Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Operator fired...
Link to article on KOIN 6 News...
Link to Oregon Live article...
I am sure you all understand that I will not comment any more on this situation. It looks like there will be more news coming about this incident, and as it becomes available, I will post links.
Link to Oregon Live article...
I am sure you all understand that I will not comment any more on this situation. It looks like there will be more news coming about this incident, and as it becomes available, I will post links.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
My response to Joseph Rose of the Oregonian
Mr. Joseph Rose of the Oregonian, found my blog and is not happy about some of what I wrote yesterday.
Mr. Rose,
Let's start with the most pressing "hot button" topic of our day in public transit:
I do not condone MAX or bus operators texting or using cell phones while operating their vehicles. The rule against this has been on the books at TriMet for a long, long time. Those who break this rule should be disciplined as harshly as TriMet deems fit. The recent announcement that TriMet now has a rule about this, is misleading; it is not a new rule, it is simply an old rule that will now be strictly enforced.
I become very concerned when I see or hear about any TriMet operator giving less than full attention to his or her job. My job requires me to give 100 % every day, something that is not always easy. However, along with most other TriMet bus and rail operators, I try my best. I remind myself daily that people's lives are in my hands, sometimes quiet literally when they carelessly run in front of my moving train.
I understand that you have tried to drive a TriMet bus; however, trying to drive a 40 foot bus does not show you how to walk in my shoes as a MAX operator. Operating a MAX train is so different than driving a bus that there is no way you can imagine what it is like WITHOUT having tried MAX.
I am sure that you would get a new perspective on my job if you could see it from the inside of my cab while listening to the radio and following in detail all we have to do and pay attention to. (Unfortunately, I could not let you ride in my cab without special permission.) Downtown Portland looks a lot different from my cab than it does from the seat of a bus driver.
Please do not misunderstand me: driving a bus is very challenging and a huge responsibility - I did it for seven years and it is as stressful a job as you could ever wish to have. Perhaps driving a bus partially prepares you for operating MAX - not sure about that, but it could. Come to think of it, I am pretty sure there is a transit agency here in the United States that found that light rail operators without a bus background were safer than those with. I would have to dig a little to find that piece of information again.
Just like in every other job, there are good TriMet operators and bad ones. Some should not be driving a bus, and some should not be operating MAX. I do not make the decisions about who should or should not work at TriMet - my job is to operate my trains as safely as I can every time I get into that cab. If I am not "fit for duty" it is my responsibility to take myself off the train - which I have in the past when I have been too sick to safely operate my train.
When accidents and incidents happen at MAX it becomes big news; the recent story about the three year old boy being left at a platform is a horrible example of something that should not have happened.
But please do NOT judge all of us because of the bad apples in our ranks. Most MAX operators are responsible and safe operators. Most are patient and helpful. Lately, I have seen a tendency to lump us all into this "awful operator" category, whether that be bus or train operators. Most of us do well with the public, most of us are safe, most of us will help you when you need help. That is part of our job, whether we operate a bus or a MAX train.
Mr. Rose, I am not here to argue with you. You may think whatever you want about TriMet and it's employees - and me. We live in a free country, and we still have freedom of speech. Just don't think you know all there is to know about TriMet just because you blog about us.
And, at the same time, I will remind myself that I do not know all there is to know about TriMet, either. I am "only" a rail operator, and can only blog about things the way I see them...
Mr. Rose, most MAX operators have only one goal in mind: to get you safely to your destination, without any incidents. That goal enccompasses everything about this job, a job that is challenging, enjoyable and rewarding.
I hope some day I will meet you; it would be an interesting meeting - in a good way.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Eva
Mr. Rose,
Let's start with the most pressing "hot button" topic of our day in public transit:
I do not condone MAX or bus operators texting or using cell phones while operating their vehicles. The rule against this has been on the books at TriMet for a long, long time. Those who break this rule should be disciplined as harshly as TriMet deems fit. The recent announcement that TriMet now has a rule about this, is misleading; it is not a new rule, it is simply an old rule that will now be strictly enforced.
