Taking luggage on MAX

I think you should put it on your lap. Or if your bag is too big, then you should put it on your feet.

Or if there really is lots of room, I guess put it wherever you want.

The last thing you should do, however, is put your luggage in the doorways, on the stairs, etc.

Christian,

You have had some informative and interesting posts the past couple of days. I linked to one of them the other day on my blog.

I read with interest your suggestions about what to do with your luggage on the Red Line to the airport. I see all kinds of “solutions” to this problem just before I leave the airport with a trainload of people and their stuff. The only time I ask them to move their luggage, is if I see a wheelchair area buried under 51 huge bags; this is an area that really needs to be accessible to those who have a legal right to those spots.

Putting a large bag on a seat is probably not a good idea for two reasons: first, like you write, somebody might need that seat more than your bag needs it; second, bags with wheels are probably just as dirty as people’s shoes are, so I don’t think they belong on seats.

Keep up the good work with your TriMet etiquette tips. It is sorely needed…

Eva

I think that every attempt should be made to keep your luggage from taking up much more space than your body. I usually travel with a large, military duffel and a messenger bag. usually i will try to sit in one of the seats along the side of the train, place the duffel between my legs and the messenger bag on my lap. This lets me shift the bag with my feet if people need more space to get by, but leaves seats free, and as long as you’re conscientious, won’t block much more of the floor than your feet would.

My suggestion would be to make the Airport MAX an express train and have it only stop at two or three major stops after it leaves downtown. Have trains specifically dedicated to the airport run and include luggage racks instead of accommodating bicycles. The bus that serves the San Diego airport has racks for people to put their luggage on, thus keeping the aisle clear. One reason to make the airport MAX and express is that it would take less time to get to the airport.

That’s an interesting suggestion, Irene. On one hand, doing that might overload the blue line more than it already is overloaded during rush hour times. You might also run into problems with a red line that’s an “express train” stuck between two trains that stop at every station.

But interesting idea, for sure. Thanks for sharing!

Irene - Interesting idea but no well thought out. I am sorry but think about it. You make an Express traing that doesn’t hit all the stops; how does it get around the other trains? Maybe at some of the stops it can pass using the other track. But then if there was an express it ruins my next point. How does one choose which stops are for the express to the airport? Does this mean people no have to have a longer ride on a bus to get to the correct MAX station. Logisically this would be a nightmare and frankly the management at TriMet could not handle it.

No don’t get me wrong. I like the idea of an Express MAX. I think this would be great for rush hour. It would encourage more people to drive to a TC and then take the MAX. The Express MAX only stop at TCs, but you still ahve a problem with passing.

Shane and Christian, you are both SO right; a lot of people do not see the whole picture of how our trains move down the alignment. Irene has a great idea, which may be in use at other transit agencies, though. We just don’t have the room or the time to allow express trains.

I’m impressed with the way you both understand how our system works.

Eva

San Diego is a bit different in that it is much more spread out than Portland. To get from downtown San Diego to the airport takes much longer than from downtown PDX to the airport here.

Kevin,

Do you know if San Diego has express trains?

I don’t have anything constructive to say, just wanted to complain about when people take up 4 seats in the priority seating area with just their person and their suitcase. Entirely rude. I do like the pivot section idea and the other one about stacking luggage on yourself. I might have a hard time w/ MAX and luggage since I have a little one. I’d probably just try to find a ride until he’s big enough to carry his own backpack and doesn’t need a giant car seat.

I ride MAX to and from the airport all the time, and I must say, the space right next to the pivot points, in the middle section of the train right before the seats start, is a great place to put a backpack or large messenger bag. I usually travel at odd times (weekends or late nights) and most of the people I see on the MAX are very courteous with keeping their luggage under control.

I remember a few weeks ago (or thereabouts) when they were doing tie-in work at Gateway and had buses running from Gateway to the airport, people seemed to really like that - there was the Red Line bus that serviced all of the same stops that the train would service, and the express bus, that just went back and forth between the airport and Gateway. I doubt the ridership of that would be enough that TriMet would consider putting that in as a regular bus, but people enjoyed it when it was available during that tie-in work.

