Thursday, September 15, 2011

Nearly $1 Millon Spent on Take-Home Cars During Budget Crises


Illustration

Back in March, I PARPed (page 2) -- or FOIAed -- Metro about take-home vehicles.

You can read about some of those here and here.

What's missing in the Examiner articles is the comprehensive view of how Metro was spending your money on these cars.

Here's a near complete list (and here) of Metro's take-home car fleet.

If you don't want to scan the entire list, here's one little takeaway that might be of interest:

Metro spent nearly $1 million on 39 2010 model cars, many costing nearly $30,000. This was during a period when the "Authority" pleaded poverty and raised fares--twice.

Three more 2010s are leased at $500 per month, said Metro.

The average yearly maintenance cost for the fleet: $545 per car, said Metro.

According to the information provided by Metro, there are also 28 officials in the Metro Transit Police Department that get take-home cars. No make, year and price information for those was provided.

In all honesty, I don't pretend to know what Metro positions really "require" take-home cars (and here and here). I'm sure some do, and some don't.

One interesting footnote to this story is how sloppy Metro's response to the information request is.

They provided a list of 89 positions (not including cops) that get take home cars, but only gave the make and price information for 86 cars. Does that mean three lucky Metro peeps are rollin' in Benzos. Who knows? What are they hiding?

I also asked for information about which of these vehicles had been in accidents in which they were at fault, acting on a tip than a higher up had totaled two Metro cars in a relative short time. Metro balked, saying it would cost me $1,396 to cover the man hours needed to provide that information because "this request would exceed 100 pages."

So they won't provide information the public has every right to know for $1,396, but they will freely spend on 2010 Ford Explorers.

Bra-vo Metro.

Another interesting footnote to the story is that the day after the Examiner story came out, Metro finally provided me with the information I'd requested 6 months ago.
Posted by Unsuck DC Metro at 8:30 AM

Comments (43)

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+8 Vote up Vote down
xxx's avatar

xxx · 706 weeks ago

Simply stunning.
1 reply · active 706 weeks ago
+11 Vote up Vote down
DCRider's avatar

DCRider · 706 weeks ago

Not stunning at all....that's the sad part.
+13 Vote up Vote down
Kara's avatar

Kara · 706 weeks ago

Just saying the request would exceed 100 pages already says there are a LOT of accidents!
+22 Vote up Vote down
anon's avatar

anon · 706 weeks ago

So Metro has nearly 100 cars for its execs. I guess that means they've concluded Metro is an unreliable POS, too.
+11 Vote up Vote down
Radner's avatar

Radner · 706 weeks ago

It seems that Metro operates like a lot of other government agencies. They claim to have no money for this and that, but what is really happening is that within certain budgets/departments there is no money for this and that while other departments are rushing to spend all the money for the fiscal year so that they won't get a budge reduction for the next to eliminate any surplus.

So, if they (Congress/oversight committees/watchdogs/accountants/people who can read and do basic math) were to look at Metro as a whole and audit each and every office for excess spending, there is a pretty good chance that some departments within Metro are wasting a big chunk of money instead of transferring the excess to those departments that need to spend more than they have budgeted.
2 replies · active 705 weeks ago
+6 Vote up Vote down
Waste abound's avatar

Waste abound · 706 weeks ago

Thank you for mentioning this. It is the most ridiculous way of doing things on the face of the earth. And it’s one of the many reasons our government is in the dire financial straits that it is. I have worked at government agencies my entire career and the way the budgets for departments are handled is out of control. Instead of just buying what they are actually going to use on projects; millions if not billions are wasted on equipment that never gets used. This is just so they can make sure they do not get a budget reduction the next year. In my experience the worst is the EPA, they flush money down the toilet on a daily basis. All on crap that just ends up sitting in a warehouse never to be used any ware. Oh and an added bonus: they don’t keep track of any of the inventory they aquire. Millions of dollars worth of equipment that anyone could walk away with and no one would even know.
+1 Vote up Vote down
bussanno's avatar

bussanno · 705 weeks ago

Hey There will NEVER be an audit. You have OIG who fails to investigate what employees tell her, what makes you think she cares to find fraud, waste and abuse? She even works in the same building. You need to fire her and place someone in charge who is not in "the buddy network" so to speak!
+33 Vote up Vote down
Brian's avatar

Brian · 706 weeks ago

I love this blog. Keep up the excellent work of holding them accountable, since no one else will. We know Stessel reads this, even though he won't comment.
Openness since he came? More like extra red tape, PR spin and hiding.
2 replies · active 706 weeks ago
+9 Vote up Vote down
Ever and Anon's avatar

Ever and Anon · 706 weeks ago

DITTO!!
-1 Vote up Vote down
UnSuck Fan's avatar

UnSuck Fan · 706 weeks ago

Hey, I voted the wrong way! I'm using a handheld device & forgot to zoom in. :-(

My negative should be a positive. Yes, it's a great blog! :D
+13 Vote up Vote down
Guest's avatar

Guest · 706 weeks ago

Wow - great reporting effort. The idea that so many positions require take home cars - thats crazy.
+16 Vote up Vote down
MadAsHeck's avatar

MadAsHeck · 706 weeks ago

I call BS.

