MAX – Broken Down, Still, Again
Why is MAX still broke down? This morning, they announced a service disruption with problems at two locations, and hoped to have service restored by this afternoon. It’s still shut down.
The MAX mechanical/maintenance record isn’t stellar. When it was icy, they shut down. When it was snowy last fall, they shut down. A few weeks ago, when it was really hot, they shut down. Now, on a mild summer day, they’re shut down. I subscribe to the TriMet “rider alerts” and get emails quite frequently about MAX problems and using busses to substitute. My transit-riding friends tell me that Portland has one of the best transit systems in the country, and that light rail is the solution for transit issues of the future. I call bullshit. When a bus breaks down, the entire system doesn’t grind to a halt. You re-route other busses. How many maintenance, supervisory, and customer service staff are busy today dealing with this outage? A while ago I came across this paper which argues that federal money is being wasted on light rail lines when more efficient bus systems would provide better service for less money.
Looking at MAX, I really can’t argue with that…
Again a vancouverite on a Portland Blog telling Portland how to build a transit system. Please, you came accross an artical. A little late to the game. Your idea of choice is being able to cut more funds from your transit system. Again why is this blog using people with absolutely no understanding of the city its blogging about?
Please explain to me what the fact that I live in Vancouver has to do with knowledge of transit infrastructure. Did you even read the paper I linked to? Because if you want to debate the issues, I’ll gladly discuss transit funding and efficiency. I’m really tired of listening to you bitch about the fact I live in Vancouver when that has nothing to do with the Portland issue being discussed.
I’m with you on this one, Aaron. It’s a load of crap that things like this happen ALL the time. Isn’t there anything that can be done about this? Oooh, let me guess: They can’t AFFORD it, even though rates went up earlier this year and are going up again.
It’s going to be one hellacious commute tomorrow morning if they don’t have the trains fixed by then. (Says this 97212 mass transit rider who will pass through the Rose Quarter transit stop on her way to work tomorrow, ugh…)
All the time? Show me the record? The MAX has outstanding service. Once or twice a year this stuff happens. How many times have you been caught in the massive parking jam going back to vancouver each day? The bloggers on PORTLAND metro blog do NOT represent the people of this city. Look at the three of you bitching and complaining about something that the majority of this city finds very valuable. Nothing is perfect and to jump on one days delay to try and prove a rightwing theory is amazing shallow.
Your seriously posting a Randy O’toole artical? Not much else to say other then please lose the aggressive ignorance and read a little about transportation issues. You’ll be looking back and cridging at posting O’toole. Happy reading!
I have to agree with TheDude here (white russian anyone?) Aaron, imho, you can’t take MAX to task if you don’t even ride it. I ride yellow line daily and have never experienced an outage since its opening. Yes, I’ve been delayed due to a car accident and the steel bridge going up, but that isn’t Tri-met’s fault.
Careful with criticizing something you don’t use regularly.
HA, a link to a paper prepared by the Cato institute? gee a right wing advocacy group opposed to government concluded that a government sponsored capital probject is bad? UNEXPECTED!
cities with extensive rail lines have shorter commutes and less money is spent per capita on transportation.
its that simple.
George, do you have some data to support your assertion that cities with extensive rail lines have shorter commutes with less money spent per capita? And since I can’t use right-wing advocacy groups, you can’t use left-wing ones :)
I ride the bus and MAX both. Daily on the bus, often on the MAX. If I find a service valuable I can’t complain about it? I like MAX, but I still think it should be underground.
I would also like to point out that it isn’t like Aaron is going off needlessly, he does subscribe to alerts from Tri-Met, it isn’t like he just heard it on the news a few times and decided to complain.
wow, you really lurk around your post comments dont you… 25 minutes till a reply.
i’ll get you your study yet, young cato institute fan!
http://www.usmayors.org/USCM/wash_update/documents/jrTP_transit_benefits%5B1%5D.pdf
here you go, its published by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. generally a pro rail group, but at least they arent a political advocacy group!
also specifically bus vs. rail here:
http://www.vtpi.org/bus_rail.pdf
Look around the world. One would argue that you can not really define yourself as a city without some kind of functioning rail system. Yes it would have been fantastic to bury MAX, but can you image the backlash from the Aaron types about costs. Aaron, Portland is a real breathing function alive city that Needs and wants rail. If you’re uncomfortable with cities then write about clark county, but please don’t hitch a ride on Portlandmetroblogging. Its obvious you don’t understand cities.
George, thanks for those links, I’ll read through them tonight when I have some “spare” time.