TriMet Tops 9.2 MILLION Riders

TriMet MAX and bus ridership sets new records in July 2008 for the fourth consecutive month:

• 9.2 million monthly rides on bus and MAX were taken during the month – the first time monthly rides have been greater than 9 million – and a 13.3 percent increase over July 2007

• Monthly rides on MAX set a new record, 3,457,200 trips, a 13.2 percent increase over July 2007.

• Monthly rides on buses were up 13.3 percent, totaling 5,756,200 trips over July 2007.

• Weekday rides on MAX set a new record, averaging 122,700 boardings, a 10.9 percent increase over July 2007.

• Weekday bus trips increased 11.3 percent over July 2007, averaging 218,300 rides.

• Rush hour ridership continues to grow, with bus trips up 16.5 percent and MAX trips up 13.8 percent compared to July 2007.

"Four months of record ridership shows our buses and MAX trains continue to provide an alternative to driving," said TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen. “Riders are looking for ways to help offset high fuel prices and TriMet is a great alternative."

Max It Magazine's Website Hits The 5,000 Mark!

On August 1st, MaxItMagazine.com, the website for the monthly Max It Magazine, hit 5,000 new reader! This is only the first day of the second issue that Max It Magazine has produced, the first being a test issue in April of 2008.

When asked his opinion of the quick results, Scott C. Brown, Senior Editor stated. "It shows that Portland's Light Rail riders want something that is entertaining, since we haven't even circulated half of the publications, yet. They can get their news anywhere, but they are stating that they want Max It Magazine for their enjoyment! I could not be happier with the results!

We have already doubled our online readership in the last month alone and we expect to continue to do so on a monthly basis. With even our digital download and the online viewable showing massive increase, we have no doubt that Max It Magazine in both the printed and digital form is a complete success."

With the original test issue released in April, the August issue has already proven that the results from that short test run were not a fluke, but instead the direct results of giving the readers what they want, nothing more than pure entertainment.

"We could provide the news, as we have done with some of our other publications, but we would rather give the community a break from all the stresses that life has a habit of throwing at them. So, after a lot of planning, we created an all ages publication in the hopes that it would give everyone a few moments of nothing but enjoyment. And by the results that we are seeing it is more than working!"

The monthly publication, a subsidary of Peck & Brown Publishing, Inc. is expected to expand to other cities within the next year, as it continues with its very unique style of entertainment.