I become very concerned when I see or hear about any TriMet operator giving less than full attention to his or her job. My job requires me to give 100 % every day, something that is not always easy. However, along with most other TriMet bus and rail operators, I try my best. I remind myself daily that people's lives are in my hands, sometimes quiet literally when they carelessly run in front of my moving train.
I understand that you have tried to drive a TriMet bus; however, trying to drive a 40 foot bus does not show you how to walk in my shoes as a MAX operator. Operating a MAX train is so different than driving a bus that there is no way you can imagine what it is like WITHOUT having tried MAX.
I am sure that you would get a new perspective on my job if you could see it from the inside of my cab while listening to the radio and following in detail all we have to do and pay attention to. (Unfortunately, I could not let you ride in my cab without special permission.) Downtown Portland looks a lot different from my cab than it does from the seat of a bus driver.
Please do not misunderstand me: driving a bus is very challenging and a huge responsibility - I did it for seven years and it is as stressful a job as you could ever wish to have. Perhaps driving a bus partially prepares you for operating MAX - not sure about that, but it could. Come to think of it, I am pretty sure there is a transit agency here in the United States that found that light rail operators without a bus background were safer than those with. I would have to dig a little to find that piece of information again.
Just like in every other job, there are good TriMet operators and bad ones. Some should not be driving a bus, and some should not be operating MAX. I do not make the decisions about who should or should not work at TriMet - my job is to operate my trains as safely as I can every time I get into that cab. If I am not "fit for duty" it is my responsibility to take myself off the train - which I have in the past when I have been too sick to safely operate my train.
When accidents and incidents happen at MAX it becomes big news; the recent story about the three year old boy being left at a platform is a horrible example of something that should not have happened.
But please do NOT judge all of us because of the bad apples in our ranks. Most MAX operators are responsible and safe operators. Most are patient and helpful. Lately, I have seen a tendency to lump us all into this "awful operator" category, whether that be bus or train operators. Most of us do well with the public, most of us are safe, most of us will help you when you need help. That is part of our job, whether we operate a bus or a MAX train.
Mr. Rose, I am not here to argue with you. You may think whatever you want about TriMet and it's employees - and me. We live in a free country, and we still have freedom of speech. Just don't think you know all there is to know about TriMet just because you blog about us.
And, at the same time, I will remind myself that I do not know all there is to know about TriMet, either. I am "only" a rail operator, and can only blog about things the way I see them...
Mr. Rose, most MAX operators have only one goal in mind: to get you safely to your destination, without any incidents. That goal enccompasses everything about this job, a job that is challenging, enjoyable and rewarding.
I hope some day I will meet you; it would be an interesting meeting - in a good way.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Eva
Monday, November 23, 2009
Come walk in my shoes
Recent comments have been made to my blog that have not been posted. These comments have been about events that have stirred up a lot of anger and feelings of negativity toward TriMet, specifically MAX operators.
My blog is about MY experience as a light rail operator. I am NOT here to add to the hearsay about other operators supposed faults or lack of proper work ethics.
It seems to me that there is a lynch mob mentality about TriMet right now - we see and hear negative "facts" about TriMet more and more often. Operators are being judged in the court of public opinion WITHOUT that "court" having all the facts.
Before you criticize my co-workers, you need to do this simple little thing: come walk in my shoes.
Apply to be a bus operator at TriMet when that position comes open. Then, IF you are accepted (TriMet actually have high qualifying standards for bus drivers) you will most likely be a part time bus driver for at year or two or maybe even three. Then go to full time, and then, eventually, you can apply to be a light rail operator.
IF you are accepted into the light rail training program, you will do more studying and more learning than you could possibly think you were able to do in five short weeks. You eat, sleep and work light rail; there is SO much to learn that you will either
1. give up in the first week (many do),
2. fail a Friday test and be sent back to bus (many do), or
3. fail the big test after a week on the alignment during week four when you operate train after hours, our graveyard week.
4. PASS - Congratulations! (Many have failed graveyard week, but of course YOU will not.)
You have one more big hurdle to pass: week five, where at the end, there is a huge test about everything you have learned so far. Many have failed this test, too.
