Teenage Riot in a Public Station

Over the past weeks, we've had a lot of email and a lot of comments from readers complaining about groups of unruly teens making commuting both unpleasant and, in some cases, scary. In one incident, kids were throwing firecrackers at Gallery Place and nothing was done.

When we started digging around the WMATA Web site, we were surprised to find that MTPD Deputy Chief Jeri Lee said he uses "approximately 90 percent of his resources during after-school hours ... to address juvenile misbehavior."

The problem is significant enough that he has daily conference calls with DCPS and the D.C. Department of Social Services "to anticipate and address issues."

He went on to say "that Metro deals with an influx of approximately 10,000 juveniles every afternoon, and MTPD officers try to make their presence known to discourage inappropriate behavior.

He also said that officers cannot necessarily distinguish between horseplay and more serious behavior when it is occurring and that officers need to respond to all unruly behavior. He noted that MTPD officers have taken several guns from juveniles, which underscores the potential for incidents to escalate."

Lee said that MTPD’s average response time is 11-13 minutes, largely because officers on foot patrol have to rely on getting to incidents via train and bus.

During the October Riders' Advisory Council meeting, Lee said MTPD was going to set up a hot line to report juvenile behavior, but we could find no reference to it on the WMATA Web site.

Apparently, they did. The number is 202-962-2118. Read the release here.

Deputy Chief Lee said that he wasn’t aware of any specific issues related to intoxicated individuals riding the Metro.

Have you noticed a problem with rowdy teens? We've heard Rhode Island Ave., Tenleytown and Gallery Place have problems. Where else?

Other items:
Another suicide (WaPo)
NTSB to bring in state oversight officials from around country (Examiner)

Metro, Redskins Have a Lot in Common

You wouldn't think the Redskins and Metro would have much in common, but there are some surprising similarities.

They both perennially underachieve.

The both have widely derided general managers.

They both scour the nation for overpriced "stars" who end up under performing.

They both love to utilize consultants for things they should do themselves.

They both overcharge their customers.

They both have inept, insulated and intractable management that only acts when the ship is sinking.

Even then, that reaction is usually nothing more than to shuffle the deck chairs and pray somehow, some way things will get better.

Take this eerie parallel.

A few weeks back, the Redskins, in a bizarre move, stripped "head" coach Jim Zorn of his play calling duties, leaving him with a very unclear job description and a generous salary.

And now Metro, with questions about its safety swirling around, has Jim Zorned its chief safety officer.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that:

Alexa Dupigny-Samuels [Metro's safety chief] will keep her title and duties but will be supervised by Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn, [Metro Board Chair Jim] Graham said. She would consult with Taborn "before key decisions are made," he said. "If she makes decisions or writes letters or communicates something, she needs to tell the chief, 'Here is what I'm thinking of doing.' "

Why not fire her if she needs this much help? If Metro has no confidence left in her abilities, get rid of her, and use her salary to hire someone who knows what they're doing. Don't create another bureaucratic layer that's not likely to make any difference or might make things worse.

We're starting to think dumb is spelled M-E-T-R-O. Good grief.

With the Skins, all the folly is often laughable, but with Metro, it's tragic.

What is more worrisome about this new management structure is the Metro Police will have more on their plate when they can't seem to handle some of their core duties such as maintaining a sense of safety--more on that in a coming post. They also aren't much better at following their own rules, apparently, and they're buying those ridiculous T3s that actually prompted the wife of a Metro cop to write us out of concern for her husband's safety.

But let's get back to the safety practices at Metro, which are indisputably in need of re-evaluation. Is this "fix" really the best Metro could come up with? Will the still amorphous federal oversight proposed by the Obama administration keep Metro from making these cosmetic changes and bring real reform in how Metro operates?

And Frankly, Dupigny-Samuels only got her job in February, so it seems unlikely she would have had that much effect on Metro's overall safety, no matter how well or poorly she performed.

She not only got Zorned, but she got sort of Schottenheimered as well.

Other items:
Obama administraton proposes federal oversight of transit (WaPo)
Examiner's take
Metro, union rack up legal bills (Examiner)

Mais Wee

View Larger Map
It is a problem that has vexed bus drivers for almost a century: What do you do if you have to go to the bathroom while on duty?

DC-style, apparently, is to reach for an empty Doritos bag or other miscellaneous receptacle, or perhaps hop into a local fast food joint, like KFC. But honestly, those seem like more trouble than they're worth.

Finally, through the power of the Internet, we offer WMATA drivers a convenient option.

When ya gotta go, the French seem to have developed an effective and elegant solution. (H/t Elan)

Zero Tolerance

Nov. 11. From SNACKMANIAC. "Eastbound G2, @wmata bus #2147, driver playing video game on smart phone while driving around Dupont Circle IN THE RAIN. He was gaming/txting from GU to 16th & P when I got off. Am going to file a formal complaint. That's how people get run over."

