I received this email from a TriMetiquette reader wanting to keep their name confidential. It’s a personal story about broken ticket machines, TriMet ticket inspector bullies & overall disgusting service from TriMet security officials. I’ll let the email do the talking:
There were 9 TriMet security people in yellow vests at the Lloyd Center stop at about 6:30 p.m., checking for validated fares and issuing tickets to anyone who was breaking the law. Fair enough. I don’t buy a fare when I go downtown because I live in fareless square, but I always pay when I’m heading east to the airport. But one Tuesday it was virtually impossible to pay legitimately, and the TriMet cops were taunting riders and making things worse.
There are supposed to be four fare machines at this stop. This was what I found:
- One of the two fare machines on the eastbound platform had been removed.
- The other eastbound fare machine, as well as the two westbound machines, were all unable to process credit cards.
- All three machines said they would take exact change only, and all we had was a $20 bill.
- After my husband found someone to make change for his $20, we learned that two of the machines would not take any cash - they rejected our ones.
So essentially there was only one working ticket machine, and it would only take exact change.
My husband and I missed the first red line train, and two blue lines passed us by, while we frantically tried each of the three machines with our credit card, then tried each machine with the $20 and realized we’d be throwing away almost $16 if we used it, then asked and asked until we found someone to make change, then tried each of the machines AGAIN before the third was finally able to take our money.
I politely tried to tell the TriMet cops that there were problems with the machines, and they were very rude and wound up escalating the situation. I got a lecture from one that we don’t live in a cashless society, and that it was foolish of me to expect to be able to use plastic at a TriMet station where I have been able to use a credit card for years. Another told me I should sue TriMet for my fare if I missed my plane. One nice officer told me he’d look the other way if my husband and I got on the train to the airport, because we were clearly distressed. But another officer overheard this and said that we’d be ticketed if we tried it.
At this point I was at one end of the platform trying to get a machine to work with my credit card, while my husband was at the other end looking for change. I was on the verge of tears, very angry, and started yelling at a crowd of yellow-vested TriMet officers that it was garbage that they were ticketing people for being in a situation they had no control over. There are teenagers beating up on people on the Yellow Line in North Portland and out in the suburbs, and here they’re harassing people who have legitimate business and who WANT TO play by the rules, when they should be fixing broken machines or stopping violence somewhere where it has actually happened.
One of the guards came forward and really got in my face, and started saying things like, “Do people come to your job and criticize you for the way you do it,” which I thought was pretty funny, because as a matter of fact they do. And when I screw up, I do my best to fix the mistake, I don’t make it worse.
At this point my husband returned to my end of the platform and pulled me away and told me to calm down. He was told that if he didn’t calm down, he would be banned to ride TriMet.
So we quieted down and waited for the next train. While we were waiting, a soft-spoken man with a heavy accent came up to me and told me that he’d put a $20 bill in for a two-zone fare, and had gotten no change. And when he complained to the TriMet cops, they told him there was nothing he could do.
I usually love the Max and the bus, love my neighborhood because of its great transit, and am happy to pay my fair share to take advantage of the system. But this was an extremely disheartening experience.
49 comments ↓
Welcome to Portland anonymous reader.
Many foresighted people in our fair city buy a spare (or even a ten-pack ticket-book to put in their wallet or purse for just suck an event. You can even order them on the interwebs at Trimet’s website: http://trimet.org/store/index.htm .
That crew of grinning inspectors in your photos sure look pretty harrowing, with their menacingly bright safety vests and pale Portland legs. It almost looks like they are practicing for an old fashioned TriMet fair evader beat down / wedgie fest.
On behalf of my City’s people I thank you for riding public transit and contributing in some way to the greater transit discussion. Perhaps you will be able to write your next email about your newfound pride in being prepared for one of its common quirks.
Isn’t Tri-met security just paid wackenhut (http://www.wackenhut.com/ ) rent-a-cops?
If so a civil suit against Tri-met and/or wackenhut is an almost assured inevitability .
