Welcome

I've been blogging for a long time - first with LiveJournal, and then on to other venues. My main blog, Doc Blog, is all about psychology and therapy. I also write about transit as a contributor to the most excellent TriMet Diaries site.

A while ago, I started live-tweeting my lengthy commute on public transit, as @doctor_jeff. Through a few quirks of fate, I've become a bit of a transit pundit. Strange as it may sound, I have grown to love that role, and would like to use my voice to do some good.

In my travels on TriMet, I see lots of folks who aren't as lucky as me. I've got a subsidized annual pass, a full time job, and a car if I need to get somewhere in a hurry. Lots of the people I share a ride with have none of those things. While a transit fare is not that big a deal to me, for some people it's the difference between getting to the job site (or high school!) or just having to stay home.

It's obviously a huge problem, and I'm not going to pretend that I'll be able to make much of a dent. I'd like to do SOMETHING, though. So, here's the deal. I'd like to collect books of transit tickets and distribute them. The distribution part should be easy - I have connections with SUN schools and should have no problem getting the tickets into the hands of people who need them.

Collecting is a different story. I'd like to do this so there's no cash involved - I want to simply collect books of ten transit tickets. My plan at this point is to just have people buy them and send them to me in the mail. You can get them at most grocery stores, or you can order online at Trimet.org and have them mailed.

I'll work out the details as I go. What I DON'T want this to become is COMPLICATED. I'm starting really small scale this year, and if we get some interest I'll increase the effort next year. I just wanted to get a post up for you folks to see, and open it up to comments and suggestions. I guess we'll start collecting bus tickets around Thanksgiving time.

Let me know what you think!
jeff