Metro Controls Cost Through Volunteers

Metro has finally come upon a winning formula for managing costs, providing better customer service, and improving performance.

In a Washington Post article today, well known voices will not be entering Metro's competition to record the trains' "doors closing" message because Metro will not be paying for the service that union professional voice actors are generally paid $237 for a three minute spot that can take hours to get just right. It is anticipated that the "volunteer voice over" will be on call for at least a year to record all the spots. So far 140 CDs and audio tapes have been sent in to Metro. The numbers may grow into the 100's as the deadline nears.

This call for volunteers, seems to work well for Metro. To fill my position on the Riders' Advisory Council, 940 people volunteered for 20 slots. Our volunteer effort is going to be used over three years and I'm anticipating a minimum of 20 hours a month.

With the success of these two programs, maybe Metro should be applying the same technique to other troublesome positions.

WMATA is starting a search for a new General Manager to replace Dick White. Upon leaving Metro, Mr. White is receiving a $238,000 one-time payment and an annual pension of $116,000 plus free use of SmartTrip Card for life. I'm sure that if Metro holds a contest to find the next GM, they'll get a few hundred volunteers. Heck, some of them may even know how to run a transit agency. As a volunteer, the new General Manager wouldn't cost anywhere near as much to replace. Additionally, a volunteer GM who actually depends on Metro, is interested in customer service, and has roots in the community might find a way to get WMATA to be more responsive to its ridership.

MV Transportation, the new MetroAccess Service Provider is having a Rough Debut, and just signed a four year contract worth $210 million. Already they're saying they need $900,000 more! Using the new "model", Metro could put out a call for volunteers who have space in their vehicles or have wheelchair accessible mini-vans to help transport MetroAccess riders.

I've got room in my truck, and would be more than willing to take a rider in need to the Metro Station or to another destination along the way. Just give me a call at about 6:30AM on weekdays, except federal holidays. In a pinch, my son could drive someone to a doctor's office when he's not in school. He did the same for his Grandmother when she couldn't get MetroAccess to respond to her requests. As a backup, Metro could always call one of the taxi companies to pick someone up. Most of the time they are pretty reliable. I used one company to get to the New Carrollton Amtrak station every Monday morning, when I had to commute up to New York. It saved me the time of going all the way down to Metro Center and transfer to the Orange Line.

Now that I think about it, Metro could extend this "volunteer model" to even more jobs. What boy, when he was growing up, didn't dream of driving a train? Woo!! Woo!!

Of course, MetroRail trains don't have a horn that goes Woo!! Woo!!, but if that's what it takes to get someone to volunteer to be an engineer; I'm guessing for less than the salary of a Train Operator, Metro could retrofit a train with a real train whistle. Woo!! Woo!!

What about all those MetroBuses riding down Wisconsin Ave, Connecticut Ave, and Georgia Ave in Montgomery County. I've looked around, and there are 100's of cars on the roads with empty seats. If just a few of them pulled over at the bus stops where people are waiting, and picked up a passenger or two, we could eliminate the need for bus drivers all together. As an official "MetroBus" transportation volunteer, I could get one of those signs that are magnetically attached to my roof, just like the pizza delivery guys with a big "Metro-M" on one side and sell the other side to advertisers. Although this sounds a lot like slug lines, a better name might be MetroShare.

Now all we need to do is find volunteers to run dispatch, repair escalators, answer phones, perform security functions, and maintain trains and train yards.

My mom has volunteered as a "telemarketing" fundraiser and she works cheep; even as a volunteer if the cause is right. She could answer phones for Metro if it helped out commuters.

When I was growing up, I volunteered as a Safety Patrol. I got to ware a white shoulder sash and could boss the other kids around. I'll bet there are volunteers that would take on some of the Metro Transit Police responsibilities, and maybe even do a better job.

That do you think? This volunteer thing could really take off, if Metro marketed it the right way.