Dear Steve Banta,
I spoke with someone at TriMet recently who suggested I might want to contact you.
I have multiple chemical sensitivities and must ride near an open window to avoid negative effects on my health from perfume residues, exhaust, plastic off-gassing and the like. Recently, on my way home from downtown, I got on a bus and found I could not get the window near my seat to open. There was a severe "new-car smell" in the bus, which was one of the new buses with windows that do not open and an inadequate automatic "ventilation" system that is not adjustable by the driver. For the next
week, until I was able to get an appointment with my acupuncturist, I suffered from severe exhaustion and depression, a typical result for me of exposure to these types of toxic gases.
week, until I was able to get an appointment with my acupuncturist, I suffered from severe exhaustion and depression, a typical result for me of exposure to these types of toxic gases.
In a way, I'm fortunate, because I react to toxic gases like this immediately, so I have to limit my exposure to them, and am therefore less likely to suffer serious damage from longer term, more frequent exposure. I'm concerned about my own situation, of course, because I can no longer use the bus system to get around town, and since I don't drive, this really limits my ability to get around. However, I'm also very concerned about the exposure of other passengers and, especially, of bus drivers assigned to these new buses who are exposed to the toxic off-gassing during working hours throughout the work-week. The San Francisco Chronicle ran a very informative article about the gases implicated in "new-car smell" in 2006, which you can access here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/18/INGAUJDPVI1.DTL . There is a risk of liver damage for prolonged exposure to some of these chemicals. Others are still not well studied.
It does seem to me that it should be possible to retrofit the new buses to make it possible for the windows to open. I understand TriMet made a deliberate decision to order buses with windows that would not open, in order to prevent interference with the cooling and heating systems on the buses. I think anyone who thought about it for a moment or two would prefer to be a bit chilly or warm, in order to avoid exposure to toxic fumes!
I hope you can do something about this. Please let me know if I can help.
It does seem to me that it should be possible to retrofit the new buses to make it possible for the windows to open. I understand TriMet made a deliberate decision to order buses with windows that would not open, in order to prevent interference with the cooling and heating systems on the buses. I think anyone who thought about it for a moment or two would prefer to be a bit chilly or warm, in order to avoid exposure to toxic fumes!
I hope you can do something about this. Please let me know if I can help.
Thanks!
2875 SW Raleighview Dr.
Portland, Oregon 97225
503-297-1203
mdonsbach@q.com
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