Comments on: No excuse for not having a valid fare on TriMet http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/ Collaborative coverage of news and events, with a focus on community. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:46:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ryan http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-5589 Ryan Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:01:06 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-5589 Last I saw, the digital machines that are not the super new ones ran Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS; at least, I used to see Windows error messages quite often. They should run Linux or some embedded OS for reliability. Last I saw, the digital machines that are not the super new ones ran Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS; at least, I used to see Windows error messages quite often.

They should run Linux or some embedded OS for reliability.

]]> By: alainb1 http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3684 alainb1 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:32:42 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3684 A few nights ago there were 5, countem 5, armed Transit Police checking fares at the Willow Creek transit stop. The young officer I spoke to was courteous and since I had my fare there was no problem, but you have to wonder if an officer went Chasse and decided draw his weapon how many bodies do we need on the Max before the absurdity of this cat and mouse ends. Trimet already has the technology to turn a possible armed intervention into a simple transaction. They have wireless card readers that can process a fare. I have purchased a ticket at Willow Creek from a TriMet rep during one of Willow Creeks all to frequent breakdowns, give them to the fare inspectors. I agree with the earlier post - either fixem or get the machines off the platforms. They need to quit trying to social engineer by clubbing folks riding the trains with $250.00 fines. I love TriMet, it's my preferred method of transit, but this on-going fare tug of war has got to stop. A few nights ago there were 5, countem 5, armed Transit Police checking fares at the Willow Creek transit stop. The young officer I spoke to was courteous and since I had my fare there was no problem, but you have to wonder if an officer went Chasse and decided draw his weapon how many bodies do we need on the Max before the absurdity of this cat and mouse ends. Trimet already has the technology to turn a possible armed intervention into a simple transaction. They have wireless card readers that can process a fare. I have purchased a ticket at Willow Creek from a TriMet rep during one of Willow Creeks all to frequent breakdowns, give them to the fare inspectors. I agree with the earlier post – either fixem or get the machines off the platforms. They need to quit trying to social engineer by clubbing folks riding the trains with $250.00 fines. I love TriMet, it’s my preferred method of transit, but this on-going fare tug of war has got to stop.

]]> By: dieselboi http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3682 dieselboi Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:49:51 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3682 I am not trying to say TriMet shouldn't be held accountable, yet if it was a job interview and in the back of my mind I knew that sometimes (even in a blue moon) the ticket machines may not work, I honestly would either arrive early to make sure or I would pre-buy a ticket. TriMet isn't off the hook, but since they don't seem to be fixing the situation any time soon, I would rather be prepared than have to deal with delay or a ticket. Just my two cents. I am not trying to say TriMet shouldn't be held accountable, yet if it was a job interview and in the back of my mind I knew that sometimes (even in a blue moon) the ticket machines may not work, I honestly would either arrive early to make sure or I would pre-buy a ticket. TriMet isn't off the hook, but since they don't seem to be fixing the situation any time soon, I would rather be prepared than have to deal with delay or a ticket. Just my two cents.

]]> By: Talea http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3681 Talea Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:18:05 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3681 Dieselboi: I think you're missing biketard's point. We should be able to count on the ticket machines working. We shouldn't have to have "advance knowledge" that they often don't. I've ridden trains all over the country and around the world for that matter. I've never before run into the kind of unreliability that the TriMet system has. If TriMet wants to turn the occasional or first-time rider into a regular, its ticket machines need to be reliable. Period. Itr's really not rocket science. The fact that they don't work reliably and that bloggers like yourself have to warn people to have a backup plan just kind of points out how bush-league the system is. I agree people need to be prepared -- but why should we settle for such a low standard of service? Dieselboi: I think you're missing biketard's point. We should be able to count on the ticket machines working. We shouldn't have to have "advance knowledge" that they often don't. I've ridden trains all over the country and around the world for that matter. I've never before run into the kind of unreliability that the TriMet system has.

If TriMet wants to turn the occasional or first-time rider into a regular, its ticket machines need to be reliable. Period. Itr's really not rocket science. The fact that they don't work reliably and that bloggers like yourself have to warn people to have a backup plan just kind of points out how bush-league the system is.

I agree people need to be prepared — but why should we settle for such a low standard of service?

