Public Hearings and the Chopping Block

We just came back from one of Metro's six public hearings to discuss the budget and service “adjustments.”
First off, we have to say that Metro did a FANTASTIC job with signage. There was no way you weren't going to find this meeting.
Ostensibly, the meetings—this one was chaired by Chris Zimmerman and attended by Metro GM John Catoe--are held so that the public can get on the record with their views and Metro can consider those views when making final decisions.
As this was our first time, we didn't know what size crowd to expect, but since Virginia has relatively been spared the rod by some of the bus cuts, perhaps there was little interest and 40 or so was about what to expect.
The tone at the hearing was very civil, almost somnolent, so we'd hardly call John Catoe a brave man, as others have, for facing the public.
After hearing several passionate pleas to save certain bus service, particularly the 10A, we were left wondering if bus routes are easy targets for the budgetary ax because buses generally serve a lower socioeconomic demographic, one that is less likely to be engaged, speak English or voice concerns over losing service.
On the other hand, we see a lot of near empty buses (and trains) around at night, and we've always wondered why bus stops are so close together. Seriously, there are places where you can see three or four stops down the road. That's ridic, but it probably wouldn't save much money to space them out.
We get back to a point we've made before: If buses and trains could keep a schedule, Metro could cut service frequency, but allow users to plan their schedules accordingly. From all that we've experienced and heard about on this blog, that dream remains distant.
We did come away with a new appreciation for the complexity of Metro's budget.
A couple of other items of interest came up, and we'll blog about those later.

Other news:
Shocker! Dulles rail line completion delayed

Board Stuck Just Like Its Trains

As is often the case with Metro trains, the Board finds itself stuck in a tunnel with no apparent way out.

The The Washington Post is reporting that Metro is delaying a decision about how it will close a nearly $29 million budget gap because some jurisdictions weren't able to reach a consensus about service cuts. Metro officials will try again next Thursday.

Meanwhile the suggestion of charging for parking on the weekends seems to be withering on the vine. According to the Post, "a Metro staff analysis found that charging as little as $1 for weekend parking would reduce ridership and produce a net revenue loss." Way to think that one through.

The Board is deadlocked.

"Nobody wants to cut any stuff," said Chris Zimmerman, who represents Virginia. If subsidies are not increasing and "nobody wants to talk about anything on the fare increase, what the heck is left?"

But heck. There's a light at the end of the tunnel that will save us all. The report said Metro is considering "a deal with Redbox, the automated DVD rental company, to install kiosks at Metrorail stations." Here's the kicker: "He did not know how much revenue such an arrangement might generate."

So there you have it folks. Metro may depend on DVD rentals, a quickly dying industry, to save it. Good luck!

Prepare for Drunk Drivers

If you've ever been grateful to Metro for getting you home safely from a night of a little too much celebration, prepare to for over fork a cab or take your chances behind the wheel. According to this WTOP article, Metro is considering stopping service at 10 p.m. on weeknights and "cutting back" late night service on weekends. Also on the table is reducing the frequency of trains during rush hour. I don't know about other lines, but for Orange Line riders, this must sound like exactly the right way to go!

For a system that has to fight three public relations wars at once, in the District, Maryland and Virginia, these moves would add to the perception that the system is fundamentally mismanaged or flawed and just unworthy of funding. That perception may or may not be correct--we think it is, but think the solution is more funding and better service--but these days sadly, perception is what counts, and money is scarce. That said, there do seem to be a lot of empty, late night trains during the week, as this photo demonstrates. What was the per rider cost on this guy?

Metro realizes the bind it's in, according to the article.

"All of the possibilities are unpleasant," says Metro Board member Chris Zimmerman, who represents Arlington. "We have more people riding than ever before, and we are providing a higher quality (of service) than ever before, but we may have to tell people that service is being cut. It is a heck of a thing to do."

We might have gone with something stronger than "heck," but you get the idea.

It should be noted that transit systems in Chicago and New York City are facing even larger budget gaps than Metro and are considering fare hikes.

Examiner story
Washington Post story
Greater Greater Washington
Does WMATA need a bailout?

Do you think these proposed service cuts are a step in the right direction?

Photo: John Morris