Then you enter two weeks of training with qualified rail operators; you will operate revenue trains, and be expected to perform well enough to be on your own at the beginning of week eight. By now some operators are so overwhelmed by the responsibility that they go back to bus at the end of week seven.
Of course YOU made it through all that because you are so smart.
Welcome to the first few weeks on your own. It has taken down many operators who simply cannot take the stress of operating a MAX train.
IF you can do all of the above, and IF you make it through the first few weeks out on the alignment on your own, THEN come and talk with me about the way other light rail operators do their jobs. But, watch out, because you will be learning about this job for years to come, so be careful who you judge too harshly. Suddenly, one day, YOU might find yourself in the middle of a controversial situation that garners national attention - being judged without the "judges" having all the facts.
Until then, do NOT do so in comments to my blog. Until we have all the facts about recent events, none of us can pass judgment, I least of all - I was not there, I do NOT have all the facts - and I have information YOU do not have.
One more thing before I take off for work: yes, there probably are "good" and "not so good" rail operators, but I am sure that none of us would be allowed on the alignment if we were unsafe for the public. Personally, I think I fall in the middle of the pack - I try my best to be "good", but even "good" operators make mistakes, and I have made plenty of those. I have yet to meat the perfect rail operator, although a few come close...
Now I need to go to work - if you care to, please work on becoming one of my co-workers. We have a lot of fun, but we have one of the most challenging jobs around.
PS - a lot of this post applies to being a bus driver at TriMet, too. They are all too often judged when something happens - long before all the facts are in. My hat off to TriMet bus drivers! They do a great job in spite of often difficult working conditions.
My blog is about MY experience as a light rail operator. I am NOT here to add to the hearsay about other operators supposed faults or lack of proper work ethics.
It seems to me that there is a lynch mob mentality about TriMet right now - we see and hear negative "facts" about TriMet more and more often. Operators are being judged in the court of public opinion WITHOUT that "court" having all the facts.
Before you criticize my co-workers, you need to do this simple little thing: come walk in my shoes.
Apply to be a bus operator at TriMet when that position comes open. Then, IF you are accepted (TriMet actually have high qualifying standards for bus drivers) you will most likely be a part time bus driver for at year or two or maybe even three. Then go to full time, and then, eventually, you can apply to be a light rail operator.
IF you are accepted into the light rail training program, you will do more studying and more learning than you could possibly think you were able to do in five short weeks. You eat, sleep and work light rail; there is SO much to learn that you will either
1. give up in the first week (many do),
2. fail a Friday test and be sent back to bus (many do), or
3. fail the big test after a week on the alignment during week four when you operate train after hours, our graveyard week.
4. PASS - Congratulations! (Many have failed graveyard week, but of course YOU will not.)
You have one more big hurdle to pass: week five, where at the end, there is a huge test about everything you have learned so far. Many have failed this test, too.
Then you enter two weeks of training with qualified rail operators; you will operate revenue trains, and be expected to perform well enough to be on your own at the beginning of week eight. By now some operators are so overwhelmed by the responsibility that they go back to bus at the end of week seven.
Of course YOU made it through all that because you are so smart.
Welcome to the first few weeks on your own. It has taken down many operators who simply cannot take the stress of operating a MAX train.
IF you can do all of the above, and IF you make it through the first few weeks out on the alignment on your own, THEN come and talk with me about the way other light rail operators do their jobs. But, watch out, because you will be learning about this job for years to come, so be careful who you judge too harshly. Suddenly, one day, YOU might find yourself in the middle of a controversial situation that garners national attention - being judged without the "judges" having all the facts.
Until then, do NOT do so in comments to my blog. Until we have all the facts about recent events, none of us can pass judgment, I least of all - I was not there, I do NOT have all the facts - and I have information YOU do not have.
One more thing before I take off for work: yes, there probably are "good" and "not so good" rail operators, but I am sure that none of us would be allowed on the alignment if we were unsafe for the public. Personally, I think I fall in the middle of the pack - I try my best to be "good", but even "good" operators make mistakes, and I have made plenty of those. I have yet to meat the perfect rail operator, although a few come close...
Now I need to go to work - if you care to, please work on becoming one of my co-workers. We have a lot of fun, but we have one of the most challenging jobs around.