Original pic

Other items:
Weekend delays (WMATA)
Metro charged with dumping hazardous waste (WaP0)
Mikulski tired of "lip service" (WTOP)
Hearing to be held to examine federal role in transit safety (Examiner)
What do you think of the new bus map? (GGW)

WMATA Employee Rescues MP3 Player

From reader David:

On Nov. 3, as I waited for a train at Farragut North, I pulled out my MP3 player from my briefcase, and it slipped out of my hands, falling to the platform and then down onto the tracks below.

As hundreds of people stared at me wondering what I should do, I walked back up the escalator to the station manager to explain my dilemma.

After he kindly asked me what I needed, I explained to him the situation, and he enthusiastically grabbed a broom and dust pan and walked with me back down to the platform.

After waiting for a train to go by, he laid down on the platform, shined a flash light underneath, located my MP3 player and, using the broom, managed to push it into the dust pan to give it back to me.

I was so grateful and wanted to share with everyone that although we normally only hear, see or think about the negative WMATA employees, there are a lot of people out there who do care and do go above and beyond.

I plan on writing into WMATA to let them know about the kindness of this particular employee, and I hope others to the same when they see good in WMATA employees.

Other employees that shine.

Between the Lines of a Metro Press Release

We managed to get our hands on an early draft of Tuesday's WMATA press release, including some deleted comments and questions by GM Catoe and Chairman Graham. Although not expressly stated, the release was ostensibly issued as a reaction to this Washington Post article.

Yet another reactive press release Joint statement by Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham and Metro General Manager John Catoe

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and its Board of Directors are committed to telling the public that they are committed to working with all safety "oversight" agencies that have jurisdiction over Metro and its increasingly decrepit operations. Regionally, that "oversight" comes from the Tri-State Oversight Committee what is this?/Catoe, basically a ghost organization with no teeth which was created out of thin air and can only make threats by Congress and then implemented through an agreement among the District of Columbia, State of Maryland and Commonwealth of Virginia.

After the Washington Post finally caught us, wWe reluctantly recognize that--contrary to what we wrote the implication of previously written and issued WMATA letters--the Tri-State Oversight Committee what is this?/Catoe has access to Metro’s track bed what is this?/Graham when it is not smoldering, formally known as the right-of-way, to conduct safety inspections what is this?/Catoe what is this?/Graham, ensure that employees are complying with the standard safety operating rules and procedures ???/Graham/Catoe and to observe unsafe working conditions. What does this mean?/Graham This type of toothless safety monitoring we prefer is vital to the unsuccessful missions of both the Tri-State Oversight Committee and floundering of Metro. We laugh at embrace the quixotic valuable work and oversight that the Committee provides but can do nothing about. The Committee’s work is irrelevant critical to ensuring the ridiculously high mortality rate safety of our employees and the customers whom we try to serve every day.

Should we point them to our pat list of other "enforcement" orgs that can't really make us do anything? See below./Catoe

There are several levels of safety and security oversight by federal government agencies, a regional authority and through the North American transit industry. The oversight entities include:

1. Federal Transit Administration (FTA): provides an extensive program of technical assistance and withholds grant funds for noncompliance with conditions of grants (including safety requirements).
2. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB): investigates the probable cause of railroad accidents involving passenger trains or any train accident that results in at least one fatality or major property damage.
3. Tri-State Oversight Committee (TOC): state safety oversight entity (as mandated by law and FTA rules) created in 1997 through an MOU by the District of Columbia, State of Maryland and Commonwealth of Virginia
4. American Public Transportation Association (APTA), a professional trade organization: Through its Safety Management Audit Program, APTA develops and implements a standardized format for rail system safety and provides an auditing service to determine the degree to which the standardized elements for rail transit system safety were being addressed.

Media contact for this news release: is at 202 555 962 1051.
For all other complaints inquiries, please call customer service at 202 555 637 7000.

News release issued at 4:02 pm, November 10, 2009.

Other items:
Metro allows TOC on tracks (WaPo)
Plans for new Glenmont parking lot unveiled (Gazette)
Clean that up!
NextBus for Blackberry (DCist)
Two wrongs make a right? (Maryland Politics Watch)
1000-series car weeps from fatigue
Man shot boarding Metrobus (WaPo)
NTSB calls for 6/22 hearing (Examiner)

Snoozeday Edition

Recently, the Washington Post reported what happens to an operator who doesn't appear to have wanted to complete his shift, but what about one that can't seem to wake up to start his?

In all fairness, the guy wasn't technically on the job at the time the photo was taken--we guess--so we won't use his name, but still, you have to admire his ability to sleep through the paging, those static blaring radios AND passengers trying to wake him up!

Well played, good sir!

Here's the story from reader Hayley:

The other morning, I encountered a sleeping Metro employee, upon boarding a Red Line train at Friendship Heights. Normally, I'd ignore this, however, the train operator started paging a "train operator S." to report to her.

In addition, his radio was loudly paging him, from what I assume was central control.

You can see him sleeping, face against the radio, in the picture.

Assuming that this sleeping man might have been Mr. S., I tried to wake him up, practically screaming "Sir, excuse me, sir!" repeatedly.

He didn't wake up.

Other passengers were laughing at his sleeping and my trying to wake him.