The inspectors are not Wackenhut. Question: If either of these people were issued a citation, they should call TriMet’s customer service since TriMet’s customer service is supposed to know when machines are malfunctioning. Furthermore, there is a flashing light and machine number located at the top right corner of the front of the malfunctioning machine that can and should be reported. Keep in mind these machines are really old.
I’m the one who had this experience last week, and I’d like to clarify a minor mistake in my story. My husband tells me that he did not swear at the security guys. I had assumed that was why they were threatening to ban him from the Max, but in fact he did not swear.
I dont want to hear it, no ticket no ride
This is the kind of TriMet story that riles me. Unlike surly teenagers, this is the kind of thing that TriMet has control over. Security Guards have a propensity to be obnoxious wanna-be-cop pricks, and the ones TriMet contracts with seem to be no exception.
TriMetiquette Reader,
Of course your husband swears that he didn’t swear. That doesn’t make it true. It just makes him a man talking to his spouse.
Another disgusting tale of TriMets completly backwards priorities.
I have one suggestion TriMet, make your ticket checkers carry tickets they can sell. SO when your crappy, terrible, outdated, worthless ticket machines are down, people will have the option to ride your damn transit.
How expensive could it be to update these machines to something stable and reliable?
I used to have a lot of pride for the system TriMet has set up for Portland, but it really starting to show to fundamental problems.
Need ticket to ride, yes, need to be ABLE to buy ticket as well.
But thank the good Lord that TriMet has the resources to put 9 freaking people at one stop to check tickets. But when asked what they will do about the violence on the trains, they say they don’t have the resources.
This story needs to be larger than this website, spread the word.
This story, in a much shorter version, appeared one week ago on The Mercury blog.
Link: http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/portland/Blog?blog=41935&oid=825292
I’m not sure why it is appearing here now, and I don’t know why it has become much more elaborate, but that’s for others to ponder.
brewcaster,
Until I know why there were so many inspectors there, I am not going to jump to conclusions. Were they being trained? Were they heading out to various parts of town, but gathering to get their orders for the day?
We don’t know. And making assumptions doesn’t help the situation.
You should have gotten on the train, gotten ticketed, and then fought the ticket. If Trimet does not provide you with a way to buy a ticket, they cannot enforce their policies. It’s that simple. And if any of those goons touch you, sue the hell out of them. It’s very easy.
Geez WellNow, you must be one of those TriMet apologists that seem to run rampant in this city. I have always said TriMet sucks but have had to endure story after story about how wonderful TriMet is. It is good to see that people are beginning to realize just how badly TriMet is managed.
“Many foresighted people in our fair city buy a spare (or even a ten-pack ticket-book to put in their wallet or purse for just suck an event. ”
Thats fine, however I quit doing that because most of the time the validating machines dont work either.
And they will fine you if you dont have a validated ticket too.
I always find it to be a true mystery how the system of Lottery computers is always operational and functioning…yet Tri-Met’s ticket machines (and the DMV computer network) always seems plagued by maladies.
Maybe Tri-met should gear their machines to sell lottery tickets, too…thereby assuring that the machines would ALWAYS be functioning.
Just a thought…
When I have had problems with the validator and a bus stop is nearby, I simply get on a bus, ask for a transfer and get off before the bus goes anywhere.
I did this for almost a year at the Gresham Central Transit Station before the validators got fixed.
“I have one suggestion TriMet, make your ticket checkers carry tickets they can sell. SO when your crappy, terrible, outdated, worthless ticket machines are down, people will have the option to ride your damn transit.”
That makes way too much sense to ever be put into practice.
TriMet is an incompetent organization. Like all public agencies their failures are your problem, not theirs. MAX is a black hole for public money that looks nice on postcards and articles about Portland’s “planning.”
The bus service is much better, however.
I do find it interesting that this story appears on TriMetiquette one week after it appeared in The Mercury, as noted above. And the additions to the story do make me hesitate to bash TriMet.
I do agree that their machines are down far too often. However, I, too, have grown tired of hearing people complain about experiences that come nowhere near my experience with the machines.
