Go out of your way to say “thanks”

For some reason, when I ride the MAX or bus I don’t really ever hear the word, “Thanks!”  I don’t know if it’s just the nature of the public transportation system that we, as riders, don’t really want to communicate much to one another when riding.  I get that sense, at least.

Whenever I step onto a bus, I’ll show my pass and say, “Thanks!”  When I get off, I’m one of those dudes that gives a shout-out to the bus driver, saying “thanks!” as well.

I get off on a stop in the mornings that is a couple of stops right before the “mass exodus” stop in downtown.  Usually, the bus is cramped and stuffed to the brim.  So when I hit the dinger, I usually hear one or two moans.  I make sure to thank people who shuffle out of the way a bit as I try to slide past them to the exit.

Sometimes I’ll get email and a first-time rider or someone who may have been riding for years has a question.  I guess some people seem to think I’m affiliated with TriMet, so they’ll ask me what lines they need to ride to get to ‘x’ location or the time schedule for holidays, that sort of thing.  I really have absolutely no problem in getting back to them, answering their question, and making sure that their ride on TriMet is a pleasant one.  More often than not, I don’t hear a “thanks” for that either.

Maybe it’s a public transportation mentality to not go out of our ways to say “thanks” to the driver or to the fellow rider who moved out of your way.  I challenge everyone, especially around this time of year with Thanksgiving and the holidays, to just  go out of your way a little and throw out a “thank you” to people.

Thanks for reading

Smoke elsewhere

See, I’m not one to enjoy inhaling second hand smoke… especially at places that explicitly state that it’s against the law to smoke there.  TriMetiquette reader Kevin sent me a note a couple of days ago which reminded me to write about this problem:

“This afternoon when I was waiting for a train at the 82nd Ave stop I saw seven people smoking cigarettes. Where is the enforcement? Things like this are a constant problem on the system. Tri-Met complains so often about money but ignores chances to collect fines.”

So when I’m waiting for a bus or a MAX train, if you feel the need to smoke, take a look around.  See those signs that say, “No Smoking”?  Please do have the courtesy to abide by the rules and, if you need to smoke, go smoke somewhere else.  If you’re not a “rule follower”, then please, do respect your fellow human being and realize that not everyone enjoys the sweet smell & glorious effects of second hand smoke.

Believe it or not, smoking on MAX, buses or streetcars or at bus shelters, MAX stations or transit centers can result in a fine up to $250 and / or exclusion of being able to ride TriMet.

Please do keep this in mind.

Upgrading 2 zone pass to all-zone for the day is cumbersome for MAX riders

Simply put – there isn’t an easy way to upgrade your 2 zone monthly pass to an all-zone pass if you’re riding the MAX and going more than two zones. If you’re purchasing fair properly: if you had a monthly 2 zone pass and were in need of an all-zone ticket for the day, you would need to pay $0.30 for an upgrade.

That being said, essentially the only way you can upgrade is visiting a TriMet ticket office… which is really only fine if you’re near one. And by boarding a bus, paying the $0.30 upgrade, getting a ticket and deboarding. TriMet ticket machines had this functionality years ago – to pay for an upgrade – but eliminated it.

TriMetiquette reader Jerry emailed me to voice his frustration over this process:

“I regularly purchase a Trimet 2-Zone pass. The majority of my trips are in zone 1 and 2 except on occasion (3 or 4 times a month round trip) I travel outside Zone 2. The process by which to upgrade ones bus pass to an all zone is cumbersome for a strictly Max train rider. Since upgrades may only be purchased by boarding a bus, one must get off the train board a bus, get the upgrade, de-board the bus then board the train. This generally causes me to miss my connection and adds to my travel time. Upgrades are no longer a choice in the ticket machines at the Max stations. I am told this feature was removed years ago because it made the machines unreliable. This sets up an in-equality within the TriMet system. In some cases, you are forced into purchasing an additional fare to avoid the risk of getting a citation from a fare inspector. With all of the money from various sources that is poured into TriMet, I think this is something they should bring back to the ticket machines. An upgrade is .30 cents. This is quite a difference from the cost of another fare on top of the cost of a monthly 2-zone ticket.”

While this may not be a huge issue for many, it’s still an issue for some.

A fun morning on the 15

Rode the usual 15 line I do almost every morning today.  Much to my surprise, there was a new bus operator this morning… and when I got on, she asked me where I was going.  I replied with a “close to downtown” and she asked if I could help her navigate the route, since this was the first time she was on this route in many, many years.

I have to say, it’s so nice to have a really nice bus operator.  She was a very pleasant lady and we had a nice chat all the way while I helped her navigate her route to my stop.

We talked about some of the physical altercations she’s had with passangers, the whole “person sorta walking by a stop and kinda stopping but not really looking like they are waiting for the bus” dilemna, the bus operator to MAX operator transition (if you’re a bus operator and want to become a MAX operator, you lose all of your saved up vacation time and start at the bottom of the pay scale again… YIKES) and more.

TriMet really does have some very friendly staff.  Kudos for hiring and sticking with some of the best people in Portland!

A bad experience

TriMetiquette reader Rose sent me this. Although she’s been riding for twenty years with little to no problems, she recalls a particularly bad experience:

“A few months ago, I rode the bus and MAX to a Blazer game from Tigard. Two weeks previously I was hit by an SUV and sustained a concussion, broken ankle, and many bruises. When I got on the bus, it was full. I did my best to balance on one leg without dropping my crutches, but I’m very short so I couldn’t reach the rail. Everyone conveniently looked down at their ipod or phone and pretended not to notice me. At the MAX station, the train was already there, so I had to try and rush to get to it before it departed. There were plenty of seats and I was glad to be able to sit. After about 20 minutes of sitting, the driver announced this train would not be departing, and that another train would come on the other track. I got off the train and went to the other track to wait. The train that came was even more crowded than the bus. By this time I was exhausted from hobbling around on crutches. I stood in the entry way and tried to get close enough to a pole to hold onto but it was too crowded. There was a little boy looking over the back of his seat by me, his father sitting next to him. I asked him if he wanted to sit on his dads lap and let me sit in his seat. He shook his head slowly, then turned back around. His father looked up and shrugged. It was a long ride, over an hour altogether, of balancing on one foot while more and more people pressed against my cast as the train filled to capacity. It makes me sad to think that people just don’t care.”

Indeed Rose, I know what you’re saying. It’s the ‘me, me, me!” attitude that many display when riding public transportation. You really need to be in a mental mindset of, “We’re all in this together” when you’re riding; helping out those who need help, being observant, understanding the situation… I know there are others out there that think this way.