]]> By: Dieselboi http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3671 Dieselboi Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:57:16 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3671 <a href='#comment-3670' rel="nofollow">@biketard</a> - Thanks for the comment. I would put your experience in with the tourist/first time rider category. My statements above were more for those who ride MAX regularly. Can I ask a question: When you decided to take MAX to this interview, did you have any thought that the machines may be down? Just an inkling of a thought? I assume you are a Portlander and you obviously read blogs. What if that fare inspector had taken you off the train to write the ticket. That would have certainly delayed you. Wouldn't it have been better to maybe, just maybe, been prepared for a broken machine? @biketard – Thanks for the comment. I would put your experience in with the tourist/first time rider category. My statements above were more for those who ride MAX regularly. Can I ask a question: When you decided to take MAX to this interview, did you have any thought that the machines may be down? Just an inkling of a thought? I assume you are a Portlander and you obviously read blogs. What if that fare inspector had taken you off the train to write the ticket. That would have certainly delayed you. Wouldn’t it have been better to maybe, just maybe, been prepared for a broken machine?

]]> By: biketard http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3670 biketard Sun, 08 Feb 2009 11:13:33 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3670 i rode the max out to a job interview a few weeks back. two of two machines at my downtown stop were broken, and there was the max. i didn't want to be late to a frickin' job interview in this economy, so i hopped on the train, fareless. sure enough, fare inspectors got on a few stops later. i thought about trying to sneak off the train, but i just womanned up and told them the machines were broken. i was very polite and honest, so they let me get away with it, but the experience certainly didn't make me more eager to sacrifice an extra two hours to public transit on my current commute out that way. it's nice to give people a heads-up about the broken machines, but you (and trimet) shouldn't put the onus of apparently chronically broken machines on riders. a one-time rider will stay that way if she gets (threatened with) an expensive citation because the fare machines were broken when she honestly tried to use them. i rode the max out to a job interview a few weeks back. two of two machines at my downtown stop were broken, and there was the max. i didn’t want to be late to a frickin’ job interview in this economy, so i hopped on the train, fareless. sure enough, fare inspectors got on a few stops later. i thought about trying to sneak off the train, but i just womanned up and told them the machines were broken. i was very polite and honest, so they let me get away with it, but the experience certainly didn’t make me more eager to sacrifice an extra two hours to public transit on my current commute out that way.

it’s nice to give people a heads-up about the broken machines, but you (and trimet) shouldn’t put the onus of apparently chronically broken machines on riders. a one-time rider will stay that way if she gets (threatened with) an expensive citation because the fare machines were broken when she honestly tried to use them.

]]> By: Andy http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3582 Andy Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:43:47 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3582 <a href='#comment-3580' rel="nofollow">@Aaron</a> - I understand your concern.But if you look at the ticket box - it has many unreliable components. Most importantly it has to maintain network connection for validating credit card. With the RFID solution, you don't need anything of that sorts. The user puts credit on their card via web. And the thing that is local just wipes money off the card based on distance traveled. This also reduces the number of people traveling without ticket to almost 0. There are genuinely a few of those too. @Aaron – I understand your concern.But if you look at the ticket box – it has many unreliable components. Most importantly it has to maintain network connection for validating credit card. With the RFID solution, you don’t need anything of that sorts. The user puts credit on their card via web. And the thing that is local just wipes money off the card based on distance traveled. This also reduces the number of people traveling without ticket to almost 0. There are genuinely a few of those too.

]]> By: Aaron http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3580 Aaron Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:23:49 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3580 @Andy that sounds all well and good, but if TriMet can't keep simple credit card readers working, do you think they'll be able to keep an entire RFID system up and running? It still doesn't eliminate the card/cash payment issue, regardless of the technology used. @Andy that sounds all well and good, but if TriMet can’t keep simple credit card readers working, do you think they’ll be able to keep an entire RFID system up and running? It still doesn’t eliminate the card/cash payment issue, regardless of the technology used.

]]> By: Andy http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3575 Andy Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:38:22 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3575 Trimet should have electronic fares based on RFID. Once a person enters it should log boarding station and when the person gets off should deduct based on where that person board. Do away with the old ticket and validation Trimet should have electronic fares based on RFID. Once a person enters it should log boarding station and when the person gets off should deduct based on where that person board. Do away with the old ticket and validation

]]> By: hilsy http://ourpdx.com/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/comment-page-1/#comment-3566 hilsy Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:18:56 +0000 http://ourpdx.net/2009/01/no-excuse-for-not-having-a-valid-fare-on-trimet/#comment-3566 Here's a link to a Mercury blog item that includes a video of two folks checking numerous fare and validating machines in a single day: http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2009/01/12/max_fare_woes_highlighted_in_v Here’s a link to a Mercury blog item that includes a video of two folks checking numerous fare and validating machines in a single day:
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2009/01/12/max_fare_woes_highlighted_in_v

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