I, for one, don’t buy the validator was broken for a year story. Sorry, but what is the point in pushing the bounds of believability? Can’t we stick to honest complaints? Aren’t we going to get further if we do?
Irene,
What did WellNow apologize for? Uh, nothing. WellNow simply wants more information. What is wrong with that? Is blind hatred of TriMet the road to Nirvana or something?
Nelly - did not see this story posted on The Merc, that’s all…
Oops, I didn’t realize that this was posted to the Merc. I sent the photo from my cell phone and left the voice message quoted on the Merc’s blog as I was heading to the airport. I was mad, and was hoping maybe some late-working reporter would head down and actually see what was happening. I also left a message on the TriMet complaints line. Then I spent the next five and a half days camping without cell service or internet. When I got back in town I did give a cursory glance of the Merc blog but somehow missed that my stuff had appeared there. So I typed up the full story and sent it to Christian, figuring that he might be interested.
Well, needless to say - this problem needs more coverage. And if that means being covered at two different places, well, then I’m all for it
I agree that TriMet is an absolute joke. The ticket checkers are insecure bully’s that take out their frustrations on others.
Nely Algren, if you dispute that the machines cannot have been broken for a year, well then you obviously don’t ride the MAX very often (or at least don’t validate tickets)
There is absolutely NO REASON this town shouldn’t learn from other cities and operate this system in a way in which it can make money and help sustain itself, and thereby GROW to service the poorer neighborhoods that are COMPLETELY ignored by the MAX.
Turnstiles SHOULD be installed that ensure EVERY person pays before entering the train. It would eliminate the harassment these ticket checkers do to honest citizens, and reduce the amount of crime on the MAX (People don’t pay $2 TO GET ON A TRAIN TO MUG SOMEONE)
Turnstiles would be a onetime cost that would produce enormous funds for the MAX. THEN maybe a line would help the poor neighborhoods that are neglected by the upper class elitist of Portland.
I do have one complaint about this blog
“There are teenagers beating up on people on the Yellow Line in North Portland and out in the suburbs, and here they’re harassing people who have legitimate business and who WANT TO play by the rules,” Don’t try to pull this bull, This is exactly what I’m talking about , Yuppies that want to bash N. Portland and present the downtown Business people as the only responsible riders on the MAX. This is the same kind of rhetoric that FAUX NEWS tries to pass off everyday Fear based tactics, and stereotypes.
Get off your Ass TriMet, look at successful mass transit in other cities and learn, ACTUALLY be progressive, instead of just using it as a Buzz word to sell goods, in this liberal city.
Our family rides Tri Met a LOT.
This Monday I wend down to Pioneer Square to the Tri Met office to purchase 4 July passes.
There was a line back through the building with an estimated wait of one hour!
Since I had to be somewhere I went to the machine. I bought one pass and the machine died. The machine INSIDE the Tri Met office!
Outside at Pioneer Square the machines had died too.
If they can’t get their machines in their most important location on the whole system working - then there is not much we can do.
I have never had a problem
with a Portland parking meter and a credit card. Maybe the parking meters should sell Tri Met tickets…
NellyAlgren–
It’s not blind hatred of TriMet. It is the cumulative effect of almost 40 plus years of using public transit in Portland. That gives me some basis for my opinion of TriMet.
Uh, Irene. You didn’t answer Nelly’s question. And I would like to see you answer it.
No public transit system is perfect. No transportation system of any kind is perfect. Life is not perfect.
Opinions are not based on time. They should be based on facts in context. I notice that you haven’t offered anything but a vehement rant. That would be the opposite of something based on facts in context.
Bye.
“Many foresighted people in our fair city buy a spare (or even a ten-pack ticket-book to put in their wallet or purse for just such an event. ”
Unfortunately this doesn’t help tourists and visitors to Portland. Riders don’t have the same options on MAX or the Streetcar that they do on a bus where they can interact with a bus driver.
