Portland's Max is no longer free

One of Portland's big draws to the downtown area was the free public-transit riding region known as "fare-less square". Inside this large area that covered a lot of downtown Portland and extended east to the Lloyd Center you could jump on any bus, light rail or trolley and ride for free. As of Sep 1, 2012 you now have to pay to ride, even if it's only a few blocks. My personal take on all this is that Portland's public transit is extensive and convenient, and it's still a good deal even though I occasionally catch myself longing for "the good old days!" (taken with Canon PowerShot SX150)