TriMet grapples with bike capacity issues

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bikes on max-1

Bikes and people squeeze
onto a MAX train.
(Photos © J. Maus)

As reported yesterday, TriMet is working to improve the bike hooks on their MAX trains. However, if you’re like many people who take a bike onboard (especially during peak hours), the bigger problem is that there are just aren’t enough hooks available.

If you’re waiting for more bike capacity or more hooks, don’t hold your breath — all signs point to no increased bike capacity on MAX in the foreseeable future.

TriMet recently bought new MAX trains and the design offers more seats (eight more per train), more rider capacity (space for 36 more passengers) but has the same number of bike hooks (eight) as existing trains (a “train” is two joined MAX vehicles). Below is a rendering of the new trains (which are slated to arrive this fall):

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National Bike Bill passes U.S. House vote

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Bike legislation is moving
forward in D.C.
(Photo © J. Maus)

House Congressional Resolution 305, also known as the National Bike Bill, has passed through a vote by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this week.

The resolution — which was introduced by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) back in February — recognizes the importance of bicycling to “enriching the nation’s health, reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, and improving America’s economic vitality and overall quality of life.”

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Voodoo Parade

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VOODOO PARADE
Voodoo Donuts, 22 SW 3rd Ave, Portland
6:45pm
Our 5th anniversary & grand opening of Voodoo Too parade will commence at the exact minute of our 5 year anniversary. Please come join us, walk with us, ride with us and parade with us! We will cut the magic grease and parade half of our mojo over to the new location, approx. 20 blocks. So far we have the syncopated drummers, Rose City Rollers, the kpdx 49 street team, pedicabs and the mayor. We need people on bikes because we are touting that Voodoo Too has the most bike parking in the Pac NW. We’ve got a New Orleans band to greet us at the new location!

Bicycle Recreation Coordinator (Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.)

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OREGON PARKS & RECREATION JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

POST CODE: D703
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: LEPR0786
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER: C0860
OPEN: 5/16/08
CLOSE: 6/6/08
LOCATION: Salem (24M)
Oregon Parks & Recreation
Human Resources Division

Program Analyst 1
Bicycle Recreation Coordinator
$2,854 – $4,153 MONTHLY

GENERAL INFORMATION

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s mission is to provide and protect outstanding natural, scenic,
cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations.

More information about Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is available through:
www.oregonstateparks.org.

There is one (1) limited duration, full-time position with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department,
located in Salem, Oregon. This limited duration position is expected to end on or before June 30, 2009.
Limited Duration appointments are regular status, benefits eligible, with a designated maximum length of
service.

• This position is represented by the Service Employee International Union (SEIU).
• This recruitment will be used to establish a list of qualified people to fill the current vacancy and may
be used to fill multiple positions.
The State provides an excellent benefit and compensation package, which includes:
• Option to participate in the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a deferred compensation program
offering a wide variety of investment options.
• 9 paid holidays, vacation leave earned at the rate of 8 hours per month, with increases in 5 year
increments, 8 hours of sick leave monthly, and 24 hours of personal business leave yearly.
• A generous contribution toward individual and family health and dental insurance. Employer paid
$5,000 basic life insurance with additional coverage available including long- and short-term
disability plans, accidental death and dismemberment plans and long-term care insurance.
Applicants are subject to both a Computerized Criminal History and Driver & Motor Vehicle Services
check. Adverse background data may be grounds for immediate disqualification. Information obtained in
this process will remain confidential.

PRIMARY POSITION DUTIES

Bicycle Recreation Program Administration and Coordination

• Work with guidance from the State Trails Coordinator to determine the condition of bicycle recreation
in Oregon; identify opportunities for recreational bicycle development based on the Oregon
Recreation Trails Plan, interaction and coordination with partners, and original research; assemble
and coordinate existing Oregon recreational bicycle-related resources and information to aid
communities invest in bicycle recreation services and promotion; collect and interpret data to quantify
effects of bicycle recreation on local economies and citizen health; coordinate Oregon bicycle
development and promotion strategy collaboratively with the Oregon Bicycle Tourism Partnership.

Community Bicycle Recreation Development

• Work closely with department trails and outdoor recreation planners, Oregon Department of
Transportation’s Bicycle and Pedestrian program, other state and federal agencies, nongovernmental
organizations, and bicycle-dependent businesses to identify and establish bicycle recreation routes
and paths; bring communities in contact with planning, design, funding and networking resources
necessary for effective, durable recreation bicycle system development; participate in any state-
administered process to designate recreational bike routes.

