You would think they had never seen a train before.
I deboarded the bus on Main Street yesterday, and caught my first glimpse of the Yellow Line rolling down SW 6th. I stopped and took in the sight, a momentous occasion. It seemed like a ‘What’s wrong with this picture?’ test. Normal, yet odd.
I wasn’t the only one. As I walked, I saw others pulling up to take a moment, probably a half-dozen folks in the blocks between the bus stop and Pioneer Square. I was fetching a monthly bus pass, and many others were doing the same. I held the door for a few people, then realized they would all end up in line in front of me, so I moved in. It was my nice-guys-finish-last moment of the day: I was about fifteen deep waiting to get to the window.
Disclaimer: I love TriMet. It’s my ride. But dammit, it feels like the ride I praise so highly is trying to get me to start driving again.
I haven’t paid fare on a bus in ages. I do the all-zone monthly pass and make every effort to get my $86 worth. I try to buy well in advance to avoid the last minute rush, but that didn’t happen so I fell in with the procrastinators. Three windows were open, with two other windows in ‘be right back’ mode. (They were helping someone with lost and found, I think.) The others? Long, complicated stories about how they had changed their name and shouldn’t have gotten the ticket blah blah blah. Everyone seemed to have a complex issue. Couldn’t one window just sell tickets and passes?
Seriously, I’ve watched one well-meaning fellow spend ten minutes telling the nice lady behind the window about how the garbage can at the bus stop by his apartment was overflowing, and they should do something about it. Hers was the patience of Job. I’d have come out from behind the window and found a fresh garbage can to stuff him into.
Having secured the pass, I noticed the new schedules were out. Woohoo! I grabbed the usuals, including the MAX schedule. I can take the Green line in two weeks! Yeah, right. It stops running downtown before I get off work. Hey TriMet, not everyone is done working or drinking by 11:30 PM.
At least I can catch the Yellow line up to PSU, closer to my bus, right? Of course not. With a few exceptions, the Yellow line will be ending at the Rose Quarter early in the evening. One will have to transfer to the Green line, or one of the others that heads up Morrison. The Green line runs every half hour. Great.
Bus? Well, I live out in Southeast, and had pretty good bus service up ’til now. After the 12th of September, Saturday service near my house will stop. A grocery run will mean hauling stuff 9-12 blocks. That’s fun times. It’s a good thing I’ve embraced walking, I’ll be doing a lot of it. Work? Where the bus ends, I have to walk most of the way to work to get to the first MAX stop, so why bother? I’d catch it one stop, then have to backtrack. Sensible shoes are in order.
I won’t even start about how the half-hour waits at the MAX stop near my house will increase the appeal of a late-night walk. Maybe I can borrow the neighbor’s pitbull…
All this bitching isn’t getting us anywhere, but thanks for listening. I’m grateful to have a bus and MAX to get around on, but I’d be more grateful if they hadn’t carved service back to 1975 levels. We bought our house with the knowledge that construction would be eternal, but first-class transit was on its way. First class? Maybe, but I’d settle for second rate buses that get me a little closer to home. Since I’m stuck with buses, guess I’d better settle, huh? It added insult to injury when I noticed the bus stop by the Foster MAX was moved yet another long block away. Thirteen blocks to the bus now.
My driver’s license with the horrible picture is valid until 2013. Maybe it’s time to start watching the police auctions for a hooptie…
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The cutbacks suck, but if they can’t afford to run it like they used to, then I’m not sure what the alternative is? Raise prices?
TriMet for me has always been part of a balanced system. For trips under a mile, I walk. For trips 1-2 miles, I bike. For trips that require highways or are time sensitive, I ride my motorcycle (which cost me all of $1500 and does 50 mpg). For anything that requires hauling, I use Zipcar. And of course, TriMet is always there when I need it, and I use it often.
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