Unsuck DC Metro: 'Excelent' Job, Metro

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

'Excelent' Job, Metro

Click for larger. Via Matt: Not only did I get this baloney, (and yes, I filled it out) but see the attachment for a classic Metro fail at the end.

From Danny:

I wrote the post the other day about the dangerous conditions at Rosslyn last Tuesday.

Today, I got an invitation to take a Metro survey on the event.

My first thought was "great, Metro is trying to figure out a way to avoid that from happening again."

Then I took the survey.

Ugh!

Look, Metro's communication with riders was terrible that day, but to me, it seemed like the communication within Metro was the key factor for putting so many lives at risk--unnecessarily!

Adding insult to injury, the Metro Board did not even discuss this dangerous event at their meeting. Believe me, as a victim of their negligence, I listened to every minute waiting for someone to step up and ask 'who was responsible?' for endangering so many paying customers so needlessly.

I've attached the survey questions, which I cut and pasted from the survey:

On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 during evening rush hour, Orange line service was suspended between Rosslyn and Ballston. Emergency responders rescued a man who placed himself in the path of a train. While incidents such as this during rush hour cause unavoidable major delays, we want to learn how we can help you better in the future. Please give us your feedback from the experience.
Did the incident affect your afternoon commute?
Were you on the train that struck the man?
How did you first learn about the incident and the subsequent delay?
When did you find out about this incident?
If you would have known this was happening in advance, would you have changed your commute?
How would you have changed your commute if you had had known about the incident?
Did you know about the bus shuttles that Metro was running during this incident?
What is the best way we can get information to you when incidents like this happen?
How much longer did your commute take than a "normal" commute would have?
How did you get home the day of the incident?
Are you registered for Metro e-alerts?
Do you follow WMATA on Twitter?
Where do you live?
What is your gender?
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
How old are you?
Are you of Latin or Hispanic Origin?
What is your race?
What is your household's annual income range?
My question to Metro: WTF?

From "SaveMetro:"

I was selected for a WMATA survey about the event last Tuesday. Wow, Lucky me.

Anyway, it seemed a little useless. It kept asking me the same questions over and over, just phrased differently. Silly questions. And a waste of time.

But I do hope that they learn something from this experience.

I stayed at work for a while, and left when things were clearing up. It still took me over two hours to get home.

I just wish that the survey allowed me to submit some comments because, I would tell them to make the information uniform.

From the train operators to the PIDs to the Twitter feeds. It was obvious that day they all varied.

Other items:
Metro to spend $250,000 on anti-suicide training (Examiner)
Va. seals deal on Metro Board seat (Examiner)

Comments (36)

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+17 Vote up Vote down

bll · 701 weeks ago

It looks like they're going to learn a lot from this survey. But I suggest that in the next survey they ask your favorite color and the name of your dog. That way they'll get a complete rider profile.

1 reply · active 701 weeks ago

+18 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 701 weeks ago

i heard that they actually removed a question.

"what is the airspeed velocity of a swallow?"

i understand that they could not decide whether it should be an african or a european swallow".

+13 Vote up Vote down

Radner · 701 weeks ago

Are they serious? Is collecting information about gender, race, ethnicity, education and income going to change the way they respond to incidents? "Lets not save a certain group of under educated folks, but work really hard to get those Ph.D. holders home so they don't sue us"????

5 replies · active 701 weeks ago

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drbubbles · 701 weeks ago

Are you serious? Of course they won't affect the response. Those are boilerplate, possibly even template, questions. I doubt they added more time, or thought, to developing the survey than it takes to press Ctrl+V, Alt+Tab, and Ctrl+C, if even that much. There's a lot about Metro that sucks, but a few probably irrelevant survey questions about demographics hardly tops the list.

