Recent efforts to eliminate the twice yearly time shifts cite many studies and dislikes for the current system. However, it is very hard to know in advance how well we will like full-time daylight saving time or standard time. I suggest we should do an experimental trial of a full year each of daylight and standard time and then we will all have recent experience on which to make an informed decision. I also suggest we then vote on the matter. This should reduce the “buyer’s remorse” we may feel, as we did back in 1974 when we tried a winter with daylight savings time in effect.

This experiment may also give the necessary information for federal transportation authorities and the U.S. Congress to support our wishes on this matter. What could this experiment look like? It’s simple. Next spring, we do not jump forward. We stay in standard time and experience a summer in that mode, as well as the following fall and winter. Then, in the spring of 2024, we jump forward and stay on daylight hours through the summer and winter of 2024.

Finally, in the summer of 2025, we would need to decide on a path. Perhaps we can convince many other states to join in this experiment and all decide our own direction in this matter.

Mike Overton, Beaverton