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Greetings!

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Message

Richard White

Welcome to the chat. Thanks for joining in. Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ groundbreaking act of civil disobedience. By refusing to give up her seat, Mrs. Parks helped to spark the civil rights movement. We paid tribute to Mrs. Parks yesterday when we dedicated an historic 1957 antique Metrobus in honor of Mrs. Parks. We also made periodic announcements throughout the day on our buses recognizing Mrs. Parks for her brave act of defiance.

As many of you already know, we experienced technical difficulties last week when we tried to begin the chat and so we saved your questions. I’ll work my way through some questions from two weeks ago as well as today’s and try to get to as many as possible. So let’s get started now.

smoking on Pentagon Metrobus station platform

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Message

Metrobus_rider

Good afternoon Mr. Hughes,

Would you please comment on the fact that smoking is permitted on the Pentagon Metrobus station platform? Smoking is not allowed on Metrorail outdoor platforms, and I do not see why the rules at the Pentagon Metrobus station should be any different. The Pentagon Metrobus station platform is enclosed on one side by a glass partition and also overhead by a roof; this serves to trap cigarette smoke on the platform. Metrobus customers should not have to be exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke while waiting for a bus. Metrorail customers are protected from second-hand smoke while they wait for trains, and I feel that we Metrobus riders are entitled to that same protection, too.

I would like for Metro to prohibit smoking on the bus platform at the Pentagon. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this important issue.

Very sincerely,
A daily Metrobus rider

Richard White

Currently, there are no laws that prohibit smoking at the Pentagon Transit Center bus bays or any other outdoor area. There are cigarette receptacles that are available at the Pentagon bus bay area for smokers to use to deposit their cigarettes.

Metrobus_rider

Quote: Currently, there are no laws that prohibit smoking at the Pentagon Transit Center bus bays or any other outdoor area. There are cigarette receptacles that are available at the Pentagon bus bay area fo...

You wrote that there are no laws that prohibit smoking at the Pentagon Transit Center bus bays or any other outdoor area -- but several Metrorail stations in the Metro system are outdoor areas, and isn't smoking prohibited on those platforms?

Is there a reason why Metro can't prohibit smoking on Metrobus platforms in the same way that Metro prohibits smoking on Metrorail platforms?

Richard White

The law applies to Metro stations, not bus bays. The laws are a part of local statutes and will need to be amended or altered by the local jurisdiction.

Rush Hour

Author	Message
SH	Is there any chance that we could see rush hour extended by a half hour in the mornings? It's still crowded in mid-morning with people getting to work and work-related meetings. Exending rush hour would help a lot of people. And of course, I'm sure you would charge the extra amount for the longer rush hour. Thank you.
Richard White	Our schedules are created to best match rail service with ridership demand. Ridership systemwide is highest during the 8 to 9 a.m. time period. After that time ridership begins to drop off. There is a 40 percent drop-off when comparing the 9 to 9:30 a.m. time frame to the previous half-hour. In the period you’ve requested extra service (9:30 to10 a.m.), there is another 32 percent decline in ridership. This reduction in passenger demand and the fact that all of our staff observations and analyses show that we have adequate capacity on our trains during this period leads me to say that we will not be extending peak period service in the foreseeable future.
nashpaul	Perhaps a solution is not to suddenly chop service in half at the end of rush hour. For example, as I understand it, Metro operates 6-minute headways on the Orange Line during rush hour. But at 9:30 a.m., this changes to 12-minute headways. Why not 8- or 9-minute headways until 10:30 or whenever and then revert to 12-minute until the next busier period? I find it very frustrating that Metro seems unable to divide by anything lower than 2 in ramping down service.
Richard White	The service schedules are driven by demand in ridership the off-peak schedules provide for a good level of service. Metro reviews schedules as in order to continually provide the level of service necessary.

