Author Archives: TriMet Staff

Congratulations to our Operator of the Year award winners

Posted by in Behind the Scenes on .

General Manager Neil McFarlane has unveiled the results of TriMet’s 2013 Operator of the Year election. At an employee ceremony Thursday afternoon, May 9, he announced that the following operators had been selected for the honor by their peers:

Bus Operator of the Year: Willie Jack

Willie Jack, Operator of the Year 2013

Willie Jack, Operator of the Year 2013

With his seniority, Willie Jack could choose just about any route he wants. And these days, he chooses Line 17. It touches so many schools, work-sites, medical facilities, restaurants, stores, parks and other destinations as it travels from SE 134th and Powell and Concordia University and back out again.

If you’re on the 17 and getting a ride that’s amazingly friendly, on-time, safe and smooth—take a look in the driver’s seat and see if you’re in the capable hands of Willie Jack.

He has been inducted into the Million Miles of Safety Club and was also TriMet’s Operator of the Year in 1985.

Here’s what we heard from one customer who starts their trip on Line 71 and transfers to Willie Jack’s Line 17, “I take this particular bus to dialysis about three times a week and I have had him as my driver for about 4-5 months now. I am in a wheelchair. Yesterday the 71 was late getting to my connecting stop, and the 71 [operator] honked the horn, and this operator [Willie, on the 17] waited for me to get off and to get to his bus. I would have missed my dialysis had he not waited. I thought that was just great and he is a wonderful driver.” The customer added that Willie Jack was especially helpful when she came back to the 17 after a few months as a LIFT rider, post-surgery.

MAX Operator of the Year: Ivan Semenyuk

Ivan Semenyuk, MAX Operator of the Year 2013

Ivan Semenyuk, MAX Operator of the Year 2013

Is there anyone who hasn’t gotten a ride from Ivan? He works a busy Monday-Friday shift, operating the Blue, Green and Yellow lines, crisscrossing the region from Hillsboro to Gresham, Clackamas to Expo Center. Our numbers show he provided more than 323,000 rides last year!

He is now a two-time winner of MAX Operator of the Year. He won the award for the first time in 2008 and then again this year.

Ivan has received many commendations, including, “I received a bag turned into lost and found for a customer, who did not speak English. This operator talked to them on the phone and translated for me, and helped get the bag to them, as they were elderly.”

Part-Time Operator of the Year: Terrie Sweet

Terrie Sweet, Part-Time Operator of the Year 2013

Terrie Sweet, Part-Time Operator of the Year 2013

Do you commute to Marquam Hill in the morning on the 61 or 64? Maybe you catch the 38 from downtown Portland out Tualatin way in the afternoons?

Then you might be riding with Terrie Sweet, whose split shift schedule makes a sustainable commute possible for hundreds of commuters each week.

Four generations of Terrie Sweet’s family filled a table in the report area for the awards ceremony. “Grandma won!” exclaimed the littlest guest.

Million Miles of Safety

The ceremony also honored eight operators for reaching a prestigious safety milestone and earning admission into TriMet’s Million Mile Club. This is no small achievement.

It’s estimated that it takes at least 29 years of safe driving to reach the million mile mark. That’s the equivalent of driving 182,000 one-way trips on Line 25-Glisan/Rockwood; 15,000 roundtrips on the MAX Blue Line; or two trips to the moon and back. Million Mile Club operators must earn 29 annual Safe Driver Awards from the National Safety Council.

Congratulations to:

Chris Wolff

Teresa Woods

Douglas Hills

Rose Jordan-Fairley

Greg Butler

Karen Asio

Dennis Withrow

Howard Lee

 

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Anyone lose a fuzzy zebra bike? (A journey through TriMet Lost & Found)

Posted by in Behind the Scenes on .

An umbrella. A weed wacker. A cell phone. Some dentures. A paint gun. And one furry, spotted bicycle.

What do these things have in common? They’ve all been turned into our Lost & Found department recently. Lost & Found, located at our Center Street office in SE Portland, is staffed by station agents like Kathy Guirado, who told us that some of the items left behind on buses and trains are anything but “common.”

From wine and whiskey to dog food and cat litter pans, our Lost & Found department receives a steady flow of weird, lost items. A few years ago, someone even left a human skeleton on board! (That’s the weirdest one we’ve seen.)