If Wackenhut employees aren’t fare inspectors, are they security only? I know that they ride the MAX and are obviously hired by Tri-Met; I have seen them in Wackenhut uniform. I’ll bet they’re paid more than Tri-Met employees.
Strangely, while there are often numerous fare/security hires on the MAX at Lloyd Center, they all mysteriously disappear as the MAX makes its way east to Gresham. In my experience, they are gone long before Rockwood.
And while it’s obvious that (either because they are scofflaws or can’t find a machine that works) lots of people ride MAX and the streetcar without paying, there’s a big difference in how I see Tri-Met dealing with non-payers on MAX and on the Streetcar. On MAX (when fare inspectors are present), heavy hands, no slack and offender removed and fined. On the streetcar, a faint “naughty-naughty”. Streetcar hires never seem to be doing anything but taking surveys re. whether riders are paying or not. I’ve seen folks step on, see the clipboard, turn around and jump off to wait for the next streetcar.
“I always find it to be a true mystery how the system of Lottery computers is always operational and functioning…yet Tri-Met’s ticket machines (and the DMV computer network) always seems plagued by maladies.”
Simple answer: the lottery computers aren’t run by the Oregon Lottery, they are run by a company called GTech.
Years and years ago I applied for a help desk position with GTech, and the place is EXTREMELY high security. In fact Oregon State Police troopers are assigned to protect it (not just security guards). This company puts its livelihoods on the line each and every day and it makes damn sure that nothing happens.
TriMet does not care about the passenger. TriMet is run by a Board of Directors who is appointed by a Governor who has just as much worry about Jordan Valley, Brookings, Astoria, and Enterprise as Portland. The General Manager does not report to the public, he reports to the Board. In TriMet’s eyes, its “customers” are the Federal Government who funds it, not the taxpayers and riders who fund and use it each and every day.
TVMs broken? Not an issue, there is a new MAX line to build.
Security problems? So what, we’re in a staff meeting to discuss a new MAX line.
Broken bus? Hey, check out our new WES car that’ll spend 18 hours a day in a garage!
The Wackenhut guys are not allowed to do anything but call 9-1-1. Their primary job is to keep riders from vandalizing Trimet property. Thats it.
As for MAX paying for itself…that will never happen. Trimet’s own numbers say it costs almost $11/per rider/per trip to operate MAX. They charge about $2.
I’m logged into my normal Reddit account, but apparently in order to “Reddit” (vote up) this story I have to re-register to have a special “OregonLive Reddit” account?…
Your normal Reddit account (reddit.com/) is not tied to the Oregon Live Reddit (reddit.oregonlive.com/).
Sorry for that…
Usually, I would just laugh at all of you insipid Portlanders because you all reap what you sow in the fact that you’re all trying to force people to give up their cars.
But this time I cannot, and only because each and everytime you as a collective whole have voted AGAINST the MAX, the city decided that you are all to f-ing stupid to think for yourselves (this IS your fault for continually voting uber-liberals into office) and force you to pay for, and suffer with, something you never wanted in the first place.
But bottom line here is this: you need to make the change at the top and it’s starts with you all stopping the voting of whiny, knee-jerk, bleeding-heart, Anti-America/Anti-American Democrat Party sychophants.
@ Thirteenburn -
I think that’s a little outside the scope of the issue here… but I appreciate the passion you have about the issue.
OK folks, let look at this story closely.
Has not the public been clamoring for more fare inspectors and fare enforcement on the transit system?
The answer is **YES**.
Now that there is more fare enforcement the public is whining about it.
The public is never happy.
For TRIMET it’s a lose lose proposition.
Damned if they do and dammed of they don’t.
I’ve never found all machines at any Max stop to be functioning. They always have issues - don’t accept cash, don’t accept plastic, or totally out of order. Luckily I commute each day using a monthly pass but I have had many years of bad experiences using these machines. Every other rail system I’ve been on in the US and overseas allows you to buy tickets ON the train. If the machines were on the trains wouldn’t they be more easily monitored and less likely to be broken? I’ve also had my share of very rude TriMet personnel. I meet many tourists and guests on TriMet and am always willing to help them with their questions and feel, as a citizen, I am a representative of my community and want to portray a positive image of my hometown. Heaven’s help our visitors if they come across one of those rude TriMet rent-a-cops!