Bicycle Recreation Promotion and Advancement

• Communicate route and touring information to bicyclists planning an Oregon trip; work with private
and public bicycle partners, especially the Oregon Tourism Commission, to promote Oregon as a
bicycle tourism destination to Oregonians, Americans and the world; foster and participate in multi-
party discussions to integrate recreational bicycle travel with other modes (especially vehicular, water
and air travel).

Other Duties

• Serve as OPRD recreation bicycle liaison to committees and service groups; consult with other
OPRD officials in special cases involving property acquisition where bicycle recreation and tourism
play especially prominent roles.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Public Administration, Behavioral or Social Sciences, or a degree
related to the agency program that demonstrates the capacity for the knowledge and skills; OR
• Any combination of experience or education equivalent to three years technical-level experience that
typically supports the knowledge and skill requirements listed for the classification.

If you qualify, see “How to Apply” section of this announcement.

DESIRED COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate will have a performance record demonstrating the following desired
competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with proven ability to convey information in a clear
and concise manner;
• Experience providing exceptional customer service working with the public or in a public setting;
• In-depth knowledge and experience in bicycle recreation, experience with multiple types such as
mountain biking, road biking, etc. preferred;
• Experience working with diverse work teams including volunteers, government agencies, private
sector and non-profits.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position operates in a standard office environment, including frequent meetings with federal, state,
and local government representatives as well as with personnel from private organizations. Field trips to
visit recreation bicycle projects will be required. Extensive travel and overnight stays from Salem may
occur often due to attendance at statewide committee, project development, and training meetings.
Normal workweek is 40 hours, but is exceeded as circumstances dictate. Occasional weekend work is
required for attendance at special events, conferences and trainings.

HOW TO APPLY

If you qualify, submit a State of Oregon Employment Application form (PD100) and a cover letter of
no more than three pages clearly describing how you believe you’ve developed and demonstrated above
desired competencies. Please use specific examples.

Please note in your cover letter or directly on the front of your application where you first saw this
position advertised (name of newspaper, website, publication, etc.).

Those candidates whose experience most closely matches the primary duties of this position will be
invited to an interview.

SEND COMPLETED APPLICATION MATERIALS TO:
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Human Resources Division
725 Summer Street NE, Suite C
Salem, Oregon 97301-1266
You may E-MAIL your application materials to us at parks.jobs@state.or.us. In the subject line please
include the position title and job announcement number. By electronically submitting your
application, you agree to the conditions stated in the certification and signature section of the application,
which is enforceable as if you had signed. You will receive automated confirmation of receipt only if you
submit via e-mail.
H.I.R.E. System participants interested in being considered for this position must follow the TO APPLY
instruction listed in this announcement. Copies of applications, supplements and job announcements can
be obtained from www.oregonjobs.org.
AFTER your application materials have been reviewed, you will be sent a notice by mail advising: a) if
your application was accepted or b) if your application was not accepted. If you don’t agree with the
results, you may request a review. Review requests must be submitted in writing and must be received
within 10 days from the date of the notice. Additional information cannot be accepted. However, if your
application was not accepted and if the recruitment is still open, you may submit a new application as
long as it is received in our office by the close date. OPRD is not responsible for material that is illegible
or missing as a result of transmitting by fax or which may be lost through the mail.
SUBMIT only the required materials. Reference letters or work examples should be kept for interviews. In
addition, any application materials previously submitted for other positions will not be matched to this
application by OPRD. It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit all required documents every time.
INTERVIEWS will be scheduled for those applicants whose background most closely matches the needs
of the position. KEEP a copy of all application materials for job interviews. COPIES ARE NOT
PROVIDED.
CURRENT JOB OPENINGS and information on the required application forms are available through
http://www.oregonjobs.org/, or you can obtain a State of Oregon Employment Application form (PD100)
from any local Oregon Employment Department office, most other state agency personnel offices.

APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M. ON THE CLOSE DATE. Due to the
volume of applications received, OPRD cannot confirm receipt of applications. The pay on all
announcements may change without notice.
If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application materials, call the OPRD Human
Resources Division at (503) 986-0662.
OPRD is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to a diverse work place.

