Man on a mission to make TriMet safer after driver fatigue report
PORTLAND, Ore. – A man hoping to make TriMet safer turned in his petition to the transit agency Wednesday that calls for limiting the number of hours drivers can work.
Noah Heller took up this cause shortly after reading an Oregonian investigation into bus driver practices. The paper exposed how some drivers work up to 22 hours in a 24-hour period.
Heller, who gets around the city by riding the bus, is not only hoping to make things safer for the people who ride buses but also for those who share the road with TriMet, including pedestrians, drivers and people on bikes.
Most people KATU News spoke with Wednesday were shocked to hear how much bus drivers are allowed to work in a single day. And just about everyone agreed something needs to change.
Heller was met with support as he went before the TriMet board Wednesday and politely demanded change.
He told the board if it doesn't do something about this in a timely manner, he would seek out state lawmakers and search for a fix through the Legislature.
"That's not only a risk to myself as a passenger, it's a risk to the drivers, it's a risk to pedestrians and it's a risk to anyone who shares the roads with them. It's unacceptable," he said.
Joining Heller at the table during the meeting was David Sale who has lawsuits pending against TriMet over the death of his daughter Danielle. She was one of two people who died three years ago when a TriMet bus driver made an illegal left turn and ran over Danielle and her friends.
"Now let's talk about the people you're killing. They're not even riding the bus," Sale told the board.
The president of the bus drivers union said some drivers would be open to change as far as limiting the number of hours that bus drivers can work consecutively but others would not. He said it really depends on what that change will be.
At last check, Heller had collected some 200 signatures for his petition.
I personally think its bad practice to allow that much work time. However, there have been NO SIGNIFICANT crashes as a result of the excessive overtime.
Our governor promised during his re-re-reelection (no I'm not stuttering) was to create jobs, here he has a government agency in his control where he could create good paying jobs with incredible benefits and he chooses to work people 22 hours. Putting the driver, riders and the public at risk of injury and or death? It's all lip service as far as I'm concerned. He's an embarrassment to this state.
start hiring more bus drivers. limit them to 16 hours in a given day. PERIOD. Also make them pay 5% premiums for health insurance like the rest of gov't workers.Â
@phyllis21 One thing has nothing to do with the other. The fact that drivers are overworked, sometimes against their will due to the practice of forcing a driver to continue the route if their relief doesn't show up at their designated relief point, has nothing to do with benefits. Drivers are paying large premiums toward their insurance and the benefits package has been changed (mid year so deductables were applied twice within six months which SHOULD BE illegal) plus it's basically a coinsurance now so everyone's out of pocket has increased to the extreme. I know that because I'm married to a driver. A persons safety and wellbeing as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist or whatever is a stand alone issue. If you are concerned about how much money Trimet spends perhaps you should chime in about the quarter of a milliion dollars plus benefits that Trimets head honcho is making in a year. Or the continuation of his own personal train set around the City. Why attack the people who are out there in the trenches? And how are their benefits any of your business?
 @phyllis21 Limit them more than that.  Maximum working 14 hours a day and of that 14 hours they can only drive 11 of them.  10 hours OFF THE CLOCK between shifts.  Done.  That's what they should be doing.
After reading that article the board needs to be told why they need to cut drivers time ? And that is the problem.. Anyone that needs to be told a bus driver should not drive 20 out of 24 hours should not be in any trimet job in any capacity ! Period !
"The president of the bus drivers union said some drivers would be open to change as far as limiting the number of hours that bus drivers can work consecutively but others would not. He said it really depends on what that change will be." Â (from the story)
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Y'know, you'd think that public safety would trump what the union wants... but then again, maybe not...Â
@margay1 You are forgetting that the news reports it how they see fit. Doesn't mean that's the exact quote. And to say it depends upon what that change would be is a pretty fair statement. How could anyone agree to anything until they know what's on the table?
I thought bus drivers had to have a CDL. FMCSA requires long haul drivers to stop after 11 hours of driving but allows 14 hrs on since many drivers need to do other duties besides drive like loading, unloading, handling paperwork with customers, inspection and other stuff. I didn't know the law was non-existent for short haul since hubs had to track his time doing day runs with a dump truck. The job he is about to start also maxes at 70 hrs per week even though it is short haul.Â
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Perhaps bus drivers are held to a lower standard of safety than truck drivers?
 @WhyWhyWhy I thought so too.  Yes, they're required to have a CDL however, they don't follow under the regulations of FMCSA.  Since they're driving for a transit authority, they fall under the regulations of the Federal Transit Administration.  Apparently they have different rules.  Their regional office is up in Seattle. Give them a call and express your concerns.
 @pdxtvguy That is scary and appalling. To me, a bus driver has a much more difficult job than  a truck driver since he/she has to deal with the public constantly on top of operating a large vehicle and they generally do it in heavier traffic. Most def need to talk to the Fed Transit Admin.Â
What has always amazed me is that the white shirts always implement plans when they have no idea about the real world and fail to include the common grunt. No different than any program gubmint official's come up with, there is always a way around the edict they failed to even consider. Having worked for five different gubmint agencies I should have been a consultant. Disband Tri-Met and start all over with new edicts, but no one controls Metro except the voters that are good little sheeple's that always vote yes on everything...
I know several drivers, they work part-time to get benefits than pull down $48 an hour in overtime. You BET they love the overtime, and several have almost gotten in recks driving home asleep at the wheel. I know no other job that someone w/ a GED can make this kind of money...they are laughing all the way to the bank. Drug tests wouldn't be a bad idea either, the group I know are major potheads...but they all carry sterile bagged urine samples with them so they can test clean.
I sure hope these drivers that you know don't call you "friend". Sounds like you are a snitch. Potheads? Seriously? What does that even mean? Somebody who takes a few tokes in an evening or on a  weekend to relieve the stress of thier job? Not any different than someone having a few drinks. Just because THC stays in your system and alcohol doesn't is the only reason more individuals in all types of jobs aren't fired for substance usage or abuse.
Of course you do.
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I guess the worst part is some people will believe every word of your statement. You should figure out a way to include harmful mind control rays in your story. You may also want to practice improving the quality of your creative writing.
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Part time TriMet bus (mini-run) operators work approximately 30 hours a week. Most shifts are split. Mini-run operators are also the last to be called, or offered overtime work. Mini-run operators who work 10 hour straight shifts for fewer work days do not automatically receive overtime after their first 8 hours have elapsed.
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TriMet operators are also regularly and randomly drug and alcohol tested. They are also tested immediately after any type of accident depending on the severity. Many prospective employees fail to find work with TriMet because they're unable to pass that screening hurdle - ever, You may want to have yourself drug and alcohol tested. You might then have a better idea how a urinalysis test actually works, and how they're rather difficult to fake. I'd also suggest strapping a bag of urine to your leg everyday just to see what happens.
 @greendog wow. You ought to be whistle-blowing about the pee test faking.