It appears that Trimetiquette is now being hijacked by the anti-transit crowd.
My fiance and I both use TriMet 5 days a week to commute to work, me with a yearly pass, and he with a monthly pass. Prior to him riding with a monthly pass, when he was only commuting a day or two a week, he bought individual tickets as needed. When the machines were down, not accepting cards, not accepting cash, not giving change, we would call TriMet’s info line, make a complaint, and ask for instruction about how to board the train.
Several times we were instructed to write down the number of the malfunctioning machine and board the train. If you happen to meet an fare inspector after you’ve done this, it really doesn’t matter. I’m not sure why the customer service representatives instruct us to do this, possibly because there is no real solution and most of TriMet is aware of it.
There is no reason anyone should be forced to buy a monthly pass to ride the MAX. Period. Say all you want about patrons not being prepared, but that’s ridiculous. No other public transportation system that I’ve ever heard of is without the option for patrons to buy tickets at the station on a one-time basis.
Has anyone posting comments here thought to go down to the Board of Directors meeting? Surely they allow these comments to be voiced. I’d imagine that if hundreds of TriMet patrons voice these opinions in person and share specific experiences, it will eventually shame the system into some sort of action.
TriMet also receives federal funds via grants. Grants all have compliance requirements, and I’d wager that TriMet may not be meeting theirs. Maybe the Board of Directors should be reminded that they govern as a public entity.
Perfect example of why fareless square should be fareless city. Charging for transit is counter productive.
The debate here shouldn’t be whether or not she should pay a fare–the debate should be why the machines are broken ALL THE TIME.
Trimet has an awesome system, but it makes you wonder why they can’t put a bit more of their budget towards functional fare machines and less towards promotional spin regarding the new Max line construction.
Um… if the machine’s not working and eats your money, the cops can’t do anything. You have to call 238-RIDE and they’ll make arrangements to mail you a check or some tickets. It says so on the machine. Maybe if you weren’t so focused on the cops and what you thought they were there for you would have been able to see the instructions on the machine on what to do if you have a problem.
What’s wrong with exercise? I walk to the next stop if I have to find a working machine. I know there’s another one not far from where you were having your trouble.
Walk to the next one? I am on the west side. So if the Sunset TC machine isnt working, the next one is the Zoo, or Beaverton TC the other way. A couple miles at least.
I am supposed to do that when I have to get to work? I dont think so.
If the ticket machine isnt working, its their problem, not mine.
I purchase monthly pass. Since I go to Eastside over the Steel Bridge I’m only buying the little booklets because my commute may exceed 2 hours each way while the Steel Bridge is under construction in August. NO WAY would I ever try to buy tickets at any of the platforms because: (a) EVERY TIME I have I run into problems; (b) the only working machine(s) have lines and I’ve missed my trains (and connecting buses). BOTTOM LINE: Buy monthly pass or ticket booklets IN ADVANCE. Murphy’s Law is at work on those machines!
I actually just moved here about a month ago from a city without much (if any) public transportation. I instantly fell in love with TRIMET - until today.
Getting to the station on Yamhill (is that right?) today after work, I soon found out, like many others, that the ticket machine’s were not working. Not accepting cash, etc..
I jumped on anyway. Granted my stop was one stop outside of Fair Less Square on the Yellow Line, so I took a chance. And got bit.
I found this gang of yellow vested “warriors of transit injustice” waiting for me at Albina Station. Long story short, I didn’t have a ticket, so they gave me one. A $115.00 one. While being written up and HAVING MY DRIVERS LICENSE CALLED IN, I asked what was I required to do in that instance, should this happen again. Their response was to ride to the next stop, get off, buy a ticket and wait for the next train. I simply explained that that wasn’t an option for me due to a schedule that I needed to keep (boy, was I going to be late now). And I also pointed out that what if THIS stop that I was getting written up at was my NEXT stop and I was simply trying to buy a ticket now? You could see it in his eyes, like I had fed a computer some eternally looped mathimatical equation. Smoke spewed, springs sprung and his logic and his prime directives were having it out inside his head.