Old bus schedules on route markers

Author	Message
W McGee	I have written in several times about old, inaccurate and obsoleted route schedules posted on some metro stops outside. I won't beat an old topic into thee ground anymore. I just want to suggest that Metro start placing the date that the schedule was printed again on the timetables at the bus stops. They used to have those dates on the schedules before they redesigned the timetables at the stops to look more like the published brochures. Now the stop timetables look more like the brochure timetables except the brochure timetables have a printed-on date. If the stops have dates, it would be easier to tell if the schedule is fresh or not... rather than having to sorta memorize the schedule beforehand and figure if the timetable as printed is similar enough to your memory.
Richard White	We used to put dates on the schedule panels in the bus stop information cases. As the schedule for a single route could change for week days but not weekends, some customers felt that the older, unchanged panel was out of date--when it wasn't. Nevertheless, we are open to trying again with the December changes which involve 16 bus routes. Depending on customer response, we can roll this out incrementally when future changes are made, generally in June, September and December with minor changes at other times.

crystal city metro

Author	Message
jm	Why is there just one "up" escalator on the inbound platform? Riders who unfortunately are at the front of the train have to trek all the way to the back of the platform to go out. Can't one of the three escalators -like the middle one - be left "off" so it can be used for up and down?
Richard White	As part of our “Strategies to Improve Passenger Flow on Platforms and at Stations,” (See yesterday’s news release on that subject.) we will review the escalator and faregate configuration at Crystal City with your suggestion in mind.

Future Cellular Service in Metro

Author	Message
cmc1002001	I was wondering, is WMATA planning on offering any undergroud cellular service for any other providers such as Verizon anytiem soon. I mean, Washington is an International city and no GSM service down there (T-Mobile or Cingular) is really a disssapointment since GSM phones are used are used by over 1 billion customers worldwide and only CDMA service from Verizon and Sprint work currently in the Metro.
Richard White	Metro has been discussing the ways and means of broadening cellular services in Metrorail with a group of cellular phone companies for some time. Initiating new cellular phone services in the tunnels will be an expensive and technically challenging project which will occur when the cellular phone companies decide to make the investment.
kmf164	I think broader cellular service would be a safety advantage for customers. In March 2004, I was aboard the red line in the tunnel between Glenmont and Silver Spring, when the electrical fire emergency occurred near Woodley Park. I had absolutely no idea whatsoever, what was going on but just that it seemed serious. I would've liked to call someone that could find out on the tv/radio news and know the situation. But my GSM phone doesn't work in the tunnels. Also, if I see something suspicious, it would be much better to call the Metro police w/ cellphone. The trains are often too crowded, to be able to access the call buttons at the end of each car. And using the call buttons would cause a scene; talking on a cellphone would not.
Richard White	In a situation like this, please call the Metro Transit Police directly, anytime, at (202) 962-2121. Right now, our sole cellular provider is Verizon; however, we are exploring alternatives to other providers.

Electronic Update Signs at Metrobus Stops?

Author	Message
H2Oh!	Any updates on if we will ever have electronic signs at bus stops letting us know when the next bus will be coming? This would be GREAT, even if it could only be done at "major" stops along the routes. As winter approaches, my fellow bus riders and I anticipate, as usual, many freezing hours spent waiting for buses that may or may not show up 'on time.' If we knew that, e.g., the next bus was not coming for 20 minutes, we could pop into a coffee shop and get some tea and warm up. Even if they didn't list the exact number of minutes before the next bus, the signs could list the last major bus stop the bus serviced (e.g., "H2 - Columbia Heights Metro stop"; "L2: Connecticut Ave. & K Street"). Thanks for any information on this!
Richard White	By July 1st of next year, we will have a full functioning Bus Customer Information System. The system implementation will include 50 signs at the following five major bus stops: Pentagon, Silver Spring, Anacostia, Gallery Place-Chinatown (at 7th and H Streets) and Friendship Heights.
Richard White	The installation of the electronic signs at bus stops is expected to expand as different jurisdictions include such capabilities in their bus shelters. For an example, the District of Columbia has entered into a contract with a bus shelter advertising firm. That contract includes the installation of electronic signs at 800 bus shelters all over DC to be interfaced with the electronic system we are implementing. In addition to the bus signs, bus riders will be able to query bus arrival information using web pages on their PCs, cell phones and web-enabled PDAs.
W McGee	Is this related to the Arlington County plans for "Super Stops" along Columbia Pike with electronic schedules to track the 16 line? Will there be Metro representatives at the meeting they're holding over this next week at the Arlington Career Center?

