This Week in the Mercury
Tom Bissell Writes What He Wants
Magic Hours: Essays on Creators and Creation Is a Book of Essays About Things!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Transportation The Official TriMet Bus Route Rankings
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Former Columbian reporter Michael Anderson quit his stable newpapering job this year and struck out to found a little Portland newsletter about walking, biking and public transit issues. The first issue of Portland Afoot just launched this week. It's an interesting media model: $5 gets you a subscription to the print version of the newsletter and the website is wiki-based, so anyone (not just Anderson) can edit Afoot and add info.
Anyway, the first issue includes a project I've been meaning to do forever and never have: ranking all the TriMet bus lines! Check out the rankings pulled together from public information like how often buses on certain lines are late.
1
Notice something about the five most reliable? They're all fairly low ridership lines since they're placed out in the suburbs or in areas where commuters mostly drive their own vehicles. I can tell you the 20 and 6 are very heavily used by commuters (and transients) and the 44 is heavily used by people going to PCC-Sylvania.
So in other words, if people are using the damn busses, they can't stay on schedule. No surprise there. The bigger problem is Trimet's inability to write the schedules accordingly.
So in other words, if people are using the damn busses, they can't stay on schedule. No surprise there. The bigger problem is Trimet's inability to write the schedules accordingly.
3
Sarah, what we NEED are the rankings for most dangerous routes.
Which routes had bus drivers hitting pedestrians, bikers, or cars most frequently?
Which routes had the most criminal activity complaints?
Which routes had the most police/security interaction?
THOSE would be good numbers to rank.
Which routes had bus drivers hitting pedestrians, bikers, or cars most frequently?
Which routes had the most criminal activity complaints?
Which routes had the most police/security interaction?
THOSE would be good numbers to rank.
5
I've noticed that the accuracy of transit tracker has taken a nosedive in the past 4-5 months. Buses either won't show up at all or are 5-10 minutes after they say they will.
Hey I don't care [much] if a bus is delayed, but why bother with the transit tracker if it isn't going to be helpful?
The 45 is one of the scariest rides. Seriously, catch the one going at about 8:30 through hillsdale. Chick does a good 45 down Beaverton Hillsdale HWY to Barbur.
Hey I don't care [much] if a bus is delayed, but why bother with the transit tracker if it isn't going to be helpful?
The 45 is one of the scariest rides. Seriously, catch the one going at about 8:30 through hillsdale. Chick does a good 45 down Beaverton Hillsdale HWY to Barbur.
6
For dangerous crime wise, #4 Fessenden is the reason I bought a car it was horrible; the #75 in North PDX, #6 MLK used to be worse but since MAX came in they are just busy. MAX took all the glory for being full of shitheads likely to rob you.
7
Try riding the #72 up and down 82nd ave every once in awhile. The sea of defeated faces and bodies on those buses will either send you spiraling into a state of near catatonic depression, or forcefully pull you out of such a state as you realize just how fucking good you have it, and how petty your problems are compared to some.
8
Nicest / safest-feeling to ride of the ones I've taken reasonably regularly:
1. #8
2. #15
3. #77
4. #14
5. #6
6. #72
7. #4
Notice the correlation with the wealth of the areas they travel through?
1. #8
2. #15
3. #77
4. #14
5. #6
6. #72
7. #4
Notice the correlation with the wealth of the areas they travel through?
9
Hey, pulling my head out from under a launch-induced avalanche to thank you for the shout, Sarah! It's an honor to be competing with you.
And @rabblevox et al, we're on it ... I would LOVE to get crime and safety figures, but they're hard to shake out of TriMet, which conveniently doesn't track most of the things you mention. Rest assured they're on our list ... and if you have other ideas for what we should cover, let me know. Michael@portlandafoot.org.
And @rabblevox et al, we're on it ... I would LOVE to get crime and safety figures, but they're hard to shake out of TriMet, which conveniently doesn't track most of the things you mention. Rest assured they're on our list ... and if you have other ideas for what we should cover, let me know. Michael@portlandafoot.org.
10
I ride the 20 a lot, and the iphone trimet app has accurate arrival information time 99% percent of the time. I'm sure they have an android version too. I think this information just needs to be more widely disseminated, since I think trying to stick to a fixed schedule creates unnecessary constraints for already burdened bus drivers.
11
I rode the #44 and #45 lines for a few years, and I suspect their lack of reliability score results from factoring in winter performance, for they both operate in hilly areas greatly affected whenever there is ice or snow.
Most Commented on Blogtown, PDX
-
City's "Overnight Sleeping" Program Finds First Host—and Neighbors React in Ugly Fashion by Denis C. Theriault
-
Oh, Did You Think The Great Gatsby Movie Was Going to Be Good? by Alison Hallett
-
Feds Dish Out $745.2 Million to the Light Rail by Alex Zielinski
-
Happy World Goth Day! by Marjorie Skinner
-
Game of Thrones Recap: Calm Before the Storm Edition by Joe Streckert
-
Good Morning, News! by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Portland Button Works Opens on Killingsworth by Alison Hallett
-
Ye Olde Underground Loo by Alex Zielinski
-
We're Number One! by Alex Zielinski
-
Weekend Eatings: Corazón and The Slide Inn by Marjorie Skinner
Our Friends
- UrbanHonking
- Culture Shock
- Portland Roundball Society
- Steph Cassano
- Cort and Fatboy
- Street Roots
- Powell's Books Blog
- Portland Transport
- Portland Afoot
- Bike Portland
- Eater: PDX
- Portland Food and Drink
- Mr. Movie
- Sunday Softball
- BlueOregon
- Sightline Institute
- Ultra: Arts Portland
- Bitch Magazine
- Blazer's Edge
- Reading Local: Portland
- Portland Food Carts
- Stumptown Vegans
Our Enemies
The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.
Bands Page
Housing
Jobs
Musicians
For Sale
Wheels
Services
Health
The Arts
Friends 'N' Neighbors
Bulletin Board
Personals
Adult
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (11) RSS