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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Transportation TriMet Plans to Nix Fareless Buses

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 3:26 PM

The public comment period opens today on TriMet's plan to end free bus rides in Fareless Square. To close a $3.5 million budget gap (caused by a combination of high gas prices and plunging payroll tax income) TriMet's plan is to keep only MAX and streetcar fareless downtown and also reduce the frequency of some bus lines by two-four minutes. A study last year revealed that Fareless Square cost TriMet between $2.72 and $3.26 million.

"Since 4 MAX lines will serve Fareless Square when the MAX Green Line opens in September, most trips within fareless could easily be taken on rail," writes TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch.

The reduced bus frequency and cut lines should raise eyebrows, though, because demand for public transportation is at record highs thanks to the recession. While Portland cuts bus lines along other towns all over the country, some cities like Chicago are recognizing the strong need for public transit and are working to increase both use and funding. But despite huge public transit ridership recently, the Oregon legislature has not made public transit funding a big priority. The major state transportation package that sets the budget for the next two years includes about $900 million for road-building projects but only asks for the allocation of $24 million to split between bikes, ped and transit projects. Also, the legislature is allowing TriMet to increase the local payroll tax to bring in revenue... but only after the economy improves. In the depths of the recession, TriMet is left in the lurch.

Also! The state has given public transit only a sliver of federal stimulus dollars marked for transportation projects. According to a draft of a report that Smart Growth America plans to release next week, Oregon funneled 67 percent of its federal stimulus money into road maintenance and new road projects and put only nine percent toward transit.

Submit public comment here on the plan.

 

Comments (12) RSS

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1
How much do they think people will spend to go from one end of DT to another? Gonna be some empty buses downtown.
Posted by Blabby on June 24, 2009 at 4:29 PM · Report
2
"demand for public transportation is at record highs thanks to the recession."

That is a completely false statement. TriMet's own data shows a 4.3% reduction in ridership from this time a year ago. That took me about 5 seconds to find using the internets:

http://www.trimet.org/news/releases/jun11_…
Posted by GLV on June 24, 2009 at 4:48 PM · Report
3
We should raise gas taxes to cover the difference.
We should raise gas taxes to discourage driving as a primary form of transportation.
We should raise gas taxes to cover other financial lackluster areas.

The golden age of the automobile is done.
Posted by NIG GER on June 24, 2009 at 6:03 PM · Report
4
I haven't see any cognizant arguments against ending the fareless square area for the buses. Until such time as someone comes up with one, I will remain supportive of that aspect of the plan.

On the other hand, I am against some of the bus frequency reductions.
Posted by Graham on June 24, 2009 at 6:39 PM · Report
5
Do you know that the government makes around three times as much as oil companies do from gas taxes?
So just tell me - how are you going to get your mattress home from the store? How did the mattress get to the store?
Posted by D on June 24, 2009 at 6:59 PM · Report
6
@D I rent a truck from Zipcar for $11/hour, which includes gas and insurance. I find zero need to own a car in Portland, for anything that requires hauling (of people or goods), Zipcar works great for me and at a much cheaper rate than owning a car.

Businesses like IKEA even give you a discount on home delivery if you take the MAX. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/portland/s…
Posted by Andy Mesa on June 24, 2009 at 8:22 PM · Report
7
Andy Mesa, your poo don't stink! Please tell me how to be more like you. (In the form of a self-righteous scolding, of course.)
Posted by Blabby on June 24, 2009 at 8:33 PM · Report
8
Andy: In case you didn't know this, Zipcars run on gasoline. You know, gasoline from oil?
Posted by GLV on June 25, 2009 at 8:46 AM · Report
9
What does it mean that fareless square is "costing" the city 2.7 million? Is it really "costing" the city money to make stops in downtown that they're already making? Or are they just using weird math to determine the amount of money they could have potentially made.
Posted by I Like Your New Haircut on June 25, 2009 at 11:01 AM · Report
10
King Hippo, numbers and public employees are like oil and water, so who knows what that calculation means.

All transit is publically subsidized, so technically it all costs us millions of dollars.
Posted by Blabby on June 25, 2009 at 11:49 AM · Report
11
Doesn't Tri-Met operate Max and the trolleys? If so, what difference does it make which ones are free? Or maybe I'm just confused.
Posted by ujfoyt on June 25, 2009 at 1:51 PM · Report
12
I'm still waiting for Sara to respond to GLV's correction of the ridership rate. A point of view is seriously discredited when assertions are shown to be assumptions.
I for one am looking forward to a better smelling bus ride.
Posted by spartacus on June 25, 2009 at 2:29 PM · Report

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