Veterans Day service

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nashpaul

Not all of the Metro riders are Federal employees. Quite a few of us have to work on Veterans Day. And many others who aren't working are riding Metro to Veterans Day commemorations, museums, and elsewhere around the area. Yet Metro's service last Friday was simply inexcusable.

Friday, November 11 ridership on Metrorail was approximately 50% higher than on Saturday, Noevember 12, yet Metro chose to operate a Saturday rail schedule on Friday. Moreover, because many of us WERE working, rush hour service was particularly difficult because 12-minute headways on most lines are not sufficient. At the very least, rush hours must have more frequent service.

Please discuss how Metro plans to provide _appropriate_ service on holidays in the future, especially those (such as Veterans and Columbus Day) when many workers do NOT have the day off.

Richard White

Hi. We are looking into providing a different type of service next year for holidays such as Columbus Day and Veterans Day. We are considering the use of eight-car trains to carry more customers, which should alleviate the crowding that you wrote about in your email.

nashpaul

Quote: Hi. We are looking into providing a different type of service next year for holidays such as Columbus Day and Veterans Day. We are considering the use of eight-car trains to carry more customers, whic...

Why can't you just run something aproximating regular service, especially during rushs if not all day long? 12-minute headways are simply not acceptable on days like Veterans and Columbus Days. 8-car trains are better than nothing, but why must the decision be 6-minute headway vs. 12-minute headway? What about decreasing service by 20% or 30%, instead of only cutting it in half?

Richard White

Holiday Service schedules are driven by demand in ridership. The 12 minute intervals between trains are consistent with demand on holidays. Thank you for your observation.

Judiciary Square escalator

Author	Message
nashpaul	Despite promises to the contrary several months ago, it appears that Metro is still unable to manage its escalator refurbishment plan. Within sight of Metro's front door, the Judiciary Square escalator at F Street has been out of service for more than 4 months. The signs at the site promise that the escalator would be back in service in September, but we're now in the second half of November and it's still not open. Which means that the one other escalator has to become a two-way staircase, something it was not designed for (why not atcually install a staircase anyway?) Please explain how Metro can be so far off in its estimates for restoration of service time and time again. Perhaps it has something to do with the lack of work -- I walk up the nonfunctioning escalator every morning and, at best, saw anyone working on the other escalator 1/3 of the time. Metro makes promises that it will provide customers with accurate information about the duration of escalator and elevator outages and will properly manage its repair process. But it seems unable to do either, even 1/2 block from Metro HQ.
Richard White	When performing a rehab, escalators are a stripped down to the truss, inspected for damage, and the parts are then replaced. Units that are exposed to the weather, like the escalator at Judiciary Square, often require truss repairs due to corrosion. Usually this work can be performed in parallel with the planned work. However, in this case the corrosion was in a location that necessitated the repairs prior to performing the other work. This unforeseen condition caused a lengthy delay. The fact that the unit is within view of Metro headquarters highlights the amount of work involved in the escalator rehab program, and the importance of doing it right the first time. We are investing a large amount of money into our vertical transportation equipment and it is incumbent upon us to ensure the money is invested properly. The good news is the unit should be back in service within the next week!

