Trimet #44 Capitol Hwy/Mocks Crest

The Capitol Highway line is soothing after a long day. It goes through the North, Downtown and Southwest parts of Portland. The line’s voyage starts at St. Johns, then you go into the Alberta Arts District, then inside the urban marble that is downtown. Approaching the Sylvania Campus is where it gets really gets nice. You go through lots of trees and into the splendor of Multnomah Village, before arriving.
This bus has never been just a bus to me. Between downtown and the college is about forty minutes. During that time, you can read with a book in your lap. I like to put my backpack between my legs while reading about databases.
It’s crowd is cute. You have young people going to college and old people going to the modest income ranged homes away from downtown. Even though it goes through Portland State University, sometimes the population is still fairly small.
The only issue with the bus is sometimes the scheduling. Usually it’s on time. On weekdays, you can take the PCC Shuttle to other campuses, including Portland State University as well. With weekends, you might have to wait. The library is usually open until 3PM. You might want to look into the 78 for the nearby suburbs.
Overall, TriMet did a good job with the 44 line.

Not unlike my bridge series (as seen in my list «Bridging River City), I’m on a TriMet Bus Route binge. I’m going to have to claim full disclosure here as my brother drives on this line for TriMet, so the «la familia» connection might have something to do with this. But like I said in my check-​in comment yesterday, this bus runs from far SW Portland (up right across the street from PCC Sylvania (and oddly enough I used to live a couple of blocks from there several years ago) and ends up at Pier Park (and oddly enough just a couple of blocks from where I live now). Must be the symmetry of having lived at both ends of the line, but when I see this bus coming, I know that it’s going to get me home, end of story, period. I don’t have to transfer to any other buses.
The drivers are all easy to get along with (especially my brother), and over the years I’ve seen some wonderful instances of kindness towards passengers. Sure, there are some jerky drivers, but then there are some jerky passengers, so it all evens out.
One of my favorite parts of the ride on the North Portland side is that it traverses Willamette Boulevard (all those beautiful homes and view) through University of Portland (gorgeous campus) and somewhat close to the Cathedral Bridge. I enjoy it so much that it makes me forget I’m tired at times and even puts me in a better mood to go home.
My brother notwithstanding, I’m a fan of this line. It gets me where I want to go and home again along with some friendliness and great views!

I had the divine pleasure of riding the TriMet bus for the first time EVER yesterday!
Somehow, I had managed to lock myself out of my place and car. I am THAT cool.
For like 5 seconds I thought I wouldn’t have to go to work that day!!! Till I realized that my super cool boss would find me somehow and bring me to work!!! LOL
After about 5seconds of freaking out I realized I could just take the bus!!! It stops right in front of my building. I also know it stops right outside my office as well.
Also super amazing was that I also had exactly $ 2.50 cash in my wallet!!! SWEET!
Still, I was kinda scared!!! THE BUS, OH MY!!!
The bus was actually quite NICE. Very Clean. Really decent looking people to sit next too. Just as nice as riding the MAX. Which I ride all the time to the airport. I think I even got to work faster than if I drove myself. Perhaps it was all the excitement!!!
I was very thankful for TirMet!!! They rocked my morning, yesterday!

This bus is both my savior and my downfall. I live a three blocks from the MAC stop in Multnomah Village. I take it to get just about everywhere while I am a car-​less schmuck.
The southwest portion of the route runs just enough that it almost feels like it’s a Frequent Service line, but sadly, it is not. It runs every 25 – 30 minutes. This can make or break your day, if it’s not planned well. Then there is the fact that it usually runs a good 10 – 15 minutes behind schedule nearly every day. Don’t count on it to be late though, as getting too comfortable in its lateness can equal doom on the one day it ACTUALLY shows up at the scheduled time of 9:15 AM as you are still huffing and puffing up the hill.
I take this bus downtown most days on my way to work. However, my primary care doctor’s office is in St. Johns, so it’s a very «convenient» bus line to live on for me. Why the quotation marks? Because as previously mentioned, after 10 am, only every-​other-​bus travels the complete line out to St. Johns. I learned this the hard way and wound up taking the god-​awful 4 from Downtown in an attempt to make it to a 12pm appointment… which, I wound up being 40 minutes late for. That day, I learned to CHECK and DOUBLE CHECK my trips and also to never ever ever take the 4 ever, ever again.
Of all the buses that go to St. Johns, it does have one of my favorite views. The 4 runs through New Columbia… aka the lazy, meandering detour from hell. The 17 has a slight edge in prettiness of view, though, because it actually crosses that beautiful, gothic bridge I love so much. However, the Skidmore Bluffs, the river and downtown are pretty spectacular on nice days (which there have been a lot of lately). It can even distract me from the fact that I’m *thisclose* to being late for yet ANOTHER doctor’s appointment.
The biggest downsides? Getting stranded in St. Johns in the afternoons. Because every other bus turns around downtown, the 44 only runs once every 45 minutes. With the lateness, it can usually be an hour. Some days I can enjoy my extra time and explore St. Johns. When I’m broke, though, it just makes me depressed. Then, there is the fact that the last 44 to Mutlnomah Village leaves downtown before 9:30. Even on WEEKENDS. What kind of social life does THAT bull crap allow? I’ll tell you: A DUMB, GET TO HAVE NO FUN Social life. If JG and I can’t convince our friends or fellow Yeeps to visit our neck of the woods, we have to leave before the fun starts, or sit home and watch Netflix. Sure, we live half a mile from the 12. But if you’ve ever been on a 12 after, oh let’s say 7 am… you’ll know what the 9^th circle of Hell feels like. But, what can I do? This is my bus line. Until TriMet listens to my very pointed remarks on twitter about the shit bus service for Southwest, or we move to an area with more bus service, it shall remain my bus line.

When going downtown, this is my first choice for bus if the 16 or 17 isn’t running, which is usually when I go downtown. The bus line for the most part seems to bypass the interesting shit normally associated with the St. Johns to anywhere transit options. From St Johns it follows Willamette past the University of Portland, overlooking Swan Island, the view on the right side of the bus is fantastic. Mainly college students and people a little older in age commuting to the Max or New Seasons. After interstate, we go down Vancouver… just one block from Tasty and Sons and Lompoc! Then past Kaiser to the Rose Quarter… I really enjoy exiting the bus there and walking across the Bridge, not to mention, this stop will get you to about anywhere in town you need to get to.
The drivers on this route seem to have worked for Tri-​met for a while and is the reward for putting up with the truly exciting lines. They are usually quite friendly and super helpful. The reason I say this is I have seen drivers offer advice to students or out of towners. One driver refused to let an elderly lady off the bus because the people hanging out there must have had a crazy look in their eyes, he told her he was going to drop here off at a different location so it would be a closer walk… I know he was just trying to not freak her out.
My only complaint is this line doesn’t run as often as others, but for some strange reason, I always seem to catch the ride home without even trying. And also the people watching isn’t as fun. I haven’t seen any fights break out.

My neighborhood bus, the #44. It gets me downtown most of the time, and to the library all of the time. Running from PCC Sylvania, to Multnomah Village and Hillsdale to downtown on all trips. Half the busses also go further from downtown to St. Johns.
It seems that some bus lines get left behind: old shaky buses with stairs at the door, limited schedules. When there’s more-​used lines nearby, this happens. #44, sadly, suffers from this. I do walk ½ a mile to catch the #12 to go to work since it runs earlier and more often. However, this bus is essential for my commuting since it gets me downtown just as quickly.