TriMet’s fare inspectors are fair

Readers’ Letters

, Nov 26, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

L.E. BASKOW / TRIBUNE PHOTO

TriMet inspectors Sandy Raney, Tim Moore (center) and Dick Sirianni check tickets on a MAX train leaving the Gateway Transit Center. The three have dozens of years of experience and have heard – and seen – all sorts of unusual things on Portland-area trains and buses.

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My wife and I went to the B-52s concert in June at the Oregon Zoo and we weren’t prepared for the downpour of rain. When we got home I realized my wallet was completely soaked – including my monthly TriMet pass – so I took everything out to dry.

Sure enough, the next day I forgot to put it back in the wallet and was asked to present my fair right after I hopped on the MAX at Fair Complex. I flipped open my wallet, holding it away from me, and the inspector told me, “That’s a nice drivers license, but definitely not a pass.”

Boy, I was so embarrassed, but since I knew what the procedure was I just handed over the drivers license and apologized for forgetting my monthly pass. She asked if this will be the first time and I told her yes, then she stated that I would just get a warning after she verified my info on the radio. Sure enough, just a warning.

The best part was when I told her even though I was going to Beaverton Town Center and would get off at Orenco Station to buy a valid ticket, she told me not to worry about it and that, if another inspector stopped me, to refer them to her and it wouldn’t be a problem for the trip.

These fare inspectors have a difficult job most of the time, so the best thing to do is to be honest with them and own up when you make a mistake. I asked her what happens when people don’t have any I.D. on them and she told me that they are willing to wait as long as it takes for someone they know to bring their I.D. to them.

She said it’s amazing how after about five minutes, it magically shows up.

Chris Arnesen

Hillsboro

Keep transit policies consistent

If a fare machine is broken on a bus, you ride for free (Keepin’ it fare, Oct. 29). If a fare machine is broken on the streetcar, you ride for free. Why is it that if a fare machine is broken for boarding the MAX, you can’t ride for free?

Consistency is key in transit.

Ross Honeyfield

North Portland

No one pays on streetcar

Fare inspection on the streetcar is almost nonexistent (Keepin’ it fare, Oct. 29). The few times I’ve seen someone checking tickets, they’re a softie with a clipboard who has no real authority and is conducting “a survey.” Everyone I know says they feel like a fool if they pay because of the short sections on either end that you must pay $2 to ride in (entire center section is “fareless.”)

It’s a recipe for confusion, especially with out-of-town visitors, because you don’t have to purchase a ticket or validate it to ride as you would on most other systems.

In addition, I never like to start my transit trip on the streetcar even though it’s convenient, because for $2 you only get an hour on your ticket while on a bus, you get two to three hours transfer time during non-rush hours. An hour isn’t long enough to take care of even one errand. Why isn’t this consistent throughout the streetcar/MAX/Bus?

I hope Tri-Met gets its act together before it extends the unintentionally free light-rail to Milwaukie.

Michael Taylor

Northwest Portland

Hip hop must meet standards

Does the Minnesota model include instructions on how the “hip-hop curriculum” is supposed to meet Oregon state standards (District gets ‘tight’ with hip hop charter plan, Nov. 5)?

If I recall correctly, that is a required portion of the application for all charter schools in this state.

Mary Kusaka

Northeast Portland