January 15, 2008

Limiting the Hours of Fareless Square is an important part of light rail security

By TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen

Portland's Fareless Square has been an institution since its inception in 1975 that sets Portland apart from most other cities. It sends a clear message that Portland values its downtown and public transportation. However, along with the positive aspects of a free zone, there are some negative consequences including concerns related to security.

Passenger safety and security is of the utmost importance to TriMet, and when problems arise, TriMet must be poised to take aggressive and immediate action. Recent incidents have heightened the urgency to improve our safety and security for TriMet's passengers, wherever and whenever they ride the system.

At two recent safety summits with police chiefs, sheriffs, and local officials from Gresham and Hillsboro, some common themes emerged. First, reported crimes on MAX or directly on our platforms are relatively few, but the low number of reported crimes does not fully capture what is happening on our system or nearby. Second, the level of rowdy, obnoxious and intimidating behavior, which is substantially more pronounced at night, is estimated by police to have escalated sharply over the last 18 months. Third, fare evasion, whether reflective of an attitude of disregard about our honor system or a precursor to behaviors that are unacceptable, must be addressed aggressively and effectively. Finally, more official presence is needed everywhere on the system, and these officials must be able to enforce fare payment, calm down rowdy, obnoxious and intimidating behavior, and help customers.

TriMet has taken numerous steps to increase the security of our riders including significantly expanding the number of security personnel and police. In addition, we have started an aggressive program to make sure that every bus and every MAX train has security cameras on board; added hundreds of cameras at MAX platforms and park & ride stations; added additional lighting at bus and rail stops; launched a program to replace aging ticket vending machines with new more reliable models; and have deployed three canine police units. We are working with local governments to establish new police precincts on the westside and eastside to better involve local law enforcement in providing security on the system. We must continue to do more.

An important security measure that I will ask the TriMet Board of Directors to approve involves Fareless Square. It would limit the hours of Fareless Square to between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. I believe this limitation is an important part of a multi-faceted effort to improve safety and security for all passengers throughout the transit system.

Fareless Square is unique in that it is the largest free fare area of its kind in North America. Seattle’s Ride Free area is the closest for comparison, though their Ride Free area is roughly half the size of Fareless Square. In 1994, to address security concerns, the hours of Seattle’s Ride Free area were shortened from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fareless Square was originally implemented to address a serious air pollution problem in downtown Portland, carbon monoxide pollution from cars. Free transit was seen as a way to encourage people not to drive downtown. Thirty-two years later we no longer have a carbon monoxide pollution problem in the downtown. Back when it was created, most riders were buying individual ride tickets. Today over half of our riders have some form of a pass, thereby not utilizing Fareless Square. And when it was created most employment was located in the Central Business District (much of what is Fareless) and people needed to get around in the middle of the day. Now, more and more of our employment is in the suburban areas, not necessitating this transit option. Lastly, the number of people both living and working in the Fareless area are not people of limited means. The developments in the Pearl District and Museum District attest to these changes. What we see are all our fare paying riders subsidizing the costs of operating Fareless Square.

While free transit does serve a purpose of easily moving people around, it has negative impacts. Our customers tell us that the aggressive panhandling, the loud and obnoxious behaviors and drug dealing is facilitated by the lack of requiring a fare. They also believe the problems are substantially more apparent in the nighttime hours. The proposed change to Fareless Square is designed specifically to reduce the type of undesirable behaviors that gives our riders the impression that the transit system is not safe.

I have committed that any additional revenue realized from this change would be devoted to increased security on the light rail system.

While I recognize that the limitation on the hours of Fareless Square won’t solve all of TriMet’s real and perceived security issues, it is an important element of a multi-faceted plan that will make a significant change to the security of our riders.

In addition, over the next 18 months we will be launching a public policy discussion around all of Fareless Square - what it should be today to meet our regional needs.

Public comment on this proposal will be accepted through February 21st. More information on how to comment is available on the public meetings page.