Support

“Metro General Manager confronts hard truths, presents change agenda”

metro
Photo by PoPville flickr user Pablo Raw

From WMATA:

“In his first public policy address since being appointed Metro’s General Manager/CEO last November, Paul J. Wiedefeld today [Monday] began to lay out his plans to make Metro safer and more secure, improve service reliability, and get its financial house in order.

During a luncheon at the National Press Club, Wiedefeld discussed his roadmap for restoring the public’s trust in Metro. While confronting some hard truths regarding Metro’s current safety culture, declining ridership and the mechanical failures that have caused a deterioration in Metrorail on-time performance, Wiedefeld identified clear priorities with defined immediate and longer range deliverables for the entire Authority.

“In many ways, what you see here today is the CEO’s ‘To Do’ list to get Metro back on track,” said Wiedefeld. “It’s my commitment to be transparent about what needs to be fixed, how we are going to fix it, and ensure that our stakeholders can easily monitor progress so that public confidence is restored in Metro.”

Wiedefeld said there is no single action that will turn Metro around but a combination of efforts “to grind out critical changes at all levels” is needed to improve the customer experience.  Some of those actions are already underway – including increased police patrols, installing new radio systems and cell phone cabling in tunnels, changes to rail car parts inventory, and the accelerated delivery of 7000-series trains.

Other actions will be implemented over the next weeks and months, such as a rail service reliability program to reduce waiting, crowding and passenger offloads. Other highlights include:

  • Create online reports to monitor all actions taken to meet Federal Transit Administration safety recommendations (released today on wmata.com)
  • Restructure the executive unit for a more business-like approach that delivers results for customers (released today on wmata.com)
  • Introduce platform attendants at key transfer stations
  • Establish management “ownership” by rail line to improve customer experience
  • Launch traffic signal prioritization to improve performance for buses along seven busy corridors
  • Deliver a timely financial audit for FY16
  • Cut back-office costs and redundant positions
  • Reduce overhead costs through public-private partnerships for select paratransit trips and parking management
  • Analyze revenue potential from sale of Metro headquarters building that can be reprogrammed for customer service initiatives

Customers and stakeholders will be able to track progress and monitor Metro’s actions through a Customer Accountability Report (CARe), available at wmata.com. As specific actions are developed, funded and scheduled, they will be added to the inventory.

In laying out his plans to turn around Metro, Wiedefeld said the agency first had to confront some hard truths. High-profile operational safety incidents and recent crimes on the system have alarmed customers. Last year, rail car mechanical failures caused the number of late trains to double. Doors, brakes, and propulsion system problems result in frequent customer offloads. Riders are deeply frustrated by unpredictable track work on weekdays and weekends.

On the financial side, Wiedefeld said that the capital budget has been significantly underspent every year for more than ten years. He announced today that he expects Metro will adjust its capital plan to a more realistic estimate of about $950 million instead of the $1.1 billion projected next year.

While Metro’s current financial position is stable and the agency’s cash flow is positive, Wiedefeld said that Metro’s financial systems are substandard compared to other transit authorities and require enormous efforts to modernize to ensure timely financial reports and clean audits.

He also said that the Board and jurisdictions are considering how to confront Metro’s structural operating deficit. In order to continue balancing its budget, Metro would require a combination of operating subsidies and passenger fare increases of about six percent annually over the next ten years just to keep pace with cost growth for existing service levels. Like other transit systems, cost escalation is driven primarily (73 percent) by personnel expenses to operate, maintain and manage bus and rail services. Unlike other systems, however, Metro has no clearly defined multi-year operating funding plan.

“For Metro to fulfill its potential as an economic engine driving this region to be more globally competitive, we have to work on parallel tracks to hold down costs while establishing long-term revenue strategies that fund the level of bus and rail service that meets the needs of our communities.”

View the Customer Accountability Report (CARe) at wmata.com

Learn more about GM/CEO Wiedefeld’s plans

Recent Stories

700 V Street, NW at 7th/Georgia Ave Holy smokes, thanks to B. for sending the Torrie’s listing: “Restaurant for lease in Shaw. First time available in over 30 years,

1817 Columbia Road, NW Not just Namak! A couple storefronts down Easy Tiger Tavern has sprouted some new signage/awning:

Wegmans is located off Wisconsin in rear at 41 Ridge Square, NW Last year’s was awesome. Mark your calendars – April 5-6!! “Experience the excitement of Tokyo’s famed Toyosu Fish…

2000 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Thanks to Brian for sending: “The Paul at 2000 Penn has closed as of last Saturday, not many left at this point!” Looks like the only…

Calling all bookworms, thrill-seekers, supporters of the arts, and ping-pongers at all skill levels! Sign up for Paddlestar Galactica, the ping-pong tournament supporting 826DC’s youth writing programs.

826DC is a local nonprofit that offers free writing programs, homework help, and publishing opportunities for DC students ages 6-18, in our Columbia Heights writing center and in learning spaces across the city.

Paddlestar Galactica helps keep writing education 100% free and accessible for all of our students! It’s also extremely fun.

This year’s games will be Saturday, April 27th, 1 PM to 4 PM at SPIN DC. It’ll be a chaotic afternoon of ping-pong, costumes, terrible Battlestar Galactica puns, and good cheer. We’d love to have you join us!

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Well-Paid Maids, the only certified living-wage cleaning service in the DMV, has added a new service to its online booking menu: office and building cleanings.

This includes offices, building lobbies, shared amenity spaces and more throughout D.C., Arlington, Alexandria and more.

Unlike so many other cleaning services, you can feel good booking Well-Paid Maids to clean your office or building. Cleaners get paid a starting wage of $24 an hour. Plus, all employees are offered health, dental, vision and life insurance; 24 paid days off per year; 100% employer-paid commuting costs; and more.

Read More

Submit your own Announcement here.

Vakili Band at Pie Shop!

Three band rock n rolll lineup at DC’s Pie Shop! Vakili Band with “if you know, you know” DC rockers, Lot 18, and the many minds and songs of artist Kind of Christine.

“If you love Vakili Band like we

×

Subscribe to our mailing list