Or maybe they're even distractions. It seems to me that what the real questions are trying to get at is, How badly did we piss off how many of our customers? Because figuring out what bones to throw the next time this happens, is easier and cheaper than figuring out how to manage the next time more efficiently (How long did it take you to exit the station where you were off-loaded? Were there shuttles available where you were off-loaded? How long did you have to wait for a shuttle?).

It seems telling that they asked for a comparison with a "'normal' commute". Might that be a tacit recognition that Metro is too unreliable for there to be such a thing?

+13 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 701 weeks ago

Not to defend Metro here, but as someone with a job that involves analyzing poll numbers, these are legitimate questions to ask in a poll. For example, if 90% of their college-educated riders follow them on Twitter, but only 10% of their high-school-educated riders follow them, they learn about the demographics using the different types of Metro communication. It also allows them to learn, perhaps, that white riders had the option to change their commutes, but Latino riders had to rely on Metro more heavily, or vice versa.

While I don't expect that Metro will actually put to good use any of the possibly valuable information they could collect using the demographic information they could collect, it's not unreasonable for them to ask.

+7 Vote up Vote down

dcn8v · 701 weeks ago

Agreed. They also may have decided that as long as they're collecting information anyway, to add in some demographic questions in as well. Slightly tasteless, yes, but like you said- not unreasonable.

My guess is that they'll use the demographic answers to show potential advertisers who their customer base is.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Radner · 701 weeks ago

That makes sense. It would be nice if they published the results of this survey along with an action plan, but that is just wishful thinking.

+2 Vote up Vote down

guest · 701 weeks ago

I think this is right. In theory, this can be a useful tool for Metro if they get this information. Maybe they find out that the orange line riders got information via twitter rather than text message. I maybe they subscribed, but didn't get the message. Maybe the message was confusing. Other lines, maybe they need station announcements or text messages. They can emphasize the communication method most common on a line, if it varies by line. (I have no idea.) Now, that said, the substantive questions are idiotic. Where are questions like: Were you expecting to be crushed like a bug at Rosslyn, was that communicated to you? Or, was Orange Line station personal helpful to get you to the bus bridge? Etc., etc.

+15 Vote up Vote down

anon · 701 weeks ago

Would you give Metro an A or an A- for Tuesday's service?

+6 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

Gonna post some of Dr. Gridlock's pathetic defense of metro in his noontime chat on Monday:

Rosslyn Metro disaster, 10/11/2011
Dr. G - Why hasn't metro apologized for the debacle at Rosslyn last Tuesday after the attempted suicide at Clarendon? It took me, and thousands of others, over thirty minutes to get off of westbound trains to the street level at Rosslyn after the Orange Line was shut down. The platforms were packed to the brim - if there had been a fire, or any kind of panic, people would have been injured or killed. Why hasn't this been picked up in the press? There were few metro personnel at the scene and it was total chaos.

A.
Robert Thomson :

Here's a link to what our staff had on the Dr. Gridlock blog last week: http://wapo.st/qbIyWd

Metro does pretty well handling scheduled disruptions, like the ones on weekends, but it's still got a long way to go in communicating information to riders on platforms and trains -- and those about to enter stations.

An incident like that one Tuesday on the Orange Line is bound to cause extensive delays. There's nothing much Metro can do quickly to provide an alternative for thousands of riders at rush hour. The shuttle buses don't help much.

2 replies · active 701 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

Nick · 701 weeks ago

I asked this question. I did it fully knowing his response would be worthless, but I thought I'd at least get him thinking about it. Note how he totally ignored the safety issue.