Bicycle Mechanic (Waterfront Bicycle)

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Job Title
Experienced Bicycle Mechanic

Company/Organization
Waterfront Bicycles

Job Description
Part time position available at Waterfront Bicycles for an experienced Bicycle Mechanic. Professional and energetic attitude with customer service/sales experience a plus. Minimum of two years shop experience. This position has the potential for growth. Come see about joining our team!

How to Apply
Please email resume to ericroden [at] waterfrontbikes [dot] net

Bikes, the ballet, and a best legs contest

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“Lycra meets Lycra”. Nice.

The award for best event logo of the summer so far has to go to Bike to the Ballet — coming this June from the Portland-based Oregon Ballet Theater.

But far from just a catchy logo, the event looks like a lot of fun and it’s great to see a new (non bike-specific) group get engaged with the bike scene (the event is “supported by” the BTA, PDOT, Bike Gallery, and Cycle Oregon).

Bike to the Ballet is is not just a chance to see a professional ballet at a reduced cost (enter coupon code “lycra” when you buy your $20 ticket), but event organizers have gone the extra mile to make bike-lovers feel right at home. After all, there’s a clear connection between bikes and ballet — right?

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TriMet tests rubber coating on MAX train bike hooks

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Rubber coated MAX bike hook.
(Photo: Tomas Quinones)

TriMet has confirmed that they are testing a rubber coating on the bike hooks in some their MAX light rail trains.

According to bike programs intern Colin Maher, they have been testing the rubber coating on five trains for the past two months. “We’re testing the durability of the coating,” says Maher “and making sure that the hooks can still accommodate most tire and rim combinations.”

TriMet hopes the rubber coating will make bike rims more secure and less susceptible to damage. Maher adds that they are wary of making the hooks any larger in diameter because they realize some large, knobby bike tires and wheels with narrow spoke spacing (like the 20-inch wheels on folding bikes and minis for instance) don’t fit.

Have you used these rubberized hooks yet? If so, what did you think?


[Editor’s note: I realize many readers are concerned that there are not enough hooks on the MAX. I am working on a story about that and will publish it soon.]

Voodoo touts bike-friendliness at new location

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I Share the Road Rally

A common sight at bike events.
(All photos © J. Maus)

Voodoo Doughnuts — a staple of baked goodness that has fueled countless Portland bike events — is celebrating their fifth anniversary and the opening of their second location, Voodoo Too (at 1501 NE Davis, just north of Sandy Blvd.)

According to employee Robin Ludwig, 90% of the people that work at Voodoo ride their bikes to work (and “all the time”). He also says that the new location will host regular bike-in movies and will have, “massive amounts of bike parking…this includes our fence which we’re encouraging people to use as a bike rack.”

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Program Director (Community Cycling Center)

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Job Title
Program Director

Company/Organization

Community Cycling Center

Job Description
About the Community Cycling Center
The Community Cycling Center works to broaden access to cycling and its benefits through hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and our neighborhood bike shop. We believe bicycles are a tool for empowerment and a vehicle for change. This position is located at the Community Cycling Center offices at MLK and Shaver in Northeast Portland. Visit www.CommunityCyclingCenter.org for more information about us.

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Guest article: What about those other two-wheelers?

David Murray

[This article is written by Beaverton resident David Murray. Murray is a daily bike commuter and an avid motorcyclist who has toured the U.S., Canada, and many European countries.]


The Other Two-Wheelers

PDOT’s “Share the Road” logo.

When I first encountered the City of Portland’s “I Share The Road” campaign, I was happy to find a group of people who are active in promoting safety for everyone in our area. Their logo, with a “Portland Shares The Road” inscription, wraps cleverly around a yellow rose. Also included are icons of a truck, train, car, bicyclist, and a parent/child depiction of pedestrians. That’s us. That’s who we are, and where we live. And, for the most part, it’s a good representation.

But, missing from that picture are another significant portion of road users. I’m referring to motorcyclists and the ever-increasing number of scooter and moped riders.

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Store Management (Performance Bicycle)

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Job Title
Store Management

Company/Organization
Performance bicycle

Job Description
Performance Inc. is the leading nationwide bicycle retailer and we are GROWING!! We are actively seeking talented, career-minded individuals to join the Performance team as Store Management in our Tualatin, OR. location. If you have 2-5 years retail management experience with a thorough knowledge of store operations, staffing, training, merchandising, P&L’s, and a fierce commitment to customer service – we want to hear from you!

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