Portland, Oregon: Leader in Public Transit

In the beginning of January I had the privilege of staying in one of the nicest cities around, Portland, Oregon. The city is touted as being one of the leaders in public transit, and it's not without reason. I found it to be an extremely efficient and economical way of transportation in my short stay there.

TriMet is the company that is responsible for the three main modes of transit there. You can either travel by bus, the MAX light rail, or by a Portland streetcar. TriMet operates about 660 buses. The stops are scattered plentifully throughout the whole entire city so that you know your never too far from one. They run every 15 minutes or shorter. Each bus is equipped with an easy to use bike rack on the front, just be sure to remind the driver that you need to get your bike when you get to your stop. Almost every single bus driver I encountered was very friendly and helpful in assisting me with my "new to the area" questions.

The MAX light rail is certainly the flagship of the TriMet transit system. It is comprised of 95 fast moving light rail vehicles that will speed you throughout Portland and even to the surrounding areas of Hillsboro and Gresham. It also has a direct route to the airport, making it an easy and reliable route for any travelers. The MAX is equipped with bike hooks on the inside of certain doors in case your traveling with a bike. According to TriMet, their MAX trains cover about 500,000 miles per month.

If you spend much time in downtown Portland you will see one of the Portland streetcars go by. TriMet has a fleet of ten streetcars that were manufactured in the Czech Republic by Skoda-Inekon. They are about 8 feet wide and 66 feet long and follow tracks along a 7.2 mile route through downtown. They make a fun and refreshing alternative if you have to travel any considerable distance through downtown. It's always nice to get a break from the rain too!

The nicest thing about these three services being offered by one company is that you can buy one pass that works on them all. The fares vary depending on how many different zones you travel through and whether your eligible for a discount, like senior citizens are. But at the current $19.50 for a seven day adult pass through all zones it is a very inexpensive way to get around town. Many Portland residents use this as their primary way of commute. An annual pass is currently only $814. This is much cheaper than owning and operating a car after you add up the repairs, gas prices, insurance, etc. I know if I ever get the chance to move to this wonderful city I'll be leaving my car behind!