Metro Citizens Corps

Today, February 22nd was the first meeting of the RAC Safety and Security Committee.

I found Captain Jeff Delsinki’s presentation very informative. Especially helpful was the opportunity for a dynamic exchange of ideas and answers to our questions. I look forward to the next two presentations on Metro’s Citizen Corp and Managing Metro Emergencies. I’m also excited about getting a similar presentation from Metro’s Department of System Safety and Risk Protection.

The existence of the Metro Citizen Corp formed after the Madrid incident was a great surprise to me. Metro Transit Police is working with the hundreds of local Community Emergency Response Teams formed through federal initiatives and chosen for their dedication to community service to be initiated in the workings of Metro. As volunteers, these individuals are trained in how to respond in an incident, are shown the inner-workings of the Rail Cars, Stations, and Tunnels. The existence of these volunteers on the trains we ride everyday is bound to be useful when the next emergency happens. If I remember correctly, Cpt Delsinki said 165 people have been trained and they will continue to give courses until the requests stop coming.

My concerns from the presentation are as follows:
1) Metro Transit Police is under staffed based on the size of the system and the area that needs to be patrolled.
2) The low incidence of crime seems to be more a matter of luck then anything they are specifically doing.
3) MTP coverage of buses from inside seems extremely low.
4) Real-time monitoring of Trains, Busses, Stations, and Stops could benefit riders and make police enforcement more effective.
5) Use of technology to help in the detection of potential “terrorist” activity should be considered.
6) More training of administrative and other Metro staff in policing and emergency management would be beneficial.
7) Marketing of Metro’s Citizen Corp and Managing Metro Emergencies would attract more people and build confidence in the system.

Finally, as we discussed, my major concern with Metro, as Our Committee Chair so elegantly put it, continues to be the “culture of secrecy.” WMATA plans, activities, and projects are not presented to the public (in clear terms everyone can understand) because of a desire to keep things “close to the vest.” The feeling is that if Metro let its customers know what they’re doing they may be held accountable for actually making it happen. Yes, you can find some great ideas buried in the budget and other lengthy documents, but communicating ideas and marketing them to the public seems an alien concept.

Dear Mr.Tangherlini,

The RAC as representative of Riders is looking for the creation of an environment of common goals.

The primary goal being a culture of “customer service”.

Somewhere along the line, Metro has “lost the vision”, or the understanding that they are a provider of services. Some of us have choices. Unfortunately, the alternative choices are not beneficial to society or the region. Likewise, some of us don’t have choices and are at your mercy. We rely on WMATA to get us to work, leisure, grocery stores, and the doctor.

The greatest problem that we see is that there is a problem with communication. The riding public wants to know what’s happening. We want to know whet the short term, mid term, and long term projects that Metro has planned. We want it in plain language that our riders can understand.

The arguments we here about this openness of plans, is that WMATA is reluctant to publicize plans because we may have to be held to these plans, and unfortunately budgeting, unforeseen problems, and other obstacles get in the way. Our response as riders is we still want to know that you hear our issues and they are in the works. Then we expect some level of effort by Metro to see them through.

When is comes to communications, we also want to know what’s happening in the system. Let us know before we come in, when were waiting at a bus stop, when we’re stuck on a train, when an emergency is underway. Being kept in the dark is very scary, and it creates discomfort and a feeling of being out of control.

When is comes to customer services, “think like a rider”. Look at that sign as a rider would look at it. Look at the placement of fare information from as a rider would look at it. Look at the map, brochure, marketing material, banner as a rider would look at it. Look at he job I did plowing the parking lot as a rider would look at it. Look at the bus before putting it into service as a rider would look at it. … each and every Metro employee, needs to look at the service they provide as a rider would look at it!

Fix these corporate culture things and then we (1,000,000 riders) can help you to create a system that is a model for the nation.

The Next Stop Signs in the Trains Aren't Helpful

On today's Metro ride home, I wasn't paying attention to the stops the train was making as I read my paper. As we pulled into a station, the sign read "<<<", the doors open and the sign changed to "RED". I didn't know where I was, I wasn't sure if I was at my stop.