What are the "safety/security response responsibilities" of Chief Financial Officer Carol Dillon Kissal? "Gotta audit those financial statements, STAT!"

And shouldn't Assistant General Manager of Bus Operations Jack Requa, use, ya know, the BUS?

The fact that so many executives at a TRANSPORTATION system get assigned vechicles is basically a big f-you to all of their customers.
2 replies · active 705 weeks ago
+2 Vote up Vote down
Sam's avatar

Sam · 706 weeks ago

My guess (and I'm probably digging here) is that many of the CxO positions, including Carol Kissal, are included in the "safety/security response" because of a succession plan. The CFO is also a Deputy General Manager and if something happened and Sarles was incapacitated, I'd imagine she (or the other DGM, who I believe is more like a COO) would be part of the continuity-of-operations plan.
+1 Vote up Vote down
bussanno's avatar

bussanno · 705 weeks ago

Interestingly the succession program are for the "friends/buddies" not a fair program either. And if your daddy worked for this company you can gain a position in rail that you have no idea about. This is scarry! Running a railroad without having the proper knowledge of operations from the ground up, just because your daddy worked there. Wow!
+14 Vote up Vote down
dcn8v's avatar

dcn8v · 706 weeks ago

$1,396 for man hours at Metro... That'd probably buy you about 3 hours with the new pay raises factored in, right?
2 replies · active 705 weeks ago
+1 Vote up Vote down
2Blando3's avatar

2Blando3 · 705 weeks ago

I know of a supervisor who got a $40,000. raise after working under a superintendent for 2 years and was promoted to sr. supervisor in a couple of years with a horendous criminal record. Is this incredible or what?
+1 Vote up Vote down
bussanno's avatar

bussanno · 705 weeks ago

Metro is a secritive organization which wastes federal monies and all tax payers shold demand an outside audit from an honest auditor.
+6 Vote up Vote down
joe's avatar

joe · 706 weeks ago

Metro leaders are too good for trains and buses.
+13 Vote up Vote down
vathena's avatar

vathena · 706 weeks ago

I'm a new reader of your blog, despite being aware of Metro's suckiness for quite some time. I pay $10+ EVERY DAY to get to and from work on Metro, and this story just infuriates me. I'm not even sure that's a strong enough word. What can we, the mass transit public, DO to stop this sort of insanity? There has got to be someone at WMATA with two brain cells to rub together, who would think twice before spending $1million on CARS for a system supposedly intended to TAKE CARS OFF THE ROAD. I agree completely that this is a giant F-you (one of many) to their customers.
+6 Vote up Vote down
's avatar

· 706 weeks ago

Metrofoward: With Fancy SUVs and hybrids!
+5 Vote up Vote down
Anony mouse's avatar

Anony mouse · 706 weeks ago

I smell a Stessel.
+14 Vote up Vote down
John's avatar

John · 706 weeks ago

Stessel: Any Comment?

Why do these people need take home cars? Their offices are ACCESSIBLE BY METRO!!!!!!
+4 Vote up Vote down
Soylent Green Line's avatar

Soylent Green Line · 706 weeks ago

Guys, come on.

What they did is actually very sensible. While waiting for the new series of trains to become available, they simply purchased dozens of smart cars - which fit perfectly on the tracks - which can be hitched together to form a perfectly adorable little train. As for the cost, smart cars aren't cheap when you have to make them subway-worthy. I predict we'll soon be seeing this bold new program in action!
1 reply · active 706 weeks ago
+4 Vote up Vote down
Ever and nANon's avatar

Ever and nANon · 706 weeks ago

Dibs on the shotgun seat! :D
+9 Vote up Vote down
Anony Mouse's avatar

Anony Mouse · 706 weeks ago

It's no wonder that the rail infrastructure is crumbling when Metro decides to spend their (our!) money like this. Totally unbelieveable...and totally irresponsible.
+6 Vote up Vote down
Jill's avatar

Jill · 706 weeks ago

I guess Metro is fully loaded!;)
+25 Vote up Vote down
former employee's avatar

former employee · 706 weeks ago

Metro does not want to desclose about how far some of these assigned vechiles are taken from the nearest garage.... I know 3 Supt.'s live at least 70 miles one way. Metro big SUV gas hogging vechiles is the thier perfered choice. What is the cost just in gas. Most important, when a vechile is needed to get parts there tied up. Although there is 5 assigned vechiles in the assigned parking spaces employees can not use them to get parts. That is BS. What you read in the Examier that the Supt,'s vechiles are used by employees is bullshit. Most times the Supt.s have a mechanic removed from their jobs to fill up their tank and do an inspection...

