Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 18, 2009

Hundreds of volunteers to help Metro riders on Inauguration Day

Metro Ambassadors will be on hand to assist customers

Hundreds of Metro employees have volunteered to assist Metro riders on Inauguration Day in addition to more than 8,000 who are working to provide service.

More than three hundred Metro employees will be “Metro Ambassadors” for the day. They will be stationed at strategic locations throughout the Metrorail and Metrobus system to greet customers, hand out maps, give directions, answer questions and help customers purchase farecards.

Metro Ambassadors will be wearing bright yellow safety vests so customers can easily identify them. They also will be carrying bullhorns so they can address large crowds of customers, if needed. Metro’s employee volunteers will work in two shifts, from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Inauguration Day.

“We recognize that a lot of people are coming from out of town to this historic event and this will be their first time traveling by Metro,” said Sara Wilson, Metro’s assistant general manager of corporate strategy and communications and point person for Inauguration planning. “The Metro Ambassadors will provide an extra level of customer service to help speed everyone’s trip.”

Metro’s employee volunteers have undergone training this week to prepare for the record crowds that are expected to use the Metro system on Inauguration Day. They have been briefed on Metro’s service plans, safety and security and customer service issues. They also received hands-on training on how to use fare vending machines.

“The faces of our Metro Ambassadors also represent our nation’s culturally diverse populations. They are motivated and ready to be part of history,” said Wilson.

Metro is encouraging riders to sign up for special e-alerts dedicated to the Inauguration at http://www.wmata.com/inauguration. E-alerts will be issued when Metro has news relating to service throughout Inauguration weekend.

News release issued at 8:56 am, January 18, 2009.