging into the aisle that I am walking through. I kindly make sure that I don't bump into him and he ever so slightly moves his feet from my way. Not in a million years would I have thought that he would next address me with his indirect mumbling...

"You know I am not required to move my feet for you" spills from his mouth. I rally back with my east coast attitude on deck, "Did I ask you to move your feet!?". "No, but I didn't have to" he says. "Well then I guess your a nice guy for moving when others wouldn't give a crap" I said.
He then says, "I'm not a nice guy, I am a very very bad man with a good heart"...

OK, time to get off this MAX and leave wack job to bask in the sun knowing that he has a good heart, even though he has probably murdered 27 people and 16 small animals and lives in a shack somewhere in Forest Park.

"Have a good day" was all I could say after that.

******************

May 13th-

Its a little after 5pm and pdx cops have a max at Chinatown stopped to investigate. I'm sitting still at Yamhill district. This blows! 10mins later we are on our way.

Over hearing a dude talking on the phone telling his sister that he just got his parole reduced today. Now he is telling her not to hangout with "sum dudes cause they be trouble n shit". "Cause I said so! Don't hang wit dem fools, they punks".

I'm feeling very tired today almost dehydrated like.

RED Line squeeze

With the RED line running almost 15mins late this afternoon (4:58pm from Pioneer Square) it caused a tight squeeze on MAX. At the Yamhill stop a man tried to keep a female passenger from boarding, stating that there was no more room. She wasn't having it. As she should, she pushed her way on board and gave the gentleman a piece of her mind as well...something was uttered about how she wasn't gonna "waste her 2hr ticket" because they are spendy. You go girl! At least she had a friggin ticket.

Getting close to home, a polite lady stopped to ask me where the Portland Sheraton Hotel was. I gladly explained and she was happy to tell me that she would be there tonight on the evening news telling John McCain what she thought of him while wielding a life-size Obama cardboard cut-out and a few buttons as well. Rock the Vote lady!

This past weekend...

So the family and I took the MAX this weekend to the Portland Rose Garden Arena to see an event. On the way there...Some lady on the platform at Parkrose decides that she needs to come talk to me and my child...

"was the baby saying 'Debbie'? That's my name! I thought she was saying Debbie, cause that's my name you know" Meanwhile, back in the real world, my child was actually saying "Daddy" because she prefers to speak to me instead of the mildly insane who travel the light rail.

Our trip back brought us in contact with "creepy cologne guy". You know, the guy who took a bath in Stetson and then used some motor oil to slick back his hair. He wears a set of Sony ear buds and is cranking some old metal rock. A Paul Bunyan red & black flannel keeps him warm along with his dark blue Levi's, soiled with dirt around the ankles...yeah that guy...

Man what an odd fella-

pdxMAX

Welcome to the Portland MAX Diary

Since moving here from the East Coast almost 2 years ago I have had the pleasure (if you want to call it that) to ride the Portland Light Rail or MAX almost everyday to my office in downtown. This blog will be postings of my daily commutes on the MAX. I will share with you my thoughts during the rides, my observations and even some eavesdrops.

So enjoy it, love it, hate it, its the Portland MAX Diary.

Thanks-

pdxMAX