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In 2012, our Lost & Found department processed more than 26,000 lost items. For years, umbrellas were the most frequently lost item… These days, it’s cell phones.

Visit our website for more information on what to do if you find or lose something on TriMet. We’ll do our best to get your item back to you as quickly as possible. (Note that unclaimed items turned into Lost & Found are given to charity after 14 days.) Once, we returned a plane ticket to the airport so a rider wouldn’t miss her flight!

 

Audio recording of conference call with General Manager Neil McFarlane

Posted by in From the GM on .

Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s phone conference call with TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane.

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4-19-13 conference call with Neil McFarlane

Riders will continue to have additional opportunities to discuss transit issues with Neil in May and also during evening hours. We’ll let you know about those events as soon as we have them scheduled.

Click on the link below for an audio recording of today’s conference call.

Conference call with Neil 4-19-13 (mp3)

 

 

Minor bus service improvements may be coming this September

Posted by in Rider News, Service Updates on .

TriMet Line 4 bus and ridersWhile TriMet’s long-term financial future is still uncertain, our Fiscal Year 2014 Proposed Budget has some good news for bus riders. It includes $2.1 million for minor service improvements on a handful of busy lines, which will help relieve overcrowding and improve schedule reliability.

The following changes, if approved, would take effect in September 2013:

4-Division/Fessenden There would be a slight increase in frequency on weekends to relieve overcrowding.
6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Time would be added to existing trips to better match schedules with traffic conditions on weekdays and weekends.
9-Powell Service would begin 1/2 hour earlier on weekday mornings.
10-Harold St There would be minor weekday schedule adjustments to better match schedules with traffic conditions.
12-Barbur/Sandy Blvd There would be a slight increase in frequency on weekend evenings to relieve overcrowding.
14-Hawthorne There would be minor weekday schedule adjustments to better match schedules with traffic conditions.
21-Sandy/223rd Ave Service would begin 1/2 hour earlier on weekday mornings.
33-McLoughlin There would be a slight increase in frequency on weekday evenings to relieve overcrowding.
36-South Shore There would be minor weekday schedule adjustments to better match schedules with traffic conditions.
37-Lake Grove There would be minor weekday schedule adjustments to better match schedules with traffic conditions.
47-Baseline/Evergreen Buses would run to PCC Rock Creek, via NW 174th Avenue and Laidlaw Road, instead of running to Sunset TC. There would be more frequent buses between Orenco/NW 231st Ave MAX Station and PCC Rock Creek on weekdays.
48-Cornell There would be more frequent rush-hour buses between Sunset TC and NW Stucki Avenue on weekdays.
62-Murray Blvd There would be minor weekday schedule adjustments to better match schedules with traffic conditions.
94-Pacific Hwy/Sherwood Mid-day express buses would be added and rush-hour local buses would be added between Tigard TC and Sherwood to improve transfer connections.

Learn more about the proposed improvements and how you can provide your feedback

Educating our legislators about transit

Posted by in In the Community on .

By Jan Campbell, Chair of TriMet’s Committee on Accessible Transportation

When my husband died six years ago I made a decision to move to Downtown Portland, which has more accessible neighborhoods and better transit. I needed to maintain my independence and I know my life would have deteriorated in my Southwest Portland neighborhood.

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Jan Campbell, a transit rider and advocate for people with disabilities, met with State Senator Ginny Burdick and other lawmakers last Wednesday during the “Transit Day at the Capitol” event in Salem.

I shared my story with Senator Ginny Burdick during “Transit Day at the Capitol” last week to help her appreciate how vital transit is to riders with like me with disabilities. For many of us, public transit is the difference between living your life and living in isolation.

I’ve dedicated the last 35 years of my life to advocating for people with disabilities regionally and statewide. I am proud to be one of the nearly 100 Portland-area transit riders who gathered in Salem on April 10th to advocate for more funding for transit.

TriMet and Ride Connection riders met with more than 35 legislators to educate them on the importance of our public transit system in our lives. I think many of them were surprised at how difficult the last few years have been on riders, particularly those who rely on the LIFT program (TriMet’s shared-ride service for people with disabilities).