He finally woke up at Dupont Circle Station, refreshed from his nap.

I had to ask if he was S.-- a fact which he confirmed. I told him he'd been paged for about the last 10 minutes, and he better call in.

I got off the train after that, so I don't know what happened next.



And from reader Chad:

At 10 p.m. on Oct. 17, I snapped this photo of the Archives station manager asleep. He did not stir until two women woke him up to ask questions about the station closings that weekend.

I wish I got to sleep on the job.

Remember this guy? And this guy?

Maybe a 3 percent raise each year over the next three years would help keep them stimulated. The union asked for more.

Other items:
Two Senators call for hearings on Metro safety (WaPo)

Rider Hall of Shame: Super Mega Fail

From reader Michael

How many fails at once? Wonder what the guy in the back of the car is thinking?

Related: Complete Rider Hall of Shame

SmartBenefits Handled Stupidly

Remember those big, confusing changes that were coming to SmarBenefits? To the nearly quarter of you who chip in pre-tax money to help offset the price of commuting on Metro, they rightfully created more than a little angst.

Well, apparently, Metro was just kidding.

According to Metro GM John Catoe on his Friday chat:

"I've decided that we need to rethink the changes that we are making. At this point, I do not have any new details to share. I hope to be able to provide more detail about the program in the coming weeks that will be able to clarify these sorts of questions. Rest assured, I have heard what people have to say and your comments will be taken into account as we develop the plan moving forward."

Wait a minute! We thought Metro had to implement these new rules because of IRS regulations. Guess not.

Apparently, according to the Greater Greater Washington blog, David Alpert reports Metro will:

"... put a band-aid on the problem of SmartBenefits going back to the employer at the end of the month by letting employers opt out of the new SmartBenefits arrangement and stick with the current system."

Sike! (Psych!)

This whole thing was mishandled from day one. We're not sure when the skeletal outlines of the changes were posted on the WMATA Web site (without fanfare), but we reported about them first on Oct. 20, just about two months before these potentially wrenching policies were to go into effect--less than that for employers who were going to have to scramble for new internal mechanisms to return unused SmartBenefits money to their employees.

Secondly, the information posted by Metro created more questions than it answered. Just have a look at the comments. In an attempt to disseminate information, Metro held lengthy seminars to help organizations come to grips with the new rules, but in the end what did we get?

A punt, with the promise of more information in the coming weeks.

Apparently, Metro just wanted to yank your chain. OK, to be fair, it was probably incompetence rather than utter disregard for customers, although today's article in the Post makes you wonder. Regardless, the net effect of this botched policy flip flop was to give already frustrated riders more reason to to blame Metro for additional and unnecessary stress in their lives.

Well done. The more Catoe says "rest assured," the more nervous we get.

Other items:
Examiner's take on SmartBenefits
Once again, the lack of regulation enforcement leaves riders/Metro employees as victims (WaPo)
Our posts on the lack of Metro regulation: here and here
NY Times on subway grooming

Snacking + Texting + Driving = ?

Pretty sure this is not supposed to be standard operating procedure, but then again ...

From reader @mazzie:

At about 5:50 p.m.yesterday, I boarded an S2 bus at 16th and U Streets, headed south to Federal Triangle. As I touched my farecard to the reader, I noticed the unmistakable glow of a cell phone in the driver's hand and looked down to see that he seemed to be typing a text message.

Instead of heading to the back of the bus, which I usually do, I decided to sit on the bench across from the driver to see if I could get a picture.

I was in awe.

I must have been obvious in my shock and my sudden decision to sit down and whip out my own phone, because the driver glanced at me and moved the cell phone from chest level to his lap. He held it there with the other hand on the wheel as he pulled away from the curb.

I was texting and trying to get a good shot when the bus stopped suddenly, and I lurched sideways. I looked up to see we were at the intersection of 16th and T, the light was green, and there was nothing in front of us. The driver was looking at his phone.

As he began to move again, he tucked the phone into his shirt pocket, under his vest. I finished the text message I was writing, thinking the incident was over.

Then I heard rustling from the driver's direction, and looked up to see that he didn't have either hand on the wheel.

Instead, he was trying to open a bag of sunflower seeds.

As he was driving down 16th Street during rush hour with several passengers on the bus, he had both hands on the bag, which he finally used his teeth to tear open.

Again, I was in awe.

As we continued down 16th Street, the driver held the bag in his left hand and took seeds from it in his right hand, steering the bus with his wrists and forearms.

After I got off the bus, I seriously considered filing a report with the police, as I am pretty sure operating a vehicle while texting is not only against WMATA policy, but against the law in DC.

The truth is, though, I don't want the driver arrested or charged or fined. And I don't want to tie up the resources of my local MPD district office. I don't even want him to lose his job.

I do, however, want him -- as well as all other operators, staff, union leaders and board members of WMATA -- to act as though they take the safety of their customers seriously.


Other items:
Do you think WMATA drivers deserve a >9% raise over three years? (WMATA)
Examiner's take
Orange, Blue and Yellow to suck this weekend (WMATA)