Wednesday's Speech Two Ways

Hello, all. I just thought I'd post my speech. It's too soon to tell how I did or what impact it had but I'll post it here in print and video for those interested.


Hello, I am Cameron Johnson, I'm sixteen years old, and along with my fellow comrades from OPAL's Bus Riders Unite! leadership team, I am here to speak about our Campaign for a Fair Transfer, as well as giving a voice to bus riders across the region.

It is crucial that you, the TriMet Board, hear us and respond to issues that we feel are important. I have been testifying before this Board for a while, and I don't feel like it has any impact on your policies or decisions. I come here to testify not to win compliments, but because I want to make a difference.

Outside of this room, I am part of something larger. When I speak at an OPAL event or rally, I feel I can motivate my fellow transit riders, and it's a powerful feeling that stays with you. We at OPAL dedicate ourselves to motivating people into action, and we've awakened transit riders with our Campaign for Fair Transfer. Transit riders want and need a three hour fare. Transit riders have been asked to bear the burden of service cuts and fare increases, and they need something back to make the system work for them again. Transit riders are willing and ready to stand up and take action to win this policy change.

We currently have over 1,750 names and signatures of transit riders on petitions to support our Campaign for a Fair Transfer. Our goal is 3,500 signatures, and we will be back here every month with more and more people who support our campaign.

TriMet can come up with any number of financial projections for why this isn't a good idea or why we can't afford it. Your job is to tell them to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we can. It's about priorities, and putting the resources where it's going to help the most people and the neediest people. Don't tell us you can't afford it when you are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the latest streetcar or MAX project.

When OPAL has thousands and thousands of people supporting this campaign, telling you loud and clear that this is something we want, something we need, you are going to have to wake up and listen. We are the lifeblood of the transit system; we are the ones that support the system and this agency day in and day out. We don't opt out of taking the bus or MAX because we're feeling lazy, or because it's raining, or because we're busy and running late. We ride the system every single day.

The Campaign for a Fair Transfer is a solution developed by the people, for the people. And it's not just for us, those that depend on transit. This campaign is for everyone. More and more people will have more confidence in transit and will start riding the bus and MAX, and we will all benefit from increased ridership and increased farebox revenue. We're doing this for everyone, you included. The survival of our transit agency depends on it. We're not looking for a free hand out, and we don't want to fight with you, we want to work with you. But in order to work together, we need to know that you hear us and are accountable. Otherwise our next campaign may be to elect a board that will.
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And the youtube link. As usual, all credits go to Al M and Jason McHuff for the video. Also, kudos to my comrades Nancy and Teresa for their good work!

Thanks!

Cameron

UPDATE: Dissecting the Depth of a TriMet Priority Future Service Alert

You may have seen my post yesterday on the little amount of information on TriMet's Service Alert for Sunday Parkways. I sent it off to TriMet yesterday and I got a response from Dareth Murray.

Hi Cameron,

Thanks for taking the trouble to point out the lack of information we provided in our alert. I think if you look at it again you will see that we DO link to their website which does explain the event and where it affects our service.

But to make it more clear right up front, I put a couple of paragraphs that explain what the event is and also put a link to the PDF of their map on our alert.

I hope this answers all your questions.

Regards,

Dareth Murray

TriMet Webmaster

Epic, aye? I've already made a difference! Yay!

TriMet Picture of the Day and its Story-QuickSnap

When I see a photo opportunity, I jump at it. I had just finished a bike ride along Waterfront Park and Eastbank Esplanade when I saw a new MAX coming, threw my bike down, got on my knees and snapped it as fast as I could. It turned out pretty good and remains one of my favorites.

Oh, and in case you wonder what my criteria for my picture of the day is

1. It's one I took
2. It'd look good as a wallpaper on my phone
3. Never deliberate before looking on which one you want. Make it completely random.

Dear Uptight Ageists on Joe Rose's Hard Drive

Hi!

First off, I don't hold anything against you. Your opinion is your opinion. And so is mine. Difference? I don't attack you personally and hold any of the following against you- race, age, sexuality, or anything else touchy.

I happen to get really offended when people discriminate against ANY teenager because, well, they're teenagers. And usually, society portrays them as heartless, careless and stupid people who are no contribution to society except for alcohol and drug use and teen pregnancy.