Nonchalant Station Managers During Crisis

Author	Message
Legal_Exec	I had to write you another comment, Mr. White... The other day I was again on the Red Line heading towards Shady Grove. At my designated stop--Dupont Circle--I exited the train. After my train pulled off I noticed the Glenmont train that was boarding/alighting on the opposite track was omitting a cloud of blue smoke from ALL SIX CARS on the train. I have been riding Metro trains for almost 20-years and I've never seen that before. And the smell was so strong that I could hardly breath. It was filling up the underground station. As the train left the station the blue smoke got even worse. It was plainly visible yet no one seemed to notice. But I saw one woman running towards the escalator. I figured she was running to tell the station manager about the train. I ran up the escalator too. By that time she had already gotten the station managers attention and she was telling him about the smoke. I came and reaffirmed her accounts. What happened next still has me speechless to this day. The station manager just stood there and looked at us like we were crazy and waisting his time. I remember I had to say numerous time over and over again, "the train was smoking a lot...I don't know if it was on fire or what". And even after all that the station manager continued to stand in the doorway of his booth and just nod his head. What the heck is that??? Is the Metro showing its professionalism??? I kept waiting for him to take some sort of evasive action like running to the phone to call someone or dispatching the train conductor or getting on the computer or grabbin his walkie-talkie, but NOTHING!!! I eventually left because I was late to work. But you best be sure that I called Metro from my cell phone immediately and reported him. I was tranferred to the Red Line supervisor and my complain was logged. One thing that I do have to commend Metro on is your customer service is getting A LOT BETTER! I received a call from a supervisor (if not THE supervisor) later on that same day. She was appaulled by his actions and promise to take the appropriate disciplinary actions. I dont know what was done because I never got a follow-up call but I want to know are you aware of sitations like these? That train could have been seconds away from exploding and killing dozens if not hundreds of people and you guys employ people who could give a rats behind about my personal safety as well as the safety of the other 500,000 paying customers??? I want to hear your comments, Mr. White, on how you feel after hearing this and what kind of disciplinary actions you think would be appropriate in this instance. I can't believe he didnt even flinch when I told him that train could have been on fire. I'm starting to wonder how safe can I really be on Metro?
Richard White	I'd like for Steve Feil, the COO for Rail, to look into this further. His number is (202) 962-1400. Please give him a call and provide the date and time of the incident. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Smoking on Metro Escalators

Author	Message
CeeTee	If there is no smoking on Metro property, why isn't that enforced on the escalators? I ride the red line (my stop is Dupont Circle) and there is always someone smoking on the escalators. I hate being behind someone who doesn't care if I am subjected to their second-hand smoke.
Richard White	People should not be smoking indoors in Metrorail stations. When a Transit Police officer sees someone smoking, that person will be approached by the officer. The Dupont Circle escalators that lead from the mezzanine to the sidewalk are not covered and are considered to be outdoors. There is no law that prohibits smoking outdoors.

Takoma Metro Development

Author	Message
RichH	The planned development of around 90 townhomes at the Takoma Metro Station is opposed almost unanimously by its neighbors in Takoma Park, MD, and (based on petitions) by a solid majority of those on the DC side as well. Even those who support the development are opposed to the loss of about half the short-term parking that appears necessary to accommodate the housing. Given that hundreds of other residential units are either recently completed or in some stage of development within two blocks of the station, what makes this development so attractive to WMATA?
Richard White	Hi. The Takoma station site is an ideal location for this transit oriented development project. The area is experiencing significant redevelopment and this project will contribute to its renewed economic vitality by providing new residents, improving the appearance of the station area and increasing its security. The new residents of this project will also use Metro. Generating new ridership to the system is also one of the objectives of the Joint Development Program. For all of these reasons, development at Takoma is attractive to WMATA.

Takoma Metro Development

Author	Message
protakoma	Several years ago, your staff person, Elisa Hill, attended several community meetings on the Takoma Central District Plan. She refused the group's request to have a Metro staff person actively work with the community to plan improvements for the station, but she did promise, several times, that WMATA would do what the plan called for in terms of the station's design and development at it. The plan approved by the D.C. City Council calls for replacing all of the roughly 150 parking spaces at the station and retaining the 50-foot buffer that protects the apartments on Eastern Avenue from the fumes of the buses that use the station. WMATA's development proposal for the station cuts the parking in half and removes the buffer. Why aren't you doing what you promised?
Richard White	The plan for the Takoma station site contained in the Takoma Central District Plan is conceptual. It was not engineered to determine whether all of the proposed elements could actually fit on the site. In refining its concept plan with its engineers and WMATA technical staff, the developer determined that, in order to increase the bus facilities on site to meet future projected transit needs, provide a green space of the size mandated by the Takoma Central District Plan and meet the residential density requirements of transit oriented development with at least 85-95 units, the parking lot had to be reduced and the 50-foot buffer compromised in certain locations. The site plan for this project is not fixed in stone at this stage and there will ample opportunity for public input at the WMATA Compact Public Hearing and the BZA and Historic Preservation Review Board hearings in the future as this project moves through the entitlement process.

