For the most part, mass transit in Portland isn't effective. Go someplace like Chicago and you will see how a real system works carrying people and getting people places in a decent amount of time.
For instance I live in West Linn and work in Hillsboro, it takes me about a half hour to get to work and an hour home. If I were to take max/mass transit it would take me 2 hours each way, and I work really close to intel.
In Chicago, there are huge bedroom communities that people commute in and out of the city to reach, but they pay for the service that they receive. If i remember right from the last time I was there, a ticket from Elgin to Chicago was about 20.00 for each way per person.

BTW I am born and raised in Oregon, but I have a large portion of my dads family in the Chicago Area.