WASHINGTON — Riders, interest groups and board members alike expressed a desire to hire a leader who listens to the public and shakes up the culture at Metro at a public hearing Thursday.
Those in attendance expressed their views on the search for a new general manager/chief executive officer, and discussed how the agency will tackle key questions under the next administration. Some want someone who is a financial guru to fix the budget woes at the transit agency; others, a transit expert who can help implement Momentum 2025. Still others want someone who can emphasize Metro safety and bring the agency back to a state of good repair.
Maryland board member Michael Goldman says the Hogan administration would like to find someone who fits all these categories. But if it’s not possible, Goldman says, Maryland wants someone who can fix the budget and safety problems.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Peter Rahn said that he does not support the move to all eight-car trains during rush hours, a key point in the Metro Momentum plan. Virginia supports the eight-car plan.
A new Metro general manager could play a key role in a compromise measure being considered right now. Metro staff is working on a proposal to upgrade and bring all eight-car trains during rush hours to the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, but only move to 55 percent eight-car trains over the next 10 years on the Red Line. The move would improve Virginia stations, but keep Maryland from having to spend money it doesn’t want to spend on Red Line stations in Maryland. Transit groups are worried about the impact of such a compromise on the busy Red Line.
The new general manager would also play an important role in repairing the system. Metro announced on Thursday that it will return to automatic train operation on some Red Line trains next week. The move applies to eight-car trains and marks a milestone after the 2009 deadly crash at Ft. Totten. The next general manager will oversee the efforts to finish up software upgrades to allow six-car trains to return to automatic operation on the Red Line and efforts to do so on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines in 2017.
Virginia board member Mary Hynes and D.C. board member Leif Dormsjo downplayed media reports about a rift between the three jurisdictions on how to handle these questions over the next several years, and what role the new leader would play on the issues.