As for where to put luggage, personally I despise checking luggage and so I’d usually just wheel my carry-on suitcase up the stairs behind the cab to that one seat that’s a single, and put my bag next to me. On the type 1 trains, same sort of deal, I’d take one of the single seats that faces inwards and keep my bag next to me. Never had a problem with this, and both of those seem to be popular spots for people with suitcases.

EMS — I don’t think San Diego has a train service like MAX. They do have a bus system which is spread out all over the place. I’ve never lived there but have visited family in San Diego. It’s a very car oriented place although not as bad as LA.

San Diego does have a train system although they call it the trolley. You can take the trolley all the way to the border with Mexico (Tijuana) if you want. The trolley covers quite a bit of territory; you can take it to Petco park for a ball game; it runs past the convention center and goes through downtown about two blocks off the main street. The trolley does not go to the airport but there is adequate bus service to the terminals and it does not take very long to get downtown.

“I would refrain from using the space near the bike hooks: it’s too much of a high-trafficked area and, when a bicycle user tries to come on board, that could be a headache for the both of you.”

In terms of passenger safety, and the fact that a bicycle is essentially a form of “baggage” that is not guaranteed, if you absolutely, positively MUST have your bags somewhere the bicycle area is the best place to put it. (Of course it’s better to pack light or something you can put in your lap or at your feet or under the seat if possible.) (See TMC 28.15(A)(8). It is “illegal” to block an aisleway, and besides it’s really stupid.)

You pay ONE fare and are entired to ONE seat.

ADA spaces (wheelchair area) are, by federal law, protected areas. A wheelchair space is NEVER a baggage area. Occupying an ADA area and refusing to leave at the request of TriMet personnel or law enforcement is also a TMC violation. (See TriMet Code 28.15(A)(1).

As for the bicycle area - every bicyclist who uses TriMet should be fully aware that bicycle accomodations are **NOT GUARANTEED**. That means if the space is taken, you have no right to demand the space. There’s a reason TriMet spends money on bike racks at transit stations (including the fact that TriMet spent more money from the Stimulus package on bikes than on bus improvements!) Yes, don’t use the bike area unless you need to, but it’s better to put your bags in the bike area than in the middle of the aisle. (Frankly, I wish TriMet would stop calling it a “bike area”, and call it a “large item” area that is suitable for bags, bikes, strollers or personal carts - as well as additional wheelchair/scooter space but not a legally defined ADA area.)

It’s a shame people don’t seem to understand that you pay one fare and are entitled to one seat as you noted above. I’ve been on a crowded Max train and been next to someone who was taking up two seats (he had his feet on the other seat). He did eventually move his feet but left the seat wet and muddy from the bottom of his shoes.

Kevin, as a Max operator, and previously a bus driver, one of my pet peeves, is people’s feet on the seats. Even now, when I see it, I ask people to get their feet off the seat. Sometimes I tell them that I would not want to sit in the dirt off their shoes or boots.

People do not think like you and I and most other riders who will not do this.

Another one of my pet peeves, is when somebody puts their bag next to them, preventing the use of that seat. When I ride on the Max, even in uniform, if I need to sit down, I excuse myself, look from the bag to the person, and sit down since they ALWAYS get the message.

You are allowed to ask for the seat where the bag sits, or - heaven forbid - a dog sits. DOGS BELONG ON THE FLOOR - unless they are small lapdogs, in which case they can be on the lap of the owner. Of course, I am talking about SERVICE ANIMALS only, since other dogs are NOT allowed on TriMet.

I recently took a trip using MAX to cart me and my luggage to Union Station. I didn’t have much and tried not to block the way of everyone else. It was pretty easy, I guess, I didn’t travel during rush hour so there was plenty of space to occupy.

Although not always possible to schedule, my biggest pet peeve is travelers who travel during after-work rush hour traffic! The MAX gets pretty packed in the evenings and then you have people and their several large suitcases…it turns the aisles into an obstacle course.

They actually did try luggage racks: See starting at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmchuff/3569747758/

I think they found that people wanted to keep their luggage next to them. Also note how it takes up two of the priority seats (and not the bike rack, which wouldn’t work as long as the trains are also general use, as well as serve airport employees who have to bike one way but don’t want to the other way).