WASHINGTON — Metro board members had tough words for Metro executives. A new report card shows the agency didn’t perform nearly as well this past spring as it did the same period in 2014.
Metro failed to meet expectations in eight out of 10 categories in the “Vital Signs” report. On rail and bus issues alone, Metro failed every category.
“This is probably the worst Vital Signs report that we’ve seen,” said D.C. transportation director and Metro board member Leif Dormsjo.
Every rail line except the Yellow saw more delays this year. More buses were late and customer satisfaction dropped almost 10 percentage points.
Board members say Metro doesn’t communicate well enough with customers when delays arise.
“We need to be better on the accuracy of the information when something unexpected happens,” said board member Harriet Tregoning. “It’s one thing to go in expecting an 18-minute headway [time between trains], it’s another thing to get a 40-minute headway without any notice about what is going on.”
Metro acknowledges the numbers aren’t good. The 4000-series being taken out of service temporarily in June, due to door problems, was one factor. But Metro also says dozens of rail cars have been taken out of service due to broken parts.
Metro said it’s waiting for replacement parts, but negotiations with the contractors who make the parts have gone slowly. Therefore, the railcars have been sitting in the rail yards, not being used, while everyone waits. Metro does not fabricate parts for trains on its own.
“I’m very concerned about it as well, there’s absolutely no question,” said Rob Troup, Metro’s Deputy General Manager. “We do have rail cars which are out of service for issues with parts, which we have to get to. We don’t like rail cars sitting. And certainly we don’t want rail cars sitting because of parts.”
But, he adds, the numbers are deceiving because Metro took cars out of service for maintenance on Mondays and Fridays this summer, resulting in fewer than eight car trains, more delayed trains and more trains in the shop. Troup said the Monday and Friday maintenance work will be completed this week.
Still, Metro will only have about 900 rail cars in service, rather than the 954 it aims for to maximize eight-car service during rush hours.
Dormsjo also questioned a labor issue during the meeting. On a recent tour, Dormsjo said he found Metro employees playing cornhole on the job. That’s a popular activity at a Washington Redskins game, not on the clock.
“We’re having a serious issue with the maintenance of our vehicles and the staff is playing a game,” Dormsjo said. “While enjoyable, and I play it myself when on leave at the beach, that seems to be set up on the shop floor.”
Interim General Manager Jack Requa said those workers were on their lunch break.
“We know it looked bad,” Requa said. “But we’re getting the eight hours of work.”
