TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen may have skipped two public hearings on the matter, but apparently he got the message: Portlanders don’t want TriMet to curtail Fareless Square, cutting it back to 7 am to 7 pm, as a stop gap measure that TriMet says will shore up public safety. Hansen has killed that proposal.

TriMet will, however, do a “comprehensive review of fareless” over the next 18 months, as previously announced.

TriMet opts for comprehensive review of Fareless Square rather than taking quick action on limiting hours

After evaluating more than 700 comments from the public regarding a proposal to limit the hours of Fareless Square, TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen has announced that at this time, there is no proposal being forwarded that would limit the hours of Fareless Square. Rather, it will be part of his planned comprehensive review of fareless that will be launched over the next few months.

Following several high-profile incidents on the MAX system late last year, Hansen launched a comprehensive security plan that 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 limited the hours of Fareless Square.

Hansen’s full statement is attached.

(Hansen’s statement is after the cut.)

TriMet Safety, Security & Fareless Square

TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen

January 18, 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.

Over the next several months, as I announced in early December, we will establish a public process on how best to evaluate the future of Fareless Square, and address security issues in fareless. It will be an open, thorough process that involves and engages the public. At this time, however, we will not take forward a separate proposal to limit the hours of fareless. Please visit trimet.org to find out how to provide additional feedback on this process.