The wheels on the bus

Increased assaults on TriMet raising concerns for riders

Those who rely on public transit can have a complex relationship with the system. It is necessary to find intrigue in each aspect of the system in order to endure the trying situations to which TriMet contributes.

As a passenger, however, your only worry should be whether or not gridlock will permit your line transfer, not whether your’s or other’s safety is at risk.

Increased assaults on TriMet raising concerns for riders

Those who rely on public transit can have a complex relationship with the system. It is necessary to find intrigue in each aspect of the system in order to endure the trying situations to which TriMet contributes.

As a passenger, however, your only worry should be whether or not gridlock will permit your line transfer, not whether your’s or other’s safety is at risk.

TriMet’s abrupt outbreak of assaults and other unlawful behavior being inflicted upon operators and passengers alike could not have come at a worse time. With serious changes slated to come this April, including fare increases and reduced service on bus lines, the public is more eager than ever to point out what is going wrong with TriMet.

While the crime rate has not significantly increased, the severity of the crimes has. Many assaults have been reported since the beginning of this year, in addition to the usual property crimes and other less severe issues.

Additionally, the media’s suddenly thorough coverage of these incidents has in turn created a misconception that this behavior is at an all-time high.

It is the duty of TriMet employees and riders alike to restore safety and dignity into the public transit experience. If TriMet is left as is, service will continue to suffer.

Mary Fetsch, a spokeswoman for TriMet, has done her part to dim the media’s spotlight on the issue, telling riders that the number of assaults on TriMet has not increased. Fetsch also claimed in an interview this year that 100 percent of MAX platforms will be equipped with security cameras by the end of 2012.

As it stands, the current 85 percent of stops with security cameras wasn’t sufficient to stop a young girl from boarding the blue line with a three-foot machete last month at the Skidmore Fountain stop. This odd offense is merely child’s play compared to the assault of a 14-year-old girl in December, and another that left a bus operator hospitalized in February.

Transit Police Commander Michael Crebs shared his solution in the Feb. 23 Vanguard article “Crime and punishment.” “We need the good citizens to ride trains and buses to set the tone for what’s acceptable behavior,” Crebs said. “It’s peer pressure.”

While getting people to speak up on public transit would affect more than just behavior, this seemingly harmless call to action could be damaging. A reciprocal relationship between all parties involved is necessary and must be embraced more than a battle of where the responsibility can be shifted.

Additionally, some recognition that much of the TriMet clientele is upset about the upcoming changes would be nice. Honor our opinions, please.

This April, revenue-generating and cost-saving measures will begin trickling in. Some of these measures include the elimination of the free rail zone, reducing frequency of certain bus and MAX lines, reducing LIFT services for riders with, and possibly even making fares one-way.

With the cost of such services on the rise and the severity of TriMet crimes, morale amongst TriMet defenders is obviously declining. A reciprocal and harmonious relationship between all involved with TriMet could easily restore this.

As much as customers need evidence that TriMet’s service will improve in spite of these budget changes, it is the customer’s duty to honor the validity of TriMet’s rules and proposals. Until customers can do this, however, things will likely continue to decline.