Takoma Metro Station site

Author	Message
fewdcc	Why does WMATA want to reduce public access to the Takoma Metro Station in order to build some 85 - 95 townhouses on about 4 acres of land owned by WMATA, a public entity? Why is WMATA not concerned about the effective functioning of our Metro station for our residents? Why is the developer's profit more important than transit service to the public? Even without those townhouses, we already have at least 471 new housing units either built, approved or officially in the approval process within a 2.5 - 3 block radius of the Takoma Metro Station. The roads around the Metro station are narrow and cannot be widened. Traffic congestion at key intersections around the Takoma Metro station are assessed as Failing Levels of Service by DC Department of Transportation as of February 2003. No new money will be budgeted for improvements until 2008; no improvements will be made by DDOT until 2009. In 2003, DDOT projected 305 new housing units by 2012. If even 85 townhouses are built on that land adjacent to the Takoma Metro station, we would probably have approximately 550 new housing units built right around the Metro station by around 2008, with more on the way. Faith E. Wheeler
Richard White	Hi. WMATA has always been a leader among transit agencies in promoting development of its properties. Our Joint Development Program, which solicits public/private partnerships for transit oriented development, is among the most successful in the country with over 50 projects throughout the Metro system. WMATA believes that creating places to live, work and play near Metro will increase the use of the system, reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and enhance the quality of life for all residents of the metropolitan area. Such development also provides direct benefits to the local jurisdictions in the form of taxes and jobs. The conceptual site plan for the Takoma project was developed in consultation with WMATA and Montgomery County Ride-On to ensure that transit operations are enhanced, not impaired, by the development on the site. Public access to the station is also considerably improved. Regarding the traffic issue, the developer's traffic consultant has done a preliminary analysis of the traffic generated by 95 townhomes at this transit station. He has determined that the project would generate approximately 15 morning peak hour trips and 22 afternoon peak hour trips. That figure translates to less than a 1 percent impact at critical intersections. With some signal timing changes, the impact could be negligible. People who choose to live at a Metro station will use Metro.

A new bus route (combination of 22A and 38B)

Author	Message
mscarb2	Requesting a new bus route that goes from South Four Mile Run Dr. to Foggy Bottom metro station.
Richard White	Hi. Thanks for your suggestion. I’ll pass it along to our planning department.

R-2, R-5

Author	Message
jbgroup1	First, I want to thank Metro for adding "R-2 Calverton" to the bus stop at Ager Road and 19th Place. The bus would not stop at that stop even though it passes directly by it and another bus route that goes in the same direction as it did. I and others were almost passed on the night of 11-22 by the last R-2 while waiting at the stop. Now, I would like to know whether a note could be put on the schedule that says that all R-2's and all R-5's stop at all stops in the Calverton Loop in revenue or non-revenue service. Something that says "Last stop is Cherry Hill and Powder Mill Road". Currently most of the last R-2 or R-5 buses all go out of service at Plum Orchard Drive and Broadbirch Drive and do not allow anyone to ride the rest of the loop (I am referring to the last buses for the day-all other buses return to Fort Totten via the southbound portion of the loop). The R-2 and R-5 buses connects with the Z-6-the bus from which I transfer-that serves the northern part of loop as well as when I walk from the RO10 bus stop or the Z-8 stop. I have been told after many questions about this subject that all R-2's and R-5's are to continue serving the loop regardless of whether they are in revenue or non-revenue service. The last R-5 does not pick anyone up in the loop even on the northbound portions when it is sill in service. The bus does this this even though it will continue through the rest of the loop. It would seem to me that a note that clearly indicates that the R-2 and R-5 will serve all stops in the Calverton Loop would help. Also, can an earlier bus be added on Saturdays and/or Holiday Schedule days? Perhaps one during the 7:00 hour, say between 7:30 and 8:00. It can even terminate at the Prince George's Plaza Station. The first bus leaving Calverton at 8:53 is often crowded especially on Holiday Saturday schedule days. It is usaually a standing load before it leaves Calverton. By the time it gets to Adelphi (Riggs Road and Edwards Way) it cannot let everyone from that stop or anyone else to Jasmine Terrace on the bus and the next bus leaves Calverton at 10:20-87 minutes (1hr,27min) later! An earlier trip on Saturdays especially Holiday schedule days is sorely needed.
Richard White	Hi. We will reissue the notice to bus operators defining policy on loop operation. I also will ask the training instructor to publicize it with the operators. Finally, your note on our running an earlier Saturday and holiday schedule bus in the morning has merit and I will ask our planning department to see if it can be implemented or coordinated with Prince Georges County prior to get it implemented.