His reaction was swift, and ended the conversation and handed me my citation with nothing more than a smirk.
I kept my cool the entire time, knowing that I was (at least somewhat) in the wrong for not having a payment that day. But the inability to A) listen B) offer a legit answer to a even more legit question and C) even try to be an ambassador to the company or city he belongs to, was a HUGE wake up call to me about the TRIMET system.
At $115.00 a pop, I can see that there was a quota to be filled and no amount of discussion or blame was going to change that. I guess the questions is: is this his mentality or his orders?
My question of all of you: Has anyone fought one of these? Is it worth my time? Did anyone get it reduced or (gasp) totally squashed? Will the “Broken Machine” card fall on deaf ears?
Regardless, I still love riding it - and will continue to do so. Still cheaper than driving and less stress. I suppose I will invest in passes now. Lesson learned.
Thanks in advance for any advice as to how to proceed with this.
- ST8
If you want to spend your morning at the court house or wherever the hell it is they hear these cases you can get the fine reversed by explaining the ticket machine was out of order.
Next time this happens and you can’t buy a ticket write down the machine number and call the max operator on the call box when you board and tell him you could not buy a ticket.
I ride tri-met with part of my trip on MAX almost every day and use a pass. I only see a fare inspector or wackenhut about once a month, and I think they are badly needed on all of MAX on Friday and Saturday nights. Not only should they check fares, there should be some type of security on MAX and buses to enforce basic politeness of riders, such as not taking 2 seats on crowded vehicles, no loose non-service animals and so on. But Tri-met management is so careless that anyone they hire is often a rude police-wannabe.
I think it is time to have a ballot measure to reorganize tri-met so that at least half of the board are lower-income people who must ride tri-met to their board meetings.
“If you want to spend your morning at the court house or wherever the hell it is they hear these cases you can get the fine reversed by explaining the ticket machine was out of order.
Next time this happens and you can’t buy a ticket write down the machine number and call the max operator on the call box when you board and tell him you could not buy a ticket.”
Thanks for the heads up, Al. Good looking out.
Funny follow up:
As I got on board today to come home, the same machines were still broke at Yamhill (no surprise). As I got on, I struck up a conversation with another rider that I had gotten popped with yesterday and we ended up retelling our stories. In doing so, I noticed that there were two TriMet (I think they were Security) Officers standing next to me. They turned and listened as I told my story and shook their head in disbelief. They told me they were amazed by my treatment (the whole time - they were writing notes down on some pad, yet never took my name or any info).
The Security Officers both verified that BOTH the machines were out of order at Yamhill and told me to fight it. I told them it felt as if TriMet was pushing me to either buy a month pass (which I don’t need) or face the wrath of the Fare Officers. They both agreed that was a worthy deduction.
I plan on taking pictures of the out of order machines tomorrow and bringing them with me to my appearance on the 19th.
Game. Set. Match, you high-school drop out rent-a-cops.
Fare money’s collected account for less than 5% of their total budget.
The hole collection system is a total joke.
They spend more on the ,machines maintenance and excessively stupid cops then the total collected fees even generate.
What piss poor management.
That string bean cop (on the left side of photo) had 27 write ups for abuses to the public. If that isn’t disgusting not sure what is.
27 write ups for use of excessive force. Fire his dumb ass!!!
Just like to say that this afternoon I was at Pioneer Square and there was a guy fixing a fare machine—I think all of the machines were down—and someone came up to him and asked him what to do since he was unable to buy a ticket and the Tri-Met fixer guy said “Just tell ‘em where you got on.”. I’m hoping that if this guy got stopped by a fare inspector that that would work, but if not it’s wrong for this guy to say that instead of something actually truthful.
did you ever contact Trimet? If yes, what was their respons or resolution?
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