Metro News Release
For immediate release: September 3, 2008
Electronic messages keep Metro riders informed about service disruptions
Metro e-alerts and RSS news feeds make it easy for riders to get customized information about service disruptions during their commute. Customers can sign up to have electronic messages about Metrorail, Metrobus, MetroAccess and elevator service disruptions sent to their cell phone, pager, personal digital assistant (PDA) or e-mail-capable computer.
"During a service disruption, severe weather or emergency, we want to give our customers as much information as possible so they can make an informed decision about their trip," said Metro Deputy General Manager Gerald Francis. "Signing up for electronic notifications is the best way for Metro riders to get the most up-to-date information at their fingertips. With September being National Emergency Preparedness Month, this is the ideal time to sign up."
Customers can choose which e-alerts they want to receive, which days of the week, times of day, Metrorail lines or station elevators they want to monitor. Subscribers can always change their preferences if they change their commuting route or move elsewhere in the region.
Information about Metrobus service disruptions is available through RSS news feed or by navigating to http://www.wmata.com/mobile on a web-enabled device. Customers can receive Metrobus and Metrorail alerts using free RSS-capable news readers. To find out how, visit www.wmata.com/rss/rss_howto.cfm.
September is Emergency Preparedness Month, and signing up to receive electronic messages about service disruptions is just one way Metro riders can prepare for incidents that might have a major impact on their travel plans. More than 45,000 people currently subscribe to Metrorail and MetroAccess e-alerts and elevator outage notifications. To find out more about Metro alerts and advisories, visit www.wmata.com/riding/system_alert.cfm.
To sign up for Metrorail e-alerts:
· Visit http://www.wmata.com/riding/alerts/subscribe.cfm
· Enter your e-mail address
· Select the times and rail lines you wish to receive messages about
· Click "Submit"
To sign up for Metrobus and Metrorail RSS feeds:
· Visit http://www.wmata.com/rss/rss_howto.cfm
· Browse and select a free RSS-capable news reader
· Copy the URL address of the desired RSS feed and paste it into your news reader
Metrobus service disruptions: http://www.wmata.com/wmataRSS20Bus.xml
Metrorail service disruptions: http://www.wmata.com/wmataRSS20.xml
To sign up for MetroAccess e-alerts:
· Visit http://www.wmata.com/riding/alerts/MetroAccess
· Enter your e-mail address at the bottom of the page
· Click "Subscribe"
To sign up for elevator outage notifications:
· Visit https://www.smartrip.com/mst/portal.login
· Create a User ID and password
· Click on “Elevator status at Metro station”
· Select your notification preferences
· Click "Submit this form"
In addition to e-alerts, customers also can sign up to receive Metro press releases by e-mail, which often include key details about major service disruptions when they happen. To subscribe, visit http://pressrelease.lists-wmata.com, enter your e-mail address and click "Subscribe."
E-alert subscribers may be charged a per-message fee by their Internet service provider or pager/cellular phone carrier, depending on their service plan.
News release issued at 2:15 pm, September 3, 2008.