L2/L4 bus line

Author	Message
rider007	I am a frequent rider of the L2/L4 bus going southbound on Connecticut at night. I get on the bus at the corner of Nebraska & Connecticut. It is not unusual to have to wait over a half an hour for a bus to show up - and this is between 5 and 6pm, when busses are scheduled to run frequently. More often than not, multiple "Not In Service" busses pass by but no active busses. For example, last night I arrived at the bus stop at 5:40, within plenty of time to catch the 5:50 bus. I did not get on a bus until nearly 6:15. No bus showed up at 5:50 or at 6:04. We watched 5 "Not In Service" busses pass us. This is not just limited to last night but happens nearly every evening on that line. The schedule is never accurate and often off by 20 or 30 minutes. Either more busses need to be activated on this line or the busses that are there need to be held to the schedule because it is really bad for business to make riders wait like this for a bus, especialy with the impending cold of winter coming.
Richard White	Between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., southbound service on Connecticut Avenue is scheduled for every 15 minutes. The northbound service is much more frequent to meet the demand in the city. The "Not in Service" buses you are seeing are returning to the center city to make other outbound trips. We will look at the inbound L2 and L4 buses to see if there are some improvements we can make.

Collision at Woodley Park

Author	Message
JoeinSilverSprin...	On November 3, 2004, a Red Line train rolled backwards into a second train that was stopped at the platform in the Woodley Park station. Nobody was killed but about 20 people went to the hospital. I think the driver of the first train was fired and there was some general retraining of drivers about the anti-rollback abilities of the various train models. Are there any publicly-available reports from WMATA on this matter? Do you know when the NTSB may have a report available? On a side note, your ridership data shows that Metrorail is consistently carrying thousands more riders everyday compared to the same day last year - weekdays and weekends. Despite some minor problems, I have had few "horrendously long" commutes compared to two years ago when the Red Line was a complete disaster for months on end. I just wanted to let you know that we notice these things! I want some 8-car trains for Christmas - Is Santa going to have them ready in time?Joe in Silver Spring
Richard White	Hi. We are still waiting for the NTSB to issue its final report on the collision. And I’d like to see more eight-car trains as well. That’s something that we’re working toward, and as we get the new 6000 series railcars added to the fleet, I hope to see some eight-car trains by Christmas of 2006! Right now we’re using eight-car trains to help us get through special events like July 4th, after Redskins and Nationals games, if there is a major service interruption, things like that. We don’t have enough rail cars to run eight-car trains during the weekday peak.