PS - a lot of this post applies to being a bus driver at TriMet, too. They are all too often judged when something happens - long before all the facts are in. My hat off to TriMet bus drivers! They do a great job in spite of often difficult working conditions.
Friday, November 20, 2009
1, 2, 3 incidents - I was on a roll...
It was one of those days when EVERYTHING seemed to conspire against me. The negative powers of the rails where out to get me. I felt forgetful, I felt dumb, I was startled, I felt helpful, I was annoyed, I felt lazy, then I felt helpful again - which basically means that I am just a normal, average light rail operator... I think.
My day started out with a self made emergency while I was on my way to Beaverton TC to pick up my Red Line. I had about 30 minutes until I had to leave BTC for the airport.
Looking for something in my bag, I realized that my wallet was missing. I immediately knew where it was: at home in the purse I never take to work. No big deal, really, unless I wanted to operate my train today. We are not allowed to operate the trains without three very important documents in our possession: our (CDL) driver license, our light rail certification card, and our Medical card which certifies that we are medically able to operate a commercial vehicle.
I called the guy at Elmo who is in charge of getting coverage for all our runs every day, and told him my sad story. He kindly agreed to let me take an operator with me to pick up my wallet, and then have the operator run me over to BTC - I live close to Elmonica, so there was probably time enough... We used my car - and I made it just in time to see my train arrive at BTC. The operator left my car at work where I found it after I parked my train tonight.
That was it - I had had enough excitement for one night.
Above: it is good to remind ourselves that things could be SO much worse...I should NEVER think such positive, stuck up thoughts. As I glided to a stop at Sunset, I noticed that the doors on the elevator on the westbound platform looked different. They were not a shiny silvery color like they normally are; instead they had all kinds of levers and rods showing, and the color of the doors were brown. Strange, I thought, but oh, just something wrong with the way the doors look. Somebody surely has called that in.
I closed the doors on my train, rang my bells and barely started up when suddenly I saw a hand waving frantically through a three inch gap in the middle of the elevator doors. It was as if I looked at a horror movie, except it was daylight - and it was at Sunset TC. Startled, I stopped my train, looked again and realized that somebody was stuck inside the elevator, waving as much as he or she could to get my attention.
After calling control and telling him what I saw, I walked over to see what was wrong with the doors; they were definitely stuck. The outside doors were open, the inside doors on the elevator itself, were not. Together with one of the people on the elevator, I was able to open the doors three inches - and they made a horrible screeching noise while we tried to force them open. No luck. They were as stuck as they could be. I was told to stay with the elevator, reassuring the poor people inside it that help was on it's way.
After a (long?) while a bus driver who was on my train managed to get the doors open - he lifted some of the exposed levers and magically, the doors opened - to the great relief of the four people stuck inside. Since we could not leave the elevator unsecured, I had to stay with the broken thing until a supervisor arrived.
As soon as I saw supervisor B, I jumped on my train, flew downhill into BTC, got into my easterly cab and realized that I gotten out of the way of a LONG line of trains that had formed behind me - YEAH! I plugged up the alignment again. YES! :-) :-)
Passengers were not as thrilled about this little incident as I was (I was not really, but I try to see the positive in bad things at work), but they also understood that the malfunctioning elevator could not be left until other TriMet personnel arrived.
My train and I went back to the airport - very late, but hauling more people and suitcases than I have ever done before. Thanksgiving vacation started today for a lot of people. On my way back up to Gateway I got stuck by a Green Line that was doing an operator relief and I was NOT happy - forget that stuff about seeing the positive in bad things at work. Grrr...
On the other hand, it all ended up giving me a long, long, LONG break at 11th Avenue since I was so late by the time I got downtown that I was in everybody's way. Me having a break = good thing about work :-)
Before they took me out of service, they made sure that the two trains right on my tail were both going to Hatfield. The operator of the train right behind mine later chided me in a friendly manner about being "lazy" and enjoying dumping my load on him. I agreed! HA!
By now, I thought for sure my excitement was over for the day. Not so. I made my way out to Gresham (where the operator chided me and so on - see above - he is a nice guy!) and eagerly awaited my last trip for the night, which would take me to Hillsboro.