Every time the fixed-route service district is reduced it also reduces service to door-to-door riders. These cuts are dramatically hurting riders, many of whom depend on transit to get to their jobs, go shopping, go to medical appointments and access other essential services.

TriMet unfortunately is one of a number of transit systems that experienced deep service cuts and significant fare increases during this recession. It’s clear Oregon needs to invest more in public transit.

As part of my advocacy efforts, I invited my new legislator, Rep. Jennifer Williamson, to join me for a guided tour of our transit system. There is no better education quite like seeing our transit system and neighborhoods through the eyes of a person using a wheelchair.

Looking back: Portland transportation photos from 1882 to 1936

Posted by in From the Archives on .

We’ve been proudly serving our riders for over 40 years. However, TriMet wasn’t the Portland metropolitan area’s first transit service. We went back to the “archive” and uncovered some stunning vintage photos of streetcars, buses, riders, operators, floods, muddy boots, 19th century Portland buildings, mustachioed gentlemen, ladies in hats and more. 

For more information on the history of Portland public transit, visit trimet.org/history

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Seen and Heard: Super Mario Bros., Batman and random bus stop dance party

Posted by in Fun Stuff, Seen and Heard on TriMet on .

Batman“Seen and Heard on TriMet” is a regular compilation of some of the funny, entertaining and uplifting content we see posted about our system every day.

Want to get in on the fun? Just include #trimet in your tweets, and your content could be featured here on our blog.

Here are some of the highlights from the last few weeks:

 

ivettezmp:

I seriously love #trimet http://instagram.com/p/XDhPkRDovH/

davesgeekyideas:

MAX LRT Map – Super Mario 3 Style #trimet http://wp.me/pRwNS-1is 

TheAmyRush:

I love when #Pandora randomly plays out the “club” mix of any given song at 8AM…And a random bus stop dance party ensues…#trimet

mynameiserica:

Just discovered that apparently TriMet drivers have the option of wearing a kilt instead of pants. #comfortware

klangphoto:

Godzilla vs TriMet, Hillsboro, OR, Photo: K. Lang Photography http://klangphoto.tumblr.com/post/46341991414/godzilla-vs-trimet-hillsboro-or-photo-k-lang#_=_ 

EmilyKirk:

@OMSI has quite the view! @trimet is coming along nicely with the Milwaukie-Lightrail bridge! #PDX https://twitter.com/EmilyKirk_/status/317055951725289473/photo/1

mannyfresco:

The @trimet driver asked what spots we hit last night. “Treat it like taxicab confessions.” LOL

Portland_Beer:

Things to do today:

  • Make a list of my favorite Portland craft beers available on tap right now.
  • TakeTriMet around PDX.
  • Drink beers.

PDXZeb:

Early morning rides with @trimet. #4 https://twitter.com/PDXZeb/status/317667492162064384/photo/1

hlm906:

I love Springtime. Trees in blookm, the birds r chirping. #rosequarter #max #trimet Center is calm. #ilovepdx https://twitter.com/hlm906/status/317647388489691136/photo/1

Rider Profile: Writer Bill R. finds inspiration when riding on buses, MAX and the Streetcar

Posted by in Fun Stuff, Rider Profiles on .

Want to be featured in our rider profile series? We’d love to hear from you. Submit your story for consideration through our handy questionnaire at trimet.org/stories.

“If you ride to your neighborhood, you meet more people in your area, which feels like a big positive for commWilliam Runity building.”

Bill R.

Where I live:

In North Portland.

Why I ride:

My daughter and I ride the bus every morning—we board in North Portland and hop out in NW Portland to bring her to school. Once she’s in class, I walk back to the MAX and take that to work in SW.

This daily ritual not only offers a convenient, cost-effective alternative to driving, it gives us a more enjoyable commute together—we’ve been doing this for four years and have created numerous “spotting” games (numbers, letters, colors, words) that have been both learning opportunities and great fun.

I then take the bus or MAX home at the end of my work day. I enjoy talking with neighbors and fellow commuters, interactions that simply would not be available if I were confined to a car.

What modes I use:

Buses mostly, MAX regularly, the Streetcar sometimes. Because I work downtown and have a pass, I appreciate all of the options that are available.

My favorite things to do while riding:

Talking with fellow passengers, eavesdropping and playing games with my daughter.