0 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

He's a metro puppet. More people need to start getting after him on his blog and on twitter.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Battle of the Somme · 701 weeks ago

There is a science to building effective surveys to get meaningful results. This one was written by someone with a 6th grade education. It comes down to people and leadership. The real issues are; the lack of easy to follow (simple), well-defined SOPS for EVERYONE involved to follow; the lack of emergency training (“emergency action drills”) for station managers and; the inability of station managers to handle anything out of the ordinary. Being a station manager is a great entitlement for many metro employees as long as nothing happens. Heaven forbid they should be disturbed with anything they have to respond to and make a critical or analytical decision. Far too many of them, no matter how nice they might be, simply aren’t capable. They lack the ability to deal with even the slightest emergency. Without addressing these, something really nasty will happen one day and people will be seriously hurt. We don’t need to read after the fact that managers needed better training, a better desk top SOP was required or, heaven forbid, that metro station managers had to have the capability to read and understand the SOP and then allowed to carry it out making mods along the way. Is metro “leadership” so incapable of providing leadership?

3 replies · active 701 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

anon · 701 weeks ago

Dan sure looks over 12, but he acts younger.

+8 Vote up Vote down

guest · 701 weeks ago

Mark my words. Sarles will be gone soon after he hits the three-year mark. He'll collect a fat pension from Metro to go along with his NJ transit one and his Amtrack one.

Hell, if that's not enough, he can come back and run metroaccess.

what a joke

+4 Vote up Vote down

dcn8v · 701 weeks ago

I'd say also that while some of these station managers are capable, their hands may be tied because, they lack the authority to make critical decisions during these situations.

Anyone in the know have any intel on this? If, for example, there's a problem in a particular station or on a certain line, does the station manager have the authority to temporarily close the entrance to his/her station to alleviate the underground crush? What about other immediate, operational decisions like that?

+5 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

Q.
Station manager problems in Metro evacuations
It seems that whenever a Metro station needs to be evacuated (because of electrical fire, loss of power, etc.), there are many reports from riders on the scene that station managers are not directing them correctly, or not directing them at all, that escalators never get switched over so that they are going in the direction to take people OUT of the station, or that station managers are nowhere to be seen. I think that this worries many of us and am wondering why these evacuation problems continue to happen and if you aware of whether Metro is doing anything to address it? So many times I read comments from people saying in effect "if this had been a terrorist incicent, we'd be in big trouble".

A.
Robert Thomson :

Riders have been expressing concern about such situations for years, and for years, Metro leaders have said they are aware of the communication problems in emergencies. But complaints continue. The station managers are crucial in these situations, but they can easily be overwhelmed. It takes a while for Metro to get extra personnel to the scene of the problem.

+3 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

Q.
Re: "Rosslyn Disaster"
I get it -- I was on the Orange Line too and it definitely sucked, but people need to manage their expectations of Metro. The infrastructure of the system only allows them to do so much, so for all of the people that were complaining in comments that their Orange train went to Arlington Cemetery instead of Rosslyn -- that was for your safety. I absolutely think the station personnel at Rosslyn could have done a better job communicating/getting people out of the station, but before everyone goes off, let's keep in mind that it was an emergency situation.

A.
Robert Thomson :

Over the past few years, Metro has expanded the ways it can communicate with riders in emergencies -- the eAlerts and Twitter messages, for example. And that's very good. But it's not a substitute for voice communication and sign communication in the stations and aboard trains.

But as you say, in an emergency like that, it's not realistic to expect a quick resolution and a short delay. Riders should go into the transit system with a personal plan for what to do in an emergency.

3 replies · active 701 weeks ago

+31 Vote up Vote down

Jamie · 701 weeks ago

My "personal plan" for emergencies is now to carry hand and feet suction cups like in the movies, so that I can climb up the metal between the escalators. Learning to fly so that I can get through the mobs of people without trampling anyone is also on my list, though it may take some time.
What a jackass Dr. Gridlock is. He never even comes CLOSE to addressing the actual questions riders have asked. Maybe he should run for office.

+8 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

His coverage of Metro is progressively getting more and more embarassing. He's a half step above Stessell at this point. Its a joke.

+10 Vote up Vote down

Subway · 701 weeks ago

Dr. Gridlock is a moron. If there were a fire at Rosslyn during an overcrowding situation like we had last week, it doesn't matter what anyone's "personal plan" would be when the shoving and trampling starts. It's Metro's job to ensure a safe system, and that includes having an emergency plan in place to -- shock -- actually evacuate a station in a timely fashion and communicate that plan to its riders.

