jephilip Umm, no train is boarding despite what the monitor says. #wmata #fail #dc http://twitpic.com/1bumr8
urbanbohemian #wmata is SO weird. Friendship Heights has its own terminus train now? http://twitpic.com/1bjyn4 #RedLine
ryangsims Why is this even an option? #wmata site says Clarendon to U St. by way of W. Falls Church, then L'Enfant. http://twitpic.com/1aowq8
(Please send us screen shots of your most ridic Trip Planner results.)
From Kara:
For all it is worth, I just filed a Metro complaint. While it will probably go into the circular file, the L4 bus (4329) at 8 this morning at 19th & K ran a red light after the walk light was on, and myself and several other pedestrians had already started across.
Nice to know Metro has enough dimes to cover a lawsuit when they eventually hit more people walking according to traffic laws.
Here's the response from WMATA:
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Case 543547
From: csvc@wmata.com
Date: Tue, March 30, 2010 2:17 pm
To: kXXX@pXXXX.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Kara XXXX:
Thank you for taking the time to make us aware of a Metrobus being operated in an unsafe manner. Safety is Metro's top priority, and occurrences such as this are taken very seriously.
The information you have provided will help us identify this driver so that we can take proper disciplinary action. Safe driving is the chief responsibility of every Metrobus driver, and any conduct that deviates from that will not be tolerated.
We apologize for the unprofessional actions of this driver. Thanks again for contacting us, and we hope that sharing the road with Metrobuses will be a positive experience in the future.
APRIL FOOLS'!!! (added for effect)
Sincerely,
Mrs. James
Consumer Representative
Office of Customer Service
When responding to this email, please perform a reply with history so that
the following conversational identifier "[THREAD_ID:620667]" is included
in your response.
And finally, the biggest April Fools' of them all (PDF).
Other items:
- Metro's woes imperil other transit projects (WaPo)
- DOT head proposes texting ban for bus drivers and truckers (DOT) Thanks AC
- Why suicide bombers haven't struck American subways (Slate) Thanks Joe
- Metro briefly unveils 14-car train (WMATA)
- Metro hires new safety chief (WTOP)
- Kawasaki bid $120 million less than Alstom for 7000-series (Evening Tribune)
The staffing is surprising me more than the numbers. (And what is the point of scenery photos in a budget report?)
ReplyDelete"Office of Performance Chief"-What does he do? Arrange the holiday parties or teach breakdance?
And Metro has the exec dir of the National Association of County Engineers on the board? We got an engineer guy and can't even get broken trains working?
Meanwhile, I'd ride that ghost train! Bet the doors don't break much.
April Fools on me every day. I am a metro rider. What did I do in a previous life to get karma like this? ;)
Friendship Heights is indeed a terminus on weekends where they are doing track maintenance between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center. Every other train terminates there to ensure even more ridiculous delays on weekends!
ReplyDeleteI heart you Metro.
ReplyDeleteOkay, the *totally* ended up halfway to Alexandria because of a screw-up on the arrival board! Shame on me for not realizing that when it says "Orange Line - 3 min" it actually means "Blue Line - 2 min."
ReplyDeleteAt least I don't blindly step off the platform onto a "ghost train" when is says BRD! I wouldn't put it past somebody, though :)
I probably should read WMATA’s budget plans for FY 2011, but I don’t have time to read 200+ pages, but here’s a suggestion. How about eliminating some of those WMATA workers who make sure the trains are running on time or whatever it is they do. THREE of them were hanging around together on the platform, talking about knows what when I got off at Gallery Place this AM. Does it really take THREE employees to do this? Apparently, I was wrong! It takes FOUR!! As I was going up the escalator, ANOTHER worker was walking over to join them. All I can say is, "REALLY, Metro?!?!"
ReplyDeleteThis really isn't new. Trains will go from 5 minutes to 1 minute all the time
ReplyDelete