My insight:

I work with people who have opinions about the bus despite not having ridden regularly—or at all. I’ve been riding every day for years and the biggest challenge I have encountered is an occasional boring story. If you ride to your neighborhood, you meet more people in your area, which feels like a big positive for community building. (Plus, I know most of the people at my local dog park from my daily bus rides.)

The thing I like best about living in the Portland area:

I love the small bits of creativity that appear all over town—funny “lost” signs on telephone poles, tiny little “lending library” cabinets on residential streets, pickle bucket drummers and on and on. The city can seem like a giant art project sometimes and that inspires and amuses me to no end.

What I’d like to share about myself:

I’m a writer, so I look for inspiration everywhere—and I find a lot of it on TriMet.

Rider Profile: “Using TriMet every day has helped me learn my way around the city pretty quickly.”

Posted by in Fun Stuff, Rider Profiles on .

Want to be featured in our rider profile series? We’d love to hear from you. Submit your story for consideration through our handy questionnaire at trimet.org/stories.
rider-profile-template

“The thing I like best about living in Portland? The people.”

Laura B.

Where I live:

In NE Portland.

Why I ride:

I ride TriMet everywhere! That is what I love about it. I can get out to school in Tigard, downtown or even IKEA if i’m feeling brave enough to juggle boxes of furniture! Since moving here from London last August, using TriMet every day has helped me learn my way around the city pretty quickly. I use the bus, MAX and Streetcar. I reckon TriMet could give Transport for London a run for it’s money! All that’s needed is a lick of red paint…

My favorite things to do while riding:

People-watching! I usually bring a book but more often than not get distracted by the interesting things going on around me.

The thing I like best about living in the Portland area:

The people.

My advice:

Approach your journey with an open mind! You never know the people you could meet or the weird and wonderful things you may see. (I’ve found it helps to turn off my music and take the number 15 bus— it’s the friendliest around!)

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Read more profiles of TriMet riders

Meet a “Gold Master Operator”

Posted by in Behind the Scenes, Making a Difference on .
Rolynd Puckett, TriMet Gold Master Operator

Veteran operator Rolynd Puckett earned the distinction of “Gold Master Operator” for his safe driving, attendance and customer service. He is one of only three TriMet operators to receive this honor!

Long-time bus operator Rolynd Puckett has been awarded the distinction of “Gold Master Operator” as part of our Master Operator Program.

TriMet’s Master Operator Program recognizes bus and rail operators who achieve overall excellence in their duties as professional drivers.

Operators earn Superior Performance Awards (SPAs) each time they go 1,960 hours of work without any preventable accidents, warnings, reprimands or suspensions.

To reach Master Operator status, a driver must accumulate 10 SPA awards. For Grand Master level, an operator needs 20. And to achieve Gold Master ranking, he or she needs 30 SPA awards.

They also must have excellent records of attendance and customer service.

I have met a lot of neat passengers over the years, made friends with people on the bus. It is special when a rider you haven’t seen for a long time gets on and still remembers you.

Rolynd has 30 SPAs meaning he has driven 58,800 stellar hours. (That’s 6.7 years!) He is one of only three operators at TriMet to receive the Gold Master Operator award.

He also has logged 13 years of perfect attendance, 11 of which were consecutive—no small feat.

Rolynd said receiving this award is “a real honor. My career at TriMet has been a great experience.” He continued, “I couldn’t ask for better coworkers. We really are a big family and we are all in this together. We try to help each other out where we can.”

He has been a TriMet bus operator for 38 years and is second in seniority; only one other current operator has been at TriMet longer.

Rolynd has driven countless routes and currently drives the first Line 67-Bethany/158th bus of the day from Merlo Rd/SW 158th Avenue to Portland Community College/Rock Creek Campus.

Riders say he is “friendly and warm” and “the nicest bus operator I’ve ever had.”

Rolynd and his wife of 42 years, Penny, enjoy camping, fishing and clamming together. He’s also involved in activities at his church, including participating in a choir that visits retirement homes and care facilities to entertain residents. He joined TriMet right after his service in the Navy.

As a reminder: Bus Driver Appreciation Day is coming up. Mark your calendars for March 18, 2013, to celebrate and honor all TriMet operators! Of course, you can submit a commendation for an operator any time at http://trimet.org/thanks.