But I guess I'm asking too much. I guess I should just sit back and be a happy sheep like Dr. Gridlock.

+8 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 701 weeks ago

I'm done. Had enough. It's time to change leadership, again.

FIRE SARLES.

3 replies · active 701 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

Fire David Lacosse too!
Fire Stessel!
Fire Kubicek!
Fire Jeter!

+1 Vote up Vote down

barbara · 701 weeks ago

Who are the Middle managers who have blindness and cannot see and are assigned to oversee operations? My neighbor who drives a train says metro appoints middle managers who have blindness or severe decreased sight problems to oversee a safety sensitive rail systemin virginia. WOW!

+1 Vote up Vote down

ZZinDC · 701 weeks ago

How about an elected Booard?

+6 Vote up Vote down

no one · 701 weeks ago

Even the title of the survey is wrong. For by far the majority, the problem wasn't at Clarendon, it was at Rosslyn.

The suicide is not Metro's fault, and no matter how much the agency spends, they're never going to be able to stop the occasional person from offing themselves on Metro.

1 reply · active 701 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

LoxyBrown · 701 weeks ago

When I got up the first escalator at Rosslyn, it was a sea of people. Not one Metro employee, not one police officer. There was a faint announcement that the station was now closed. The people were cranky, and needed guidance. Doesn't anyone have a bullhorn? "Please stay calm." Seriously, anything. Some guy next to me snotted how dare people stop the escalator. He didn't realize (or care) that there was a woman stopped 1/3 from the top who thought she was having a heart attack. When I reached the top, there were medical personenel there wth a gurney, but no one clearing a path back down the stairs. Once I exited the station, I saw tons of people on the street, presumably waiting for a shuttle bus? Goodness knows how long that took, blech.

Had I known that the station was overcrowded, I would have stayed on that blue line train and walked home from Arlington Cemetery.

I wish Metro would have made better announcements and used the ACPD (or Metro police to help with crowd control, because it was on the verge of getting pretty scary.

+4 Vote up Vote down

John · 701 weeks ago

Dan (Stessel) and Rich (Sarles) Awesome Show, Great Job!

+5 Vote up Vote down

Karl · 701 weeks ago

How much suck could the Metro suck if the Metro could suck suck.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@Markerbuoys · 701 weeks ago

Just out of curiosity. What is the relevance of the rider being specifically Hispanic? Strange placement of that question to then follow it with a question asking which race/ethnic group you identify with. Very strange.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@Markerbuoys · 701 weeks ago

I see people have commented regarding the demographics questions. It still seems to be of questionable value.

* "How could we have unfucked ourselves?"

-more fitting.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Kathryn · 701 weeks ago

Situations like this are why I never go underground in the Metro system without stashing water and food in my bag. It's sad that we have to prepare for an hours-long stay on a projected twenty minute ride.

1 reply · active 701 weeks ago

+9 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 701 weeks ago

you should bring plenty of food and water for your twenty minute ride. look how much stuff the Howell's brought along with them! and they were only going on a three hour tour on the S.S. Minnow!!

+4 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 701 weeks ago

also i see unsuck was the only one to spot the spelling error in the headline.
excelent !!!

1 reply · active 701 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

vicky · 701 weeks ago

I don't believe it *was* a mistake in the headline.The response Metro gave people who took the survey said, "provide you with excelent customer service. " I thought it was funny. Or maybe Metro was telling us "we dropped the extra 'l' because we fall short of excellent?"

+1 Vote up Vote down

Zubmafriek · 699 weeks ago

They know their service isn't truly excellent, so they are being honest by not using the proper word.

Anyway, about this survey, you'd have to know everyone answered honestly to get any useful data. Generally, that's the X factor I don't get with surveys.