The Washington Post is reporting that Metro GM John Catoe has submitted his resignation, effective April 2.The timing is very odd considering he took time last night to meet with some of his critics.
WMATA press release
“I have decided that it is time for me to channel my future in new directions and provide this organization an opportunity to move beyond the current distractions,” Catoe said. “Good leaders know how to impact change. Great leaders know when it’s time for leadership change. I hope I fall into the latter category.”
Here's a recap of the sentiments being expressed on Twitter:
- mdetura About f-ing time: WaPo reports WMATA GM Catoe to resign http://bit.ly/5RTlk7
- Slim828 WOOHOO! RT @postmetro #Metro General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- colinschmitt Glad Catoe is going to resign. Let's get some competence now at #WMATA.
- taupecat first vinny, now catoe. get the bums out!! RT @postmetro: #Metro General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- mazzie #WMATA General Manager Catoe resigned! I guess that's why he was so committed to change when he met with dc bbloggers last night!
- jimcollins Catoe meets with metro bloggers, says "fuck it, I'm screwed", quits. #noimnotkidding http://bit.ly/6JvDTf http://bit.ly/4KEq1T #wmata
- lisatella Holy crap, Catoe is resigning a day after he was all candid with those bloggers? Interesting timing for announcement. #wmata
- dtipson RT @jasoncherkis: With Catoe's resignation, WMATA will inevitably decide to do a fare increase to pay for the search to replace him. #wmata
- Silvio_Marcacci Peace. Get a good replacement. RT @unsuckdcmetro RT @postmetro #Metro General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. resigns http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- MDuppler NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY! YES!!! RT @unsuckdcmetro RT @postmetro #Metro General Manager John Catoe resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- dcborn61 Should hae been fired awhile ago RT @postmetro: #Metro General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- Bri_Cooley but will this help or HURT? RT @#Metro General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- Sassycatz @unsuckdcmetro Hip hip hooray! Never understood why they had someone running a subway system who came from L.A., a city anti public transit.
- brhfl Catoe's resigning? Never though I'd see the day… http://tr.im/Kp8l (via @unsuckdcmetro)
- henrim This is not good for WMATA RT @welovedc: WMATA's Catoe to resign, 24 hours after we talk candidly with him. More here: http://bit.ly/7eQJTx
- jakemcintyre Not sure if this is good or bad || RT @metroopensdoors Metro General Manager John Catoe to retire http://www.wmata.com/tiny.cfm?id=4243
- kellywcobb YES!!! GREAT DAY FOR DC! I might actually start crying. RT @MDuppler: #Metro General Manager John Catoe resigns: http://bit.ly/4stj5i #WMATA
- bflosenrab YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! RT @metroopensdoors Metro General Manager John Catoe to retire http://www.wmata.com/tiny.cfm?id=4243 #wmata
- mathitak "Good leaders know how to impact change," sez outgoing Metro head John Catoe. Better ones don't use "impact" as a verb. http://bit.ly/8wacIp
- emmzee Whoa, John Catoe just retired from WMATA. That wasn't 6 months late or anything.
- jporter07 Even Catoe's resignation won't remedy the apprehension ppl have that their daily commute on a train might be their last.
- Fieldsy The job no one wants RT @welovedc: WMATA's Catoe to resign, More here: http://bit.ly/7eQJTx
- nicoledhudson FINALLY! I already feel safer http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2010/01/metro_gm_catoe_resigns.html #wmata
- monitron I'll gladly step in to replace Catoe! Because my lifelong ambition is to be hated by a whole city.
- jdb820 WHAT!?!?!? John Catoe is retiring!!! Maybe 2010 is looking up after all!!! #wmata
- MeSoDC
- thskidmore Metro GM John Catoe resigns. All I can say is "Thank God". Metro has become very expensive and has underperfomed during his tenure.
- kara_h yay!!!!!!!!
- rationalwalk Musical chairs on the Titanic?
- ispencer Good riddance.
