Metro Matters frequently asked questions

I thought Metro's ridership was growing by leaps and bounds — besides, they raised fares a few months ago. Isn't all that extra revenue helping WMATA meet its costs for buying new railcars and buses? What gives?

Yes, Metro’s ridership has been steadily growing — by 25 percent over the past five years. However, fare revenues go only to help pay the system’s operating expenses, such as driver’s salaries, electricity to power the trains and fuel for the buses. In fact, fares cover only about 55 percent of the operating costs; the rest is paid by the state and local jurisdictions in which Metro operates. Metro does not turn a profit. On top of operating costs, Metro must also make capital expenditures, such as replacing old buses and railcars and modernizing escalators and elevators. In fact, the crowding on trains and buses that results from rapidly increasing ridership can be relieved only through increasing the size of the rail and bus fleet. None of these capital expenses are covered by fares; the funds must be found elsewhere.

What federal funding does Metro receive to help cover operating expenses?

None. Federal funds cannot be used for any operating costs, which must be covered through customer fares, advertising revenue and direct funding by state and local jurisdictions.

I just read that WMATA is facing a $60 million operating deficit next year, and now WMATA says it needs $1.5 billion over the next 6 years. Why can’t WMATA better manage its costs?

Metro cut $24 million in operating costs from its current budget and is currently conducting extensive review of all of its operating expenses to further reduce unnecessary costs.

Why is WMATA suddenly at the edge of a financial crisis? How have capital expenses been paid for in the past?

Metro’s fiscal crisis has been looming for quite some time. To build the original Metro system, Metro’s capital expenses were paid for partly by the federal government and partly by the state and local jurisdictions. However, there was no commitment by the federal government beyond building the original system. Metro now needs to maintain the original assets in good working order, add railcars and buses to carry more people, and improve the system’s ability to respond and recover from a potential regional emergency (such as September 11, 2001). Beyond the crisis that Metro is now facing, the funding outlook could actually worsen if Congress and the Administration do not renew minimum federal funding levels as part of the current “TEA-21” federal surface transportation bill.

Is the crisis really all that serious? What will happen if Metro can't find the funding it needs for capital projects?

The crisis is indeed serious. Metro currently operates at 98.3 percent service reliability, a level that people have come to expect. If adequate funds are not found to rehabilitate and replace existing assets, service levels and reliability cannot be maintained. If maintenance needs are not addressed, the system will start to break down. Imagine that you owned a home and paid your monthly bills, but never repaired or replaced any of the equipment. Eventually, your heating system would break down, or your roof would start to leak — and the cost of repairs would be many times greater than the incremental cost of continued maintenance. Metro would rather address these needs before they reach the breaking point, thus saving money over the longer term.

Since you raised the homeowner analogy, what percentage of its total asset value does Metro spend on upkeep and maintenance?

The existing Metrorail and Metrobus system is valued at approximately $24 billion at current replacement cost. For fiscal year 2004, WMATA is authorized to spend approximately $265 million for basic recapitalization and access enhancement programs — slightly more than 1 percent of the WMATA asset value. The $1.5 billion, six-year capital program would roughly double that, to $515 million per year, or about 2 percent of the WMATA asset value — hardly an extravagant amount to protect such a significant public asset.

Why are trains and buses so crowded, and what is WMATA doing to reduce this crowding? What can passengers do to help WMATA reduce the crowding?

Although the Metro system was designed to accommodate eight-car trains, Metro has historically operated four- and six-car trains due to insufficient funding. Metro’s $1.5 billion, six-year capital program would provide funding to leverage the existing investment in Metrorail by operating more railcars. This would take full advantage of the platforms that were designed and built to accommodate eight-car trains. It would also significantly relieve system crowding, which will become unmanageable if not addressed soon.

If Metro suddenly found funding to buy all the new railcars it needs, could it immediately begin operating eight-car trains?

No. Part of Metro’s unfunded needs includes technology to synchronize precise stopping points at the platform. In addition, there is the cost of upgrading the additional electric power that would be required to operate eight-car trains.

When will we see 8-car trains during peak periods?

One part of the program of Metro’s unfunded needs over the next six years would address the cost of equipping one-third of the Metrorail system with eight-car trains, including the associated facilities and electrical power. If funding is secured, within about five years one out of every three trains in the Metro system will have eight cars.

What would the needed funding do to help improve the Metrobus system?