Okay, maybe not THAT overboard but... yeah, you get where I'm coming from. So it bugs the crap out of me to hear that I'm not a good enough blogger because I'm 16. It's rather hurtful, because, heck, I can do just as well as a 30 year old blogger. (And for the record, I've never smoked, done drugs, drank or had a girlfriend. The only thing I get high off of is music and life.) Not to brag, but I do know EVERYTHING about the transit system. That's my special little Autism skill.

Yep, in case you didn't read the intro, I am Autistic. :) And I count it as one of my biggest blessings. You see, the whole reason I blog is because I, thanks to Autism, have an extremely heightened, almost unnatural, interest in TriMet.

So, now you know why I blog. Please don't EVER use my Autism against me.

And, like I said, I don't care if you disagree. Sure it bugs me when you go more over the top than parents over Katy Perry and Elmo and act like the world depends on your post (seriously, relax a little) but go ahead and disagree. I have my reasons and standpoint and you don't have to like it, but you don't have to blame it on my age or say I don't deserve to have it.

That is all.

Cameron Johnson
Transit Advocate
16 Years of Age
Autistic
Never Backing Down

Whew...whew...whew... this is EPIC!

*gasp* Man, what a long day. I spent all day working on a huge project.

I like to call it "EPIC for Transit" because if by some minute chance the East Portland Improvement Catalog for Transit has some stuff approved, that's exactly what it'd be.

Picture my TBIP plan, and picture it on an East Portland scale. Now picture no boundaries on budget. That's EPIC for Transit, isn't it?

I'll get a PDF ASAP. I've got to work on my board meeting speech and post my picture of the day... and while I'm at it, post on a few other blogs.

The Kindlecident

OK, just about everyone in the nation has heard about the not-too-smart driver who read a Kindle while driving.

Sure, he screwed up. Why are you making such a huge deal about it? If a Bus Driver saved someone's life you wouldn't make such a stink about it. At least, it wouldn't be nationwide. We can hardly get a good story of a local bus driver in a paper, for God's sake.

If you're going to Fire him, Fire him. But Can the city, no, the nation ever let TriMet do that quietly?

TriMet Picture of the Day and its Story-

Ah, a full hour of chasing down test runs of the MAX Green Line back in Spring 2009 was well worth it.

Man, I miss having a Camera.

TriMet Picture of the Day and its Story

Yep. Segments of the Blog that run on a regular basis? Awesome.

This was taken from the Debut Green Line MAX ride. I'll admit, while I do enjoy the MAX, I don't nearly like it as much as the Bus. You can't talk to the operator and you can barely see where you're going. It takes all the fun out of it.

But this was different. The route was new, and by my house, and the trains were amazing-looking. I decided to enjoy this in its novelty.

It was well worth it. I could barely hear the tour guide, but the view off of Johnson Creek was amazing and made up for it. I've probably ridden the Green Line a hundred times since, but in its novelty it was a pleasant ride.

Introduction to my Blog

Hi and welcome to my long-overdue transit blog. This may or may not be a similar name to another amazing transit blog, I dunno, I was out of ideas.

I see a lot of blogs that while they are brilliant, are rather irritated at TriMet. And I'll admit it, I can get really annoyed by their mistakes. But rather than sit here ranting all day about it (no offense to those who do) I decided I'll post some ways they can improve in an orderly fashion, and when praise is due to give it to them.

Also, as a youth, you'll get the input to the only youth who blogs about TriMet. Go figure.

Anyway, a bit about me.

I'm Cameron Johnson. I am an avid Transportation Studier. Why a teenager would spend time researching the routes and schedules of every bus route, I can only thank one thing for. Autism.

I am also an avid volunteer and soon to me intern at OPAL Bus rider's union. With their support I am working on a Plan to improve bus service in East Portland. This should be on the blog by Tuesday.

You may see my posts on PortlandTransport and Joe Rose's blog. Ah, Joseph Rose of the Oregonian. Thank you for inspiring me to make this blog.

I saw that lately, there hasn't been enough coverage on the good things TriMet's done, and Joseph Rose kind of was the essence of this, in my opinion. So, without further ado, here's a good thing someone at Trimet has done. Yes, the Cameron in the article is me.

http://www.trimet.org/difference/john.htm