Ah, the sweetness of the last trip... Looking forward to getting off work after a demanding day at work. You all know how it feels...
So when a guy came on the passenger emergency intercom at Gresham Central (Gresham TC) and said something about two women and a purse and the train ahead of mine, I thought: "Simple, just get the info from this dude while you are on your way down to Burnside and call it in to control." Eh... not so fast... I closed my doors, rang my bells and suddenly heard from the guy: "NO NO - I must get off here, I must catch a bus here!" So I stopped my train (I had moved no more than a foot or two), looked at my signal and hoped it would be OK (as in not tripping it), opened the doors and let him off after he once again tried to tell me what was wrong.
As confused as I have ever been, I called control and told her what I kind of understood - or rather, what I did NOT understand - the guy was very upset and he talked too fast. She sent a supervisor who managed to find the young man; turns out two women stole his wife's purse. I think the culprits were apprehended further down the line, thanks to some great work by the controller, the supervisor and the police.
THAT WAS IT. I crossed my fingers and told the train gods that I did not want any more. They heard my desperate pleas and nothing else happened on my way to Hatfield. I was relieved...
:-)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Google map of where the Seattle light rail derailed
*J* kindly found this for me on Google maps:
Click here for Seattle light rail yard map
If you look around, you will see where the train derailed yesterday. This train was either on it's way out of the yard, in which case it ran (*split*) a switch, something that is very bad for both the train, the switches and everything around, or, the train was on it's way into the yard, and the switch from the mainline malfunctioned just before the last truck (set of wheels) went through it, causing that truck to continue on the mainline instead of following the rest of the train diverging into the yard.
I think I read somewhere that there were two train cars in this consist and that the two cars were uncoupled after the accident. It will be interesting to find out if that removed uncoupled train car was still on the mainline or if it was on the opposite end, nearest to the yard.
Click here for Seattle light rail yard map
If you look around, you will see where the train derailed yesterday. This train was either on it's way out of the yard, in which case it ran (*split*) a switch, something that is very bad for both the train, the switches and everything around, or, the train was on it's way into the yard, and the switch from the mainline malfunctioned just before the last truck (set of wheels) went through it, causing that truck to continue on the mainline instead of following the rest of the train diverging into the yard.
I think I read somewhere that there were two train cars in this consist and that the two cars were uncoupled after the accident. It will be interesting to find out if that removed uncoupled train car was still on the mainline or if it was on the opposite end, nearest to the yard.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Seattle light rail not on the rails...
By News staff at KATU's sister station, KOMO
SEATTLE -- A Central Link light rail train has derailed in Seattle, distrupting trains heading to the Mount Baker, Beacon Hill and SODO stations.
The train came off the tracks on the elevated train platform near Safeco Field about 3:30 p.m.
Sound Transit's Web site says trains will operate every 20 minutes instead of every 7 minutes until the train is cleared.
Officials said there were no passengers on board the derailed train, and engineers are trying to determine what caused it to come off the tracks.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Service changes at TriMet starting November 29th
Click here for a link to TriMet's web site for a list of changes to service on November 29th - these changes affect only bus routes as far as I can tell.
It looks like the changes are minor, although a few minutes could make a big difference if you are not aware of the change. Here is a list from TriMet's web site of the routes with changes: (I think you can click on the links for the individual routes.)
It looks like the changes are minor, although a few minutes could make a big difference if you are not aware of the change. Here is a list from TriMet's web site of the routes with changes: (I think you can click on the links for the individual routes.)
Service changes effective November 29
To help cover a $3.5 million budget shortfall, with the least impact to service, TriMet will implement small reductions in bus frequency on the following lines:
- 6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
- 8-Jackson Park/NE 15th
- 9-Powell/Broadway
- 12-Barbur/Sandy Blvd
- 14-Hawthorne
- 15-Belmont/NW 23rd
- 17-Holgate/NW 21st
- 19-Woodstock/Glisan
- 20-Burnside/Stark
- 33-McLoughlin
- 44-Capitol Hwy/Mocks Crest
- 54-Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy
- 56-Scholls Ferry Rd
- 57-TV Hwy/Forest Grove
- 70-12th Ave
- 71-60th/122nd Ave
- 75-Lombard/39th
- 77-Broadway/Halsey
To improve on-time performance the schedule has been adjusted on the following line:
35-Macadam/GreeleyTriMet's October ridership numbers - UP 9 % weekdays on Green Line
November 11, 2009
Weekly trips increased 9%
MAX ridership increased during October, the first full month of operation along the new Green Line. The ongoing recession and double digit unemployment is still impacting other modes of travel.