delay/inefficiencies in WMATA bus service on 16th street

Author	Message
sdc	Today, I waited on the corner of 16th and V, NW, at 10.20am for any one of the S1, S2, and S4 buses headed downtown. According to the posted schedule there is supposed to be one of these buses every 8-9 minutes. Within a few minutes an S4 bus showed up but it was packed and the bus did not stop. NO bus appeared for the next 20-25 minutes. Then THREE buses appeard immediately one after the other, an S2, S4, and another S2! I got onto the first S2 that was virtually filled to capacity, and then rode alongside the other S2 bus that was virtually empty, to my destination downtown. This scenario has been repeated numerous times on other occasions. Please explain why often, buses seldom appear at the scheduled time, why there are long gaps in service, and why 3 buses all appear bunched together behind each other. Other than causing delays to customers, forced to wait out in the extreme cold for three times longer than they should, it does seems to be a case of inefficent use of resources and/or poor scheduling. Thank you, Yassir DC resident
Richard White	This phenomenon happens frequently in urban areas with alot of traffic. As you know, the S route is very heavily traveled, with buses scheduled frequently. When there's a traffic problem, the buses tend to "bunch" as you stated. The good news is that the 16th Street line is slated for some upcoming improvements. It is one of the lines that will get additional service and supervision next year.

SmarTrip card and weekly passes

Author	Message
bobviegas	Hi there, I don't have a car and rely heavily on Metrorail to get where I need to be. Because I am often in the Metro and commute from Maryland into the District, I rely on the weekly fast pass to save money. I have been told by numerous WMATA employees that I cannot add a weekly pass to a SmarTrip card. I find that very counter-intuitive, since as someone who constantly uses the Metro, I find that I should be the ideal target for the SmarTrip cards. I find it especially aggravating because every week I get a flimsy paper pass worth $32.50, and if I lose it I have no guarantee of getting any value back, which would not be the case if I had a SmarTrip card. I am especially annoyed tonight, as I write this, because I just bought a Weekly Fast Pass this morning and accidentally forgot it in a shirt pocket as I did my laundry tonight, thus ruining the pass and costing me almost $30. I know that was my fault, but it could be avoided had my pass been in a plastic card that never really had to leave my wallet. So please, I urge you to take the necessary measures to integrate the weekly passes with the SmarTrip cards. I thank you for your attention.
Richard White	We are seeking funding to make SmarTrip cards more user-friendly, including the additon of passes. The development will take more than a year, so please hang in there, improvements are on the way.

Judiciary Square escalator

Author	Message
nashpaul	Please describe the reasons that the Judiciary Square escalator (F Street exit) has been out of service for so long. Don't just say how the escalator will soon be back in service, but please explain how the project was delayed so significantly. Metro's own website says that the escalator was taken out of service on 7/5 and expects to be returned to service on 12/6. Five months. The sign near the Station Manager kiosk seems to suggest the escalator repair should have taken from June until August. Even when the reconstruction was started, signs on the broken escalator promised a September reopening. It appears that Metro is still incapable of rehabilitating its escalators according to even its own schedule. Someone is making promises that cannot be kept. All of this at an escalator within sight of the front door of WMATA Headquarters.
Richard White	Hi Nashpaul: Your questions were answered earlier in the chat.

Advisory Board

Author	Message
All Aboard	I applied to be a member of the Advisory Board. October 17 was the closeout date. I've heard NOTHING. What is the status of selecting members? Is Metro going to notify everybody who applied or only contact those who were selected?
Richard White	We are continuing to work on the Riders Advisory Council selection process with our Board members. No final decisions have been made yet.

Updates on Metro Center to Chinatown stations tunnel

Author	Message
MusicMan	Have any decisions been made concerning the proposed tunnel between the Metro Center and Chinatown stations? I think it would help alleviate the congestion at Metro Center and also offer an alternative to get to the Chinatown station.
Richard White	Although no final decisions have been made concerning a pedestrian tunnel between Metro Center and Gallery Place Stations, this project is in WMATA's Ten Year Capital Improvement, as well as a pedestrian tunnel between Farragut West and Farragut North Stations. Congressman Davis has introduced legislation for funding WMATA, which would require matching funding from WMATA's funding partners. If this legislation is approved, it would be possible to proceed with these projects. We agree that these projects would be excellent enhancements to the WMATA system.

