Trimet gets a shiny new toy. Construction companies get a profitable, long-term boondoggle.

East Portland gets fewer stops and slower travel times, and Mercury readers get a Trimet press release.

The usual, in other words.

Already the new Tri-Met director Sam Desue has lost my support. No honeymoon 100-day give him the benefit of the doubt, let's see how it works out. I've never supported this stupid 60' articulated bus route arrangement that fleeing former director Doug Kelsey pulled out of his butt.The standard 40' bus spews diesel (or bio-diesel) at 4mpg. Converting these obsolete rattletrap buses to electric will at best only reach an equivalent 10mpg. New buses built from the ground up for electric with shorter wheelbase lengths in 15- 20- 30-passenger models could reach the equivalent of 30mpg and fare better in traffic. Tri-Met so fucked up Barbur Blvd with its shitty light rail plan, the agency CANNOT be trusted, new manager begging for public approval notwithstanding. These articulated buses will not long remain on Division. FURTHERMORE, the new livery color scheme is RACIST. Multnomah prisoner bus Dark Blue with Orange jumpsuit racing stripes denote racial prejudice. The color scheme subconsciously signal to motorists that people who ride buses are people of color criminals.