[PLUG] PLUG meeting

[Jeme A Brelin]

On 6 Dec 2002, AthlonRob wrote:
> Well, I don't think you ride the 12 very often..... it is consistently
> 5-10 minutes behind schedule.  During rush hour, this 5-10 minutes
> increases to 15-45 minutes.

Not TOO often, but I did take the twelve on Wednesday to a dental
appointment.  (My dentist is right at the intersection where the bus turns
off Pacific Highway and goes down to Tigard Transit Center.)

I was one minute late to the stop and missed the bus (at MLK &
Burnside) but grabbed the 6 as it came up MLK and caught the 12 at SW
Madison as it came through downtown.

The bus wasn't particularly crowded once we got past PSU.  And the return
trip was about the same (only the standing began at PSU instead of ending
there).

> Maybe the route I had to take was just much worse than all the
> others.. I dunno.

Or maybe people just don't know about the express busses for rush hour
folk.

> But mass transit, and Tri-Met in particular, is *not* the best option
> for a great many people.

Maybe not.  But driving IS the best option for far fewer.

> To add to your 'they are at work' scenario - a few of the bus drivers
> seem to like talking on their phone a lot.  I'm sure you don't think
> talking and driving at the same time is good... but a few of 'em do it
> regularly.  Personal calls at work... heh.

I've never seen a bus driver on a personal call.  They talk to other
Tri-Met employees about traffic and such, though.

I would say, though, that talking on the phone while driving is a whole
lot less dangerous when the route is predetermined.  Bus drivers rarely
jockey for position.

Anyway, busses aren't the perfect solution, but public transit benefits
people in ways that private vehicles never can.

J.
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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