1. Many Portlanders highly value the city’s public transportation system.

• Many people believe that Portland already has one of the best public transportation systems in the country.
• People who are not car owners or do not want to own cars value Portland because they feel they can easily get around the city on public transportation.
• Portlanders value public transportation because it is convenient, but also because it builds community and protects the environment.
• Most people express strong appreciation for Fareless Square, although a minority vehemently believes it encourages abuse of the MAX by "tough" characters who get on downtown and then ride for free to other parts of town.
• Portlanders who identify themselves as disabled, elderly, homeless or low-income tend to express particularly strong support for Portland’s public transportation system.

2. In the future, public transit will offer well-integrated, comprehensive services throughout the metro region.

• Portlanders want to see transportation services expanded to serve more neighborhoods and better integrated with each other to provide efficient, comprehensive coverage between neighborhoods.

  Expanded public transportation services:

• Most people want to see all forms of public transportation (buses, streetcars, MAX, lifts, etc…) expanded to serve more people and more neighborhoods.
• Some neighborhoods are currently underserved by public transportation, especially in the outer Eastside, the Southwest Suburbs and St. Johns.
• Many people would like to see extended hours for public transportation (until 2:00 or 3:00am) and some call for 24-hour public transit. Reasons given include supporting workers on late-night shifts and reducing drunk driving downtown.
• Many people would like to see expanded weekend service as well.
• People would like to see public transportation to all colleges in and around Portland, including community colleges such as Mt. Hood Community College.
• Many people want services expanded beyond the urban core, and suggest MAX expansions North to Vancouver and South to Wilsonville or even Salem.
• Some people request LIFT services that are more frequent and reliable to improve accessibility for the disabled community (see Social Issues: Disabilities for more).

Sample Strategies:

1. Charge higher fares for late-night travel to off-set the costs of running busses later. Even with the higher fares, taking the bus will be much cheaper than taking a taxi.
2. Create express train lines from Portland to the coast and a “ski train” up to Mt. Hood.
3. Support the development of water taxis/water ferries to Vancouver.

   Better-integrated public transit to connect Portland’s neighborhoods:

• In general, people question the concept of having all transit routed through downtown and would prefer to see better linkages between Portland’s neighborhood districts.
• Specifically, people call for improved North/South transit on the Eastside. Many people mentioned wanting to travel by public transit between Northeast and Southeast without having to go downtown or spend so much time on the bus.
• Many people complained of living near MAX lines they cannot use because there is no bus to take them to the MAX and no place to safely park their car near the MAX. This is a particular problem for the MAX line to the airport.

Sample Strategies:

1. Bring back the streetcar on the Eastside, both to increase public transit use and to better connect underserved neighborhoods to existing MAX and Bus lines.
2. “Try some small, effective busses on spur routes that feed either MAX or larger bus lines. Shuttles for areas with high pedestrian, bus, and auto traffic, specifically NW 23rd.”
3. Smaller, more frequent busses for non-peak hours.
4. Increase the size and number of parking lots near MAX stations, so more people can use MAX lines near their neighborhoods.

3. More people will use public transit if it is faster, safer, and more affordable.

• Most people agree that the incentives to stop driving and switch to public transportation are currently too low. Public transit is seen as slow, crowded, often unpleasant and sometimes unsafe.
• In general, supporters of public transportation want to see increased incentives for “regular Portlanders” to switch from single-passenger cars to public transportation.
• The primary incentives mentioned include speed, safety/comfort and affordability.

  Faster public transportation:

• People believe that one of the biggest incentives involves travel time: if it were faster to travel by public transit than by car, many more people would use public transportation.
• Portlanders understand (and seem frustrated by the fact that) the busses and the MAX can only move at the speed of car traffic. They fear that as long as there is auto congestion, these forms of mass transit will not be as fast as they could be, which in turn will deter people from using them, further contributing to auto congestion.
• Many people believe that eventually public transit in downtown will need to move above or below ground to ease congestion and speed up travel times in the inner city.

Sample Strategies:

1. Smaller, more frequent busses for non-peak hours to help people get places faster.
2. Split busses on major avenues such as SE Powell or NE Killingsworth into A and B busses and have them stop at every other stop. This would speed up travel times without reducing coverage.
3. Eliminate half the MAX stops downtown.
4. Create express MAX lines and/or bus lines for long commutes, such as between Northeast and Southeast Portland or East Portland and the West Suburbs.

   Safer, more pleasant public transportation:

• Many people mention the unpleasantness of riding on the MAX because of people who are rude, smelly, or seem dangerous. They cite this as a strong deterrent to commuting on the MAX.
• Another current deterrent to using public transportation is the lack of safe, free/affordable parking near MAX stations and other major transit centers (see above as well).
• Many people also state feeling unsafe riding busses or MAX trains late at night and comment on the gang activity, drug dealing, fights and other unpleasant and unsafe behaviors witnessed on public transit.

Sample Strategies:

1. Monitor and enforce rules on the MAX more.
2. “Eliminate Fareless Square or put patrols on the MAX trains.”
3. “More parking to make it easier to use Tri-met.”
4. Increase safety on the MAX (especially at night) by making trains less crowded. This will increase ridership.
5. Create underground parking lots near MAX stations.
6. Improve safety at bus stops.
7. Address drug dealing on the busses, MAX, and at bus stops.
8. Educate public transit users in riding etiquette and safety.

   More affordable public transportation:

• There is overwhelming consensus that public transportation should be made more affordable.
• Many people advocate reducing fares or providing “frequent user” discounts or annual pass discounts.
• Other people suggest making public transit more affordable by providing tax write-offs for tri-met passes, rebates or discounts on other city amenities for users of public transportation.

Sample Strategies:

1. Extend the Fareless Square East and West.
2. Assess a toll on vehicles that enter downtown to pay for extended mass transit that is free for all.
3. “We should allow tax deductions for transportation costs associated with TriMet, i.e. write off a yearly TriMet pass on your Multnomah County tax return.”
4. “I also think there should be incentives for people who commute using the MAX, Bus, Carpool, or bike/walk/run. Either in the form of a city tax break of a certain percentage, or coupons that could be used around the city for museums, theater, zoo or other tours that people can use in return for helping with our traffic problem.”
5. “Take away the parking costs for outside transit centers. This discourages use of mass transit into the city because if people have to pay, then they will drive and pay to park.”

4. Public transportation investments should serve the greatest number of people possible.

• Many people speak of using public transportation dollars to fund projects that serve the majority of commuters as opposed to small interest groups.
• Examples mention included covering all bus stops before creating a new MAX line, or extending streetcar services before creating aerial trams.

5. Public transportation can and should be cleaner and “greener.”

• People value public transportation because it reduces reliance on cars and contributes to a cleaner environment.
• People want to see public transportation running on cleaner fuel; higher grade diesel, bio-fuel or electricity.
• People believe that public transportation in The Pearl contributes to polluted air and feel that inner city busses should be particularly clean and green.