- djbranni with Catoe resigning, i hope the next DC Metro GM can improve safety, secure more govt funding and listen to riders' concerns. a tall order
- AngelicaBoiteux John Catoe: I can't fix this shit. I quit. [sic]
- edwardaggie98 http://bit.ly/6jUE4p Metro GM John Catoe Resigns @dcist Don't let the doors close on you on yr way out. Cause then they'd offload the train
- tyssejc Don't understand all the Catoe hating. Good leader, loved this area, did his best, unfortunate circumstances in the past year. #wmata
- ChadChitwood Catoe is gone! It's about time, don't let the pension for life hit you on the way out. #wmatafail #firejohncatoe
- yatesc Related: Someone at #wmata, please read this, and listen. Hire someone, anyone, with extensive knowledge of Japanese mass transit rail.
- TimmyShea RT - are you kidding me!? UGHHHHH - @hmarshall OMG. WMATA / Metro GM Catoe resigns. Metro is definitely doomed now.
- robertyoungman WMATA General Manager resigns, having completed long-term goal of turning #Metro into chaos and suckitude.
- sqsme Washington DC Metro system General Manager and Mr. Stoic 2009 award winner John Catoe resigns. http://is.gd/6gVFx
- @HauntGate2 Catoe resigns. Now can we have the Japanese take over our Metro system. Please? #wmata
- tracytran We need The Rhee of Transportation
- anthonyjennings John Catoe resigns, my evening Red line commute roomy, fast, instantly better! #WMATA http://twitpic.com/y3lem http://twitpic.com/y3lgz
"The timing is very odd considering he took time last night to meet with some of his critics."
ReplyDeleteOr not so odd - maybe the criticism really stung!
you better disavow those extension dollars or ill start a class action of riders to recover those funds and benefits.
ReplyDeleteCatoe seemed like a genuinely nice man. It's sad, but this gesture (it really is not going to change anything) should have been made June 23.
ReplyDeleteEr, April Fools? I hope not.
ReplyDeleteJust wait until the details on the severance package come out. That's when we'll all REALLY flip out.
Can we get the Amalgamated Transit Union to resign, too?
We need to start a Draft Dan Tangherlini movement. He seemed motivated, eager and intelligent. YES WE DAN!
ReplyDeletewhat now?
ReplyDeleteWe now hold up our cells phones in a world-wide plea to signal Dr. Who. At this point, only someone from another galaxy can help us. I, too, find the timing rather odd. I also find it won't help or hurt much except give Metro more excuses for delaying improvements (we are still looking... we are still training... we are reorganizing...).
ReplyDeleteGood luck Mr. Cato. Sorry this job turned out to be a living hell instead of a nice east coast move for ya.
I cannot help but wonder WHY the dickens would this man meet with those who know best what is wrong (and desire most the hopes for improvements), and the next day he resigns? Is it that he was shell-shocked at reality or is he yanking our chains instead? geez louise.. I read the post about the meeting and grew hopeful. Within hours, back to reality. No hope. No improvements. DeNada Baby!
ReplyDeleteif you think catoe influenced wmata, then i guess you think the president influences the economy.
ReplyDeleteThis just opens up a new bag of excuses for WMATA as to why they're not performing. Catoe tried, with what I think was a good faith effort to turn things around. Getting the bus side more visibility and better service was a great idea and that momentum should be kept. But there is something rotten in the state of WMATA, and it would take a superhuman to clean it up.
ReplyDeleteJohn Catoe will go down in mass transit history as the GM who served the longest after a fatal accident that could have been avoided.
ReplyDeleteA shame Catoe takes the fall for decades of 'lower taxes' bullshit. you get what you pay for. metro is what you're willing, collectively, to pay for.
ReplyDeletepublic start paying your fair share you get what you pay for....jim graham resign you stink..... we heard enough about the poor people of dc not paying a cheap $1.25 to travel ... jimmy time to go
ReplyDeletethis will not change anything. rationalwalk hit the nail on the head, it is musical chairs on the Titanic. Catoe was not the problem, Metro's problems are institutional.
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:34...this is a joke, right?
ReplyDelete^Whoops, meant telecomedian, not 'anon'.
ReplyDelete