Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 22, 2008

Metro makes enhancements to passenger information display monitors

Metro passengers get more information, more often

Metro is rolling out a new format for service disruption information on its electronic monitors found in Metrorail station mezzanines and platforms beginning Monday, September 22.

The new format will provide customers with specific information they can use to make travel decisions. For example, the monitors will provide information about the time it takes trains to pass through a location where they are sharing a single track, the estimated start time of a shuttle bus service between stations and alternate bus route information if special shuttle bus service is needed.

“If a service disruption occurs in the Metrorail system, our customers want to know what options they have and they want that information quickly,” said Gerald Francis, Metro’s Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. “These new messages will be delivered in an easy to understand and quick format.”

Currently, when there is a service disruption in the Metrorail system, the information on the monitors appears as a crawl. Under the new format, an initial alert screen with the identification as a “Service Advisory” will appear for three seconds, followed by another screen with the specifics of the service disruption that will appear for up to five seconds.

“Each system disruption that occurs is a dynamic situation and the information posted on the monitors will change as the situation develops,” said Francis. This new format will provide information on estimated impacts and ultimately, options for customers during the incident.”

The passenger information display signs have been providing train arrival information, elevator/escalator outages, emergency information and the time of day since they were launched in October 2000.

News release issued at 12:59 pm, September 22, 2008.