The needed funding would fund the purchase of 185 new buses and facilities to support them. This would enable Metro to meet projected ridership growth and penetrate developing markets not currently served by bus. It would also decrease the average age of our bus fleet, increase the miles operated between service interruptions, increase overall service reliability and lower customer service complaints.

Will the money that WMATA is seeking through this campaign build new rail lines?

No. Funding for new rail lines, such as rail to Dulles or light rail in the District of Columbia, is secured by the jurisdiction in which the service will operate. The federal government does help with funding for new rail lines, but much of the funding must be found locally. Money for building extensions is above and beyond what Metro needs in the next few years to maintain reliability and high levels of service on the existing system.

Have other cities had similar problems with aging infrastructure in their transit systems? What happened there?

In the example of the homeowner who does not address maintenance, the longer the needed repairs are put off, the worse the problems become — and the more they cost to fix. Other transit systems, such as those in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, have at various times suffered serious consequences from under-investment. The short-sightedness of trying to save money by deferring repairs ultimately led to even greater costs to return their assets to a state of good repair.

Wasn’t the Metrorail System built largely to support the federal government and its workforce? Doesn’t the federal government have an obligation, as the region’s largest employer, to pay for some of Metro’s expenses?

Yes, Metro was conceived nearly 40 years ago as the prime mover of the federal workforce, and the investment has paid handsome dividends to the federal government. Today, more than 50 federal agencies or employment centers are located adjacent to Metro stations, and the General Services Administration requires that all federal offices consider closeness to Metrorail when planning new locations for federal worksites throughout our region. Almost half of Metro’s peak-period riders are federal employees, not to mention contractors and other workers who directly and indirectly help the operation of the federal government.

I never ride Metro. I drive everywhere I need to travel, and I pay the necessary costs for that privilege. Why should I care whether the transit system gets the funding it needs? Wouldn’t the money be better spent on building more roads?

All of our region’s residents — even those who never use Metro — benefit from Metro’s very existence. Every day, Metro carries nearly 20 percent of all rush-hour trips in the region, and more than 40 percent of all rush-hour trips into the core area. If all these Metro riders drove cars instead, the region would be in constant gridlock. Besides helping with congestions, the removal of 325,000 vehicles from roads every day also helps maintain the air quality in a region that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already cited for “severe” non-attainment of federal standards for ozone. Finally, Metro has been a driving force in creating the strong economy of the region: even with the downturn in the national economy, commercial vacancy rates are as much as 23 percent lower near Metrorail stations.

General questions not directly related to Metro Matters

How many trips do people take on Metrorail every day? On Metrobus?

Almost 1.2 million trips are taken each day on the Metro system, about 640,000 trips on Metrorail and 515,000 on Metrobus.

What is the life expectancy of a bus? A railcar?

Metro’s goal for the average age of a bus is 7.5 years, so buses are typically retired after about 15 years of operation. Railcars can last from 17 to 20 years before undergoing a major rehabilitation, after which they can last another 17 to 20 years, for a total life of 35 to 40 years.

We need more parking. What are your plans to increase parking capacity? Why did WMATA raise the price of parking?

There seems to be a never-ending demand for parking at Metrorail stations. WMATA works with the local jurisdictions to provide parking based on location of demand. In conjunction with the local governments, we have recently added new parking garages at Vienna, Shady Grove and Franconia-Springfield. Construction is underway and will be completed this year for new garages at Grosvenor and West Falls Church. In addition, contracts will soon be awarded for new parking facilities at New Carrollton and College Park. Prices have been increased to cover the operating and maintenance costs of the garage beyond its original construction. To avoid the price and hassle of parking, look into ways to access a Metrorail station by bus. Plan your trip at /tripplanner/index.cfm.

How does driving to work compare in cost to taking Metro?

The cost of driving includes the cost of owning and operating a motor vehicle as well as parking charges at the destination. For a trip of eight miles, it would cost $4.00 to drive, $2.20 to ride Metrorail and $1.20 to ride Metrobus. Parking at Metrorail stations costs $3, versus an average of about $13 in downtown DC, $6 in Montgomery County, and $10 in Northern Virginia. Therefore, an eight-mile trip to and from work on Metrobus would cost $2.40, to park and take Metrorail for the same trip would cost $7.40, and to drive and park would cost from $14 to $21, depending on your destination.

Where can I write to offer suggestions?

An online customer comment form can be found at http://www.wmata.com/riding/ridercomment.cfm.