Next Station Signs

Author	Message
BrianInVA	One of the nice features of the 5000-series cars and the newly renovated 2000 and 3000 cars are the LED signs that indicate the next station and which side the doors will open on. However, I often see these signs not being functional (they just display the line I'm riding on). If I'm on a 6-car train, and all six cars are 5000-series cars, then I see no reason why the signs shouldn't be functional (but it happens often). I'll give an example - I recently rode an outbound blue line train from Rosslyn to Pentagon City. The train consisted of all renovated Breda cars. The next stop signs were not functional. On the return trip, my timing was such as that I boarded the exact same train (I noted the car number I was on). This time, the signs were displaying the next station. So it seems to me that this must be a feature that the train operator activates and it appears that many of them don't bother. Why is this the case? The signs are a nice feature, but only when they are working.
Richard White	The next station signs for the interior of the WMATA railcars are an enhanced feature for our customers. The correct operation of the next station signs (to display the stations) is dependent on ensuring the cars with this enhance feature run together in the same or similar consist. Some of the railcars have this feature and some don't. The new 6000 cars will also have this feature and will run with the other cars that don't have the feature to meet service demands. There was also a glitch in some of the cars with the feature that's being fixed.

Smoking In Friendship Heights "Honeycomb"

Author	Message
H2Oh!	There are always people smoking in the mid-level area of the Friendship Heights Metro station (below ground level but above train level - the roundish area with all the tunnels leading out to Hecht's, Mazza Gallerie, etc.). There are also ash-can-looking things there. Does this mean that smoking is allowed in this area? It is an enclosed area that appears to be Metro property, so why would it be allowed? Perhaps it is because - as I believe Mr. White, or someone else from Metro, said on this chat - Metro's jurisdiction does not begin till you enter the faregate or the faregate area? (But if that is so, doesn't that mean the Payday chewer was still outside Metro's jurisdiction when she was nabbed?) Thanks for answering our questions. These chats are very useful!
Richard White	The rotunda at Friendship Heights Station is not Metro property, but, that said, the public conduct ordinances are generally enforced in the paid areas of the station (inside the faregates). WMATA does place receptacles to discard cigarettes into prior to entering Metro stations. It is more a matter of giving customers an opportunity to safely discard cigarettes prior to entering Metro stations.

Helping the passenger

Author	Message
LL	What do you think have been the one or two things that you have done this year that have made the biggest positive impact on your passengers and the most negative impact on your riders?
Richard White	I'll give you two answers for positive and for negative (one for rail, one for bus) First positive for bus. The most important thing we're doing is contracting for and accepting delivery of 417 new buses between now and next summer. This should pay by dividends in improved reliability, comfort and fleet appearance. Next positive for rail. The most important thing we're doing is decentralizing the management of the rail system along individual lines (red, blue/orange, yellow/green). This will create more ownership and accountability for the performance of our various lines. I'm very encouraged with the early results. Now the negative for bus. We had a very difficult summer in terms of bus reliablity because of the impact of hot weather on our older buses. We did not due well this summer but it did happen on top of a 14 percent relability improvement during the previous fiscal year (in July 04-June 05) Negative for rail. We've scheduled a tremendous amount of track and other infrastructure maintenance to deal with a backlog of deferrals and although this was carefully scheduled to minimized impacts we did inconvenience a number of people. Short term pain for long term gain.

Blue Line Signage

Author	Message
George Newbury	I've noticed that some of the pillars at Rosslyn and at other stops along the Blue line in the direction of Franconia-Springfield list Huntington as the final destination. I've had to help several tourists as it is confusing. There are definetly at least two of these pillars on the bottom platform at Rosslyn. Thanks
Richard White	Signage is being updated right now.

Holiday wishes

Author	Message
LL	If the Metro Board gave you $1 million and told you to spend it in a way that would make the biggest difference to your bus riders, how would you spend it?
Richard White	one million dollars although sizeable must be compared in a context of an annual bus operating budget of $400 million. I would put the money into improved passenger information systems such as reliable scheduling information at our bus stops. I recommend that you check out my FY 2007 operating budget proposal to the Metro Board which will take place next Thursday. Please let me know what you think in our next chat.