There were 8.8 million trips taken on buses, MAX and WES trains during October, a decline of 4.8 percent compared to October 2008, an agency record high ridership month. All figures compared to October 2008.
Bus, MAX and WES
- Weekly trips totaled 2,001,400, a 3.1 percent decline
- Weekday trips totaled 328,300, a 3.7 percent decline
- Weekend trips totaled 359,900, down 0.3 percent
- Rush hour trips totaled 104,800, 7.1 percent decline
Bus
- Weekly trips totaled 1,231,500, down 9.8 percent
- Weekday trips totaled 206,100, a 10.2 percent decline
- Weekend trips totaled 201,000, a 7.7 percent decline
- Rush hour trips totaled 67,700, a 14.8 percent decline
MAX
- Weekly trips totaled 763,900, a 9.2 percent increase
- Weekday trips totaled 121,000, an 8.7 percent increase
- Weekend trips totaled 158,900, an 11 percent increase
- Rush hour trips totaled 35,900, a 6.7 percent increase
MAX Green Line
- Weekday trips averaged 17,800
- Weekend trips averaged 23,500
WES
- Weekly WES trips totaled 5,950
- Weekday/rush hour trips averaged 1,190 boardings.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The wish of a dying 5 year old boy
This is not a light rail story, but it has touched me deeply.
A 5 year old boy is dying of cancer, and his family is celebrating an early Christmas. They have a great big wish for their son: lots of Christmas cards for him. I always check emails like this on snopes.com, and found this one to be true:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/biorkman.asp
Also: http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/article.html&id=22439
PLEASE NOTE: the family is NOT asking for money, but simply for Christmas cards.
I am posting this because I would like to help this family deal with this very difficult time; here is the story and the link:
http://wycd.com/Send-Christmas-cards-to-Noah--a-very-special-littl/5588415
A 5 year old boy is dying of cancer, and his family is celebrating an early Christmas. They have a great big wish for their son: lots of Christmas cards for him. I always check emails like this on snopes.com, and found this one to be true:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/biorkman.asp
Also: http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/article.html&id=22439
PLEASE NOTE: the family is NOT asking for money, but simply for Christmas cards.
I am posting this because I would like to help this family deal with this very difficult time; here is the story and the link:
http://wycd.com/Send-Christmas-cards-to-Noah--a-very-special-littl/5588415
Help Little Noah Celebrate Christmas Early! |
 Five year-old Noah Biorkman is in hospice and we need your help to make this the best Christmas ever by sending him Christmas cards! His family will be celebrating Christmas this weekend.Noah was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in February 2007. He went into remission in August 2007. In September 2008, Noah relapsed with lesions in his right arm and right leg. After going through six different trials, the cancer continues to spread. Noah is an angel and we are blessed to have him in our lives. Please help the fulfill the Biorkman family's wish to make this the best Christmas ever for Noah. You can send your Christmas cards to: Noah Biorkman c/o 99.5 WYCD 2201 Woodward Heights Blvd. Ferndale, MI 48220-1511 ►PLEASE NOTE: 99.5 WYCD and the Biorkman Family respectfully request that you do not stop by their home with your well wishes during this time. They have been overwhelmed with visitors and well wishers, and while it is very greatly appreciated, they need this time to care for and be with Noah. On Wednesday, November 4th, WDIV-TV spoke with the Biorkman Family - watch the video below!  To learn more about Noah and meet/help other children with pediatric cancer, visit Noah's CarePage: https://www.carepages.com/carepages/NoahScottBiorkman |
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| Filed Under : Charity, Community, Detroit, Edwards and Lee |
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