"Security Is Our Main Concern"… Hah!

January 25, 2005 – 11:36 pm

On all TriMet busses, there’s a large sign that looks like it was suggested by the Department of Homeland Security - an image of a person giving a curious look, and text that says “Security is our main concern. If you see something that looks suspicious, please let us know.”

The TriMet number is plastered all over the place, too.

Anyway… I was on the bus today running a quick errand. On my way home, this freakish guy gets on the bus and sits down acros from me. He was grungy, dirty, dressed in some raunchy heavy metal outfit, had tattoos and piercings all over, and he was carrying a military ammunition case in his hands. No kiding. As he sat down, he set the ammunition case on the ground and it made a loud metallic thump and clank - loose metal inside; maybe bullets, maybe screws. The guy really looked spooky, like he was going to commit yet another felony.

I dialed the TriMet number and got connected to someone in customer service. The call went something like this:

Me: I’m supposed to report anything suspicious on the bus, right?

TriMet: Uh, I guess so.

Me: Ok, well I was just on the — bus and this really dangerous looking guy got on the bus - tattoos, piercings, etc, and he was carrying a military ammunition box. He looked really suspicious.

TriMet: Um… ok. I don’t suppose it’s really a problem if the box wasn’t open.

Me: You have to be kidding me! Not a problem unles the ammunition box is opened? That’s like sayin that a pipe bomb is safe unless it’s opened or detonated!

TriMet: Ah, well, let me check with my supervisor.

< click > Disconnected.

Redial…

Me: *&^@#$! I need a supervisor!

< haggling with customer service rep to transfer me to a supervisor >

TriMet: This is —, how can I help you?

Me: I was on the — bus a couple minutes ago and this criminal-looking guy got on the bus - tattoos, piercings, etc, and he was carrying a military ammunition box. He looked really suspicious. I called TriMet a minute ago and the person I talked to said it was fine as long as the ammo box wasn’t open.

TriMet: What? Hang on while I check with dispatch.

< on hold >

TriMet: He was a white man?

Me: Yes.

TriMet: Ok, I’ll contact the driver to see if I can talk to him about it. Thank you for your concern.

Me: Um, ok!

—-
This is disastrous in my opinion. It seems to me that there is NO safety plan whatsoever at TriMet. A guy gets on a bus with a frikin military ammo box and no one seems to even raise an eyebrow? And why the blithering complacency at TriMet’s dispatch center? What if there was some other more serious threat, or an actual incident on a bus? Seems it would take TriMet at least 10 mins to get their crap together before responding. Ugh.