PORTLAND, Ore. — Safety on TriMet continues to be a top concern among people in the Portland metro area. A recent survey shows about 2,000 people point to "other riders' behavior" and "lack of transit police" among the reasons they feel that way.
Overall, the public transit agency that provides more than 1.3 million weekly rides across the tri-county area was met with mixed reviews.
“TriMet and the bus system, the MAX system ... just heaven, it really is,” said Dennis, who recently moved to Portland from California, in part due to Portland's public transportation.
But Tim, who rides the train almost daily, has a different opinion: “I’ve seen violence, I’ve seen somebody stabbed on it, I see people doing fentanyl on tin foil all the time on there.”
The recent survey was done by a Seattle-based research firm. They talked with more than 4,000 people in the metro area, both riders and non-riders, and 73% approved of the job TriMet is doing.
“Yeah, it's safe. Drivers take the responsibility to safely reach the passengers,” said Shelly, another TriMet rider.
Yet nearly half of those surveyed said it was safety concerns keeping them from riding. The survey also shows many would not recommend TriMet to friends or family.
“There’s people smoking meth on the MAX and you have to get off,” said Gary, who rides TriMet.
“I’ve seen a whole lot of (drug use) on the bus, on the MAX ... you say something, they don’t do nothing,” added another rider who did not want to be named.
“I do think it’s gotten worse … Just be aware of your surroundings,” added Kay and Steve who often ride together.
“We’re confident that the survey is showing that we are moving in the right direction,” said Tyler Graf, a TriMet spokesperson. However, public perception of TriMet continues to be a top challenge for the transit agency.
"This is a societal issue, especially with drugs and the perception of crime ... So, the survey was conducted earlier this spring. Since then, we’ve added about 80 security transit officers to the system,” added Graf.
TriMet continues to add safety and security staff and expand its cleaning team as it tries to improve rider experience along with its reputation.
“I know there’s already a lot of security, but I think definitely (it) could use more of a security presence,” said Gary.
“That’s one reason we do the survey, to hear both the positive and the negative both from riders and non-riders because that helps us make decisions in the future,” added Graf.
There are currently more than 400 staff — the most ever — riding the trains and buses watching out for drug use and other dangerous behavior. This past year, TriMet launched a 24/7 security hotline people can text or call: 503-238-7433 (RIDE). TriMet’s spokesperson adds if you see something, they want to hear about it.