TriMet used to be considered a great transit system with short wait times, colorful bus stops and friendly drivers, but in recent years fares have been raised so often, and service has been cut so much, that taking the bus has become unaffordable and inconvenient. How unaffordable and inconvenient depends on who you are and where you live. As Portland is getting increasingly gentrified, more and more low income people are moving to the outskirts of town, where buses come much less often. Meanwhile TriMet is heavily investing in building MAX and streetcar lines in the center of town, which is becoming more accessible all the time. KBOO’s Jennifer Kemp, with help from FSRN reporter Eric Klein, hit the buses to see what the riders really thought of TriMet. Partnering with environmental justice organization, OPAL, this piece explores who the transit agency is really working for.
- KBOO