These great new next-stop signs where worthless!

Luckily, I figured out the old fashion way that this wasn't my stop by peering out the door to look for one of the signs that said where I was.

What's the deal with the signs? I watched how the signs operated as we went to the next station. After leaving the station, the sign changed to "Twinbrook". Great, I now knew where the next stop would be. But, just before pulling into the station it changed to "<<<", again. Great, now I know the side of the train the doors would open on, but If I hadn't been paying attention as happened earlier, I'd have missed what station I was at.

I believe it would be better to keep the name of the station on the signs until the doors close. If you must, go ahead and add one or two "<<" or ">>" to the name, but please don't erase the name of the station.

Thanks

Message from U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Maria Cino

BROADCAST MESSAGE

TO: All U.S. Department of Transportation Employees

RE: Message from Deputy Secretary Maria Cino

Last week, senior executives from DOT gathered together to discuss major issues our Department could address to change the lives of Americans. We spent two days discussing policy issues that included safety, security, the environment, and how the Nation’s different modes of transportations were working. Both career and political staff reviewed data, listened to experts, and met with members of other agencies.

Our goal was to review how DOT was fulfilling its mission and to identify one or two agenda items that we could focus our energy on to show real results to the American people.

I wanted to report back to you that there was a unanimous consensus, led by Secretary Mineta, that the people working for the Department of Transportation are doing an extraordinary job. The Secretary said he believed our current organization is the best-performing Department of Transportation since the agency was created in 1967.

It was clear that this is the perfect group to tackle one of the Nation’s most daunting transportation challenges – congestion. Traffic jams, freight tie ups, and airport delays waste energy, reduce air quality, and cause Americans to be less productive and spend less time with their families.

We can identify and help build projects that reduce congestion, and we have the ability to design a public policy that makes congestion-reducing infrastructure easier to build. So in addition to continuing our hard work on the strategic objectives announced in 2003 and other important transportation measures, we have determined that reducing major congestion chokepoints throughout America should be a major DOT priority moving forward.

Secretary Mineta then asked me to prepare a report in 45 days to outline how the Department could accomplish this goal. We have begun that effort. In the coming months all of us in the Department are going to be asked to contribute to this effort.

Over the days and weeks ahead, more information and modal involvement will be forthcoming. Please know all modes will have a role in this project. As always, I look forward to working with all of you as we accomplish what will be one of the Department’s greatest achievements.

Unsafe Conditions in Metro Parking Lots due to Snowstorm

I’d like to add to our list of issues the abysmal state of the parking lot at Rockville Metro Station following the latest snowstorm.

This morning, February 13th, it was impossible to get to the sidewalks because the snow banks between the walks and the parking lot were waist high. The lots themselves were covered by flows of black ice. I’m surprised that more than a few patrons didn’t fall or throw out their backs keeping from falling.

This afternoon the state of the lots was no better. Even the walks where not plowed to the pavement, nor salted, nor sanded. Forgetting about the snow banks from the morning, I enjoyed getting back to the lots through the still knee-high snow and slush.

Whose responsibility is it to clear and salt the walks, sand the pavements, and generally create a safe environment for getting to our cars in "Metro maintained" parking facilities? There sure seems to be a lot of equipment for snow clearing stored at the Metro Station. Is there just a shortage of staff that know how to operate it? What about contracting out the task, rather than paying for equipment that remains unused most of the day, or entirely as evidenced by the lack of attention mentioned above.

Is the cost of maintenance that much greater than the $4.00 per car times 524 cars, or $2096 plus meter fees collected every-single-day?

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Added Comment:

Today, February 14th, the snow and ice situation was no different, however I found that if I used the MARC station entrance and walkway the condition was near perfect. MTA or who ever is responsible for MARC's walkways did a much better job of clearing snow, and they also put down Rock Salt instead of the "styrafoam-like" snow melt. The Rock Salt did a much better job of keeping the walkways clear of ice.