In Other News...

Portland Mercury

Fred still rides the MAX!

Credit: http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/, Al M

Service Alert for line 15

15-Belmont/NW 23rd

Effective Jun 5, 2011: Construction will close the westbound lanes of the Morrison Bridge for the summer. Line 15 buses to NW 23rd will be detoured onto the Hawthorne Bridge. More

TriMet

Amtrak Uber Alles

I used to think Amtrak’s poor service was a symbol of this country’s disinvestment in public transportation. As the author James Howard Kunstler likes to say, “American trains are the laughing stock of Bulgaria.”
Portland Urbanista

Ironic, ain't it?

So, I was listening to the radio a little bit ago and...
The rest of this work/school week is due to be rainy and cool; much like the past few days of this week. Then we have the weekend. This weekend is apparently supposed to have highs of 80! 80! Can you believe that? I can't.
This Portland weather has been weird this spring and, at least for me, annoying; nice, sunny, warm days....on the weekdays when everybody is at work or school. Then the weekend will come around and we'll have rain.
Now it looks like the tables will be turned.
We shall see what happens, i guess, but i, frankly, would just be happy if it was sunnyish and warmish....


**See, this is what happens when I don't want to work on my other work; i find quite random, unrelated things to blog about! Darn you homework and blogger temptation...

Oregon Senate passes speed limit reduction bill

Bike Portland

War on Workers

 What unfolded this spring in the U.S., beginning in Wisconsin, was a secretly planned, carefully coordinated attack on the fundamental human right to freedom of association and collective bargaining of workers in the United States.  The extreme right, empowered by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United (giving corporations the right to unlimited spending in the political arena) decision and the resulting billionaire-funded tea party movement, captured the lions’ share of state legislatures and Governor’s mansions in the November 2010 mid-term elections.  Perceiving the labor movement as terminally weak, they boldly launched all-out war. The numbers speak for themselves. 
The 2011 right wing war on workers: How is the Workers' Rights are Human Rights fightback movement faring?

The parking/biking trade-off: Q&A with PDC Director Patrick Quinton

Bike Portland

Portland Streetcar Inc. urges USDOT to fund bike-sharing system

Portland Streetcar Inc. Board of Directors member Chris Smith tells us the letter is, "Very much emblematic of "big tent" thinking about active transportation and the opportunities for mutual support between transit, biking and walking."

Portland Streetcar Inc. could also have designs on running the system and managing the public/private partnership that will be required to make it succeed (something they've already demonstrated success at with their streetcar system).

Bike Portland

Got my laptop back and working! These were those times that make me VERY glad my dad can fix computers and knows just about everything possible (at least it seems like that to me) about them.
Back to usual!
But now i gotta do homework...*sigh*

Letters: Transgender benefits, TriMet, health insurance rates, in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, capital gains tax, skewed priorities

Customer satisfaction 
As The Oregonian reported May 28, TriMet has shelved the $46,000 warning system it purchased from ProTran1 because it either overactivated or underactivated and could not be properly calibrated. Because the agency purchased the units outright, TriMet says, they cannot be returned. Spokeswoman Mary Fetsch says, one can only assume with tongue firmly planted in cheek, that "if there are other transit agencies that would like to try it, we'd be happy to help them out." 

I guarantee you, if I had purchased an expensive piece of equipment that malfunctioned or otherwise did not work properly, I would go, receipt in hand, right back to the business where I purchased it and ask for a refund. And I would get it. Is there a reason TriMet can't (or won't) do the same? It seems to me a simple matter of consumer satisfaction. 

GAIL E. LOWY 
Wilsonville 


Oregon Live

BoJack

Somebody got a phone call
Lock up your stuff in inner southeast Portland
Media-flack revolving door continues
New drains for Waterfront Park?
50 more gangsters on Oregon streets

TriMet adds extra service for Starlight Parade

http://trimet.org/news/releases/jun1-starlight-service.htm
*extra service for MAX

TriMet: Rose Festival Service

http://trimet.org/news/rosefest.htm

A question...

So, when buses (let's use 51 for an example) layover at a place like 5th and salmon st are they required to keep the bus doors open for passengers to board or are they allowed to keep them closed?
Hmm...did I phrase that right?

Jump start by Robb Armstrong

"The train was where it was supposed to be, and the car was not"

"The train was where it was supposed to be, and the car was not," said Metro-North Spokeswoman Marjorie Anders. "The car caused damage to our train."

Haha! Best quote ever!

Metro North To Bill Driver Of Car Struck by Train

Michael Anderson

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/06/michael-anderson.html

Hallejula. Laptop is working and I will (probably) be able to use it later tonight.
:)

This will go down well...

Sagging pants banned from transit system
good luck enforcing that one!

Stupiditiy in the driver's chair

Police Probing T Bus Road Rage Case

Transit District in trouble for banning photographs of their system

MTA warned: Let photographers Shoot

Jobs with Justice Rally and Picket Outside June 2 Regence Hearing

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/06/jobs-with-justice-rally-and-picket.html

Cell Phone threat

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/06/cell-phone-threat.html

Photos: Seen on the Hawthorne Bridge

Bike Portland

TriMet will add extra service for Portland Starlight Parade

• MAX Blue, Green, Red and Yellow Line trains will continue to run through downtown during the parade. All MAX stations will be open. MAX will run on Saturday schedules, but with increased frequency until midnight. Riders should plan to add extra time to their trips through downtown because trains will be stopped periodically for the parade.  


• The last Green Line train to Clackamas leaves Portland State University Urban Center/SW 6th & Montgomery Street station at 11:35 p.m. The last Yellow Line train to Expo Center leaves PSU Urban Center/SW 6th & Montgomery St station at 12:38 a.m.

• The last Red Line train to the Portland International Airport departs from the Pioneer Courthouse Square south station at 10:43 p.m.

• Starting at 5:30 p.m. shuttle buses will pick up riders at Northeast 13th Avenue and Holladay Street, then travel to Southwest Second Avenue, with stops at Taylor, Morrison, Oak, Ankeny and Everett streets. After the parade, shuttle buses will pick up riders at each of those five locations on Second Avenue before dropping off at Northeast Multnomah Boulevard between 11th and 13th avenues.

• Buses will run on Saturday schedules. Buses will continue to run through downtown on the Portland Transit Mall along Fifth and Sixth avenues during the parade. Five bus lines – 9, 12, 15, 17, and 20 – intersect the parade route and will be detoured. 


Oregon Live

United States of Morons

Palin uses her hand as note paper
Look closely at her hand in the picture...

June 2011 Open Thread

Portland Transport


~~~~~~~~~
Alright. Signing off for the night and probably won't really be able to post much of anything until tomorrow night around 9:00-30 unless my laptop decides to spare mercy on me.
Until then...

Bus Drivers play chicken

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/06/bus-drivers-play-chicken.html

The Pink Thing is spotted

Happy June!

Hopefully summer actually comes soon (aka, bye bye rain)!