Am I the only person paying to ride the MAX? (credit, buy)

[Leisesturm]

A six station self checkout system for a supermarket or box store is well over $100K. That doesn't include service contract. I don't even imagine it is possible to purchase turnstile systems. They have to be leased. $$$$$$$$$$$$. The infrastructure upgrades and installation are borne by the lessee. The cost of tickets would not be lower after going over to a turnstile system. OMG are people really that disconnected from how the world works? At a guess, I don't think $1 Billion to completely harden the Trimet MAX system is too far outside of actuality. I don't know... maybe its me, but... I don't think so.

H

[sorupaa]

i billion wow. might as well use that for more wind power

[EnricoV]

And lets not forget the personnel who would have to be there, in order to deal with "issues" that arise from the turnstiles being there. To help with people who can't figure them out. And what's the extra cost/consideration for the handicapped?

And where do you put the turnstiles? Do you build a "fenced" area in order to allow the people who've passed through the turnstiles to wait for a train? How big should it be? Do you take out the street, or the building in order to have it be large enough ... and to allow pedestrians to pass by.

The fact that there are people dumb enough to risk getting a couple hundred dollar ticket just so they don't have to buy a ticket for a dollar or two ... just think what those dumb people would do when faced with a turnstile.

A turnstile system is more practical with an underground, or an elevated system. People have to naturally funnel into it. When they're trains that run on the street surface, it doesn't make sense at all. I've never been in any city with an on-street system that had turnstiles ... not that I've been in many. But Oslo and Amsterdam are the two that come immediately to mind. They're both "honor" systems as well - or were when I used them.

[TD*]

I got "caught" riding without a ticket on the Max. Although I did buy a ticket, I lost the ticket must have fallen out of my pocket when i was reaching for my phone.

When i showed up at the rose center to see the trailblazers play, i had a bunch of stupid trimet cops tell me im lieing, and they wrote me a warning.

Its a bad system imo. They need a way to look up credit cards. Had they been able to look it up they could have seen i swiped my card at the station and bought a ticket downtown where i boarded.


Its basically their word against yours.. What they really should do is build a system that doesnt allow you to board the trains unless u scan your phone screen or ticket or something, therefore, everyone on the trains is "legal"

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by TD*

I got "caught" riding without a ticket on the Max. Although I did buy a ticket, I lost the ticket must have fallen out of my pocket when i was reaching for my phone.

When i showed up at the rose center to see the trailblazers play, i had a bunch of stupid trimet cops tell me im lieing, and they wrote me a warning.

Its a bad system imo. They need a way to look up credit cards. Had they been able to look it up they could have seen i swiped my card at the station and bought a ticket downtown where i boarded.


Its basically their word against yours.. What they really should do is build a system that doesnt allow you to board the trains unless u scan your phone screen or ticket or something, therefore, everyone on the trains is "legal"

I also got "caught" riding without a ticket on MAX when I first moved here. I was rushing to a job interview and just ran out of the house without my wallet. I live at the end of the MAX line in Hillsboro so there is usually a train in the station. I just ran on it and sat down. Many stops later the train was boarded by inspectors... I reach in my pocket and ... oops. Here I am, not exactly late yet, but not early either, for my interview. I had no wallet, No ID. It wasn't looking good for things to get sorted out quickly. The stupid Trimet inspector came up with a totally ridiculous idea IMO. He suggested that if I was on my way to a job interview that maybe I had a resume on me... he thought maybe that could back what I'd told him was my name... ... what a concept?! When I showed him a freshly printed resume he wrote me a warning and also gave me a valid fare card, good for the rest of the day, so I could get back home. Whatever was hie thinking? Its been four years or more since that happened and I still get all burned up with fury when I think about how badly I was treated.
H

[bler144]

Originally Posted by TD*

Its basically their word against yours.. What they really should do is build a system that doesnt allow you to board the trains unless u scan your phone screen or ticket or something, therefore, everyone on the trains is "legal"

Similar to the conversation above, that type of infrastructure is expensive and presents practical challenges. The Max has multiple cars, each of which doors that open/close. The sort of system you're talking about tends to work or be cost-effective only when you minimize entry points.

That has a number of trade-offs (including the people will still find ways to beat it), but the primary one is significant loss of efficiency - you lengthen the unboarding/boarding time at each station.

In any case, you can appeal your ticket in court. If you have a credit card receipt for purchase, you can presumably win your appeal in any case.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by bler144

In any case, you can appeal your ticket in court. If you have a credit card receipt for purchase, you can presumably win your appeal in any case.

He didn't get a ticket, he got a warning. I'm not really getting where his anger is coming from either. Or my own for that matter...<chortle>

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I also got "caught" riding without a ticket on MAX when I first moved here. I was rushing to a job interview and just ran out of the house without my wallet. I live at the end of the MAX line in Hillsboro so there is usually a train in the station. I just ran on it and sat down. Many stops later the train was boarded by inspectors... I reach in my pocket and ... oops. Here I am, not exactly late yet, but not early either, for my interview. I had no wallet, No ID. It wasn't looking good for things to get sorted out quickly. The stupid Trimet inspector came up with a totally ridiculous idea IMO. He suggested that if I was on my way to a job interview that maybe I had a resume on me... he thought maybe that could back what I'd told him was my name... ... what a concept?! When I showed him a freshly printed resume he wrote me a warning and also gave me a valid fare card, good for the rest of the day, so I could get back home. Whatever was hie thinking? Its been four years or more since that happened and I still get all burned up with fury when I think about how badly I was treated.
H

Oh, that dastardly inspector! What cruel and inhumane treatment. It will no doubt haunt you forever.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by TD*

I got "caught" riding without a ticket on the Max. Although I did buy a ticket, I lost the ticket must have fallen out of my pocket when i was reaching for my phone.

When i showed up at the rose center to see the trailblazers play, i had a bunch of stupid trimet cops tell me im lieing, and they wrote me a warning.

Its a bad system imo. They need a way to look up credit cards. Had they been able to look it up they could have seen i swiped my card at the station and bought a ticket downtown where i boarded.


Its basically their word against yours.. What they really should do is build a system that doesnt allow you to board the trains unless u scan your phone screen or ticket or something, therefore, everyone on the trains is "legal"

Actually, it's basically you either have a ticket or you don't.

Really simple concept.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

When I showed him a freshly printed resume he wrote me a warning and also gave me a valid fare card, good for the rest of the day, so I could get back home. Whatever was hie thinking? Its been four years or more since that happened and I still get all burned up with fury when I think about how badly I was treated.
H

What were you wearing? The bulk of people I see caught are not wearing "interview" level clothes - or even nice clothing at all.