These Supt.s don't think their shit stinks... There were given the position by a relative and friend.

OIG was informed about 'waste" long time ago. Nothing was done.

Metro makes it seem that they are doing everything they can to cut cost. We need more money to make the system work. Believe us...(smoke up your ass)

How long would it take for the Supt. who lives at a distance to respond to an call?
They can not exceed the speed limit.
6 replies · active 704 weeks ago
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+10 Vote up Vote down
unsuckdcmetro's avatar - Go to profile

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 706 weeks ago

+10
+10 Vote up Vote down
MadAsHeck's avatar

MadAsHeck · 706 weeks ago

Good point. In addition to the cost of purchasing and maintaining the vehicles, is WMATA also paying for gas for these fat cats to ride around in SUVs?
+5 Vote up Vote down
RGG's avatar

RGG · 706 weeks ago

Yep! All get filled up at the rail/bus yards at Metro's gas pumps. The drivers _do_ do their own pumping, however....
+1 Vote up Vote down
bussanno's avatar

bussanno · 705 weeks ago

Ask for the gas card records!
+5 Vote up Vote down
n2deep's avatar

n2deep · 706 weeks ago

you speak the truth. as an employee i know of a few superintendents that drive 60 or 70 miles one way. metro also has a way to make sure all the supt.'s work at a shop that is as far away from their home as possible. then they get metro vehicles "for emergencies". now the only real emergency i can think of is snow emergencies. even then some sup'ts will not get into work. and yes metro pays for the gas and insurance. and NO metro employee can use the vehicle other than the sup't.
when richard white was in charge they had an employee every day take the vehicle to fill it with gas and wash it.EVERY DAY!!!!! and richard white lived less than 10 miles away!
and as for the MTPD, most of the vehicles are SUV K-9 units. the officer has the dog 247 so they need the vehicle for the K-9. other than that......
0 Vote up Vote down
Amazed's avatar

Amazed · 704 weeks ago

Yeah! How about the Supt. at Greenbelt wanting to make everything "green" Wanting workers to recycle etc. But drives an issued big SUV from his home in Denton Md. to Greenbelt everyday> Mapquest 70 miles one way.
+6 Vote up Vote down
Dont Stressel's avatar

Dont Stressel · 706 weeks ago

We're all about underpromising and overdelivering
-1 Vote up Vote down
hrh king friday 13's avatar

hrh king friday 13 · 706 weeks ago

You can't work at Metro and not be ghetto fabulous. Be riddin' with my blue tooth ern my earzz, yo.
+5 Vote up Vote down
Dan Stessel (WMATA)'s avatar

Dan Stessel (WMATA) · 706 weeks ago

Just Kidding;)
+4 Vote up Vote down
Guest's avatar

Guest · 705 weeks ago

Why can't the employees just ride Metro to get to/from work?
2 replies · active 705 weeks ago
+4 Vote up Vote down
Daily Rider's avatar

Daily Rider · 705 weeks ago

I think the more appropriate question is why is it necessary for Metro provide some of these folks a vehicle rather than them using their own to drive to work.
+2 Vote up Vote down
Lonnie's avatar

Lonnie · 705 weeks ago

Getting a vehicle is better than a pay raise because yo don't have to pay taxes on it.

*Major kudos* to UnsuckDCMetro for exposing how out of control this situation is despite lean fiscal times... The Metro Board of Directors needs to have General Manager Richard Sarles explain why this mess is so deep and how he's going to correct it.
-2 Vote up Vote down
WRD's avatar

WRD · 705 weeks ago

There's something kind of...unsavory about this whole website. It's important to promote accountability, but when is the UNsuck part of the blog going to start?
2 replies · active 705 weeks ago
+2 Vote up Vote down
who?'s avatar

who? · 705 weeks ago

Why are you reading the blog then?
+1 Vote up Vote down
annon's avatar

annon · 705 weeks ago

Unsuck can you request the amounts of petty cash accounts given to each superintendent and how it is spent. Also why appliances are not repaired when they break down after 1 year and purchasing another brand new appliance.
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+1 Vote up Vote down
stormitecture's avatar - Go to profile

stormitecture 0p · 661 weeks ago

WORST PHOTOSHOP JOB EVER!

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