Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 16, 2009
Metro expands basic Spanish class for employees
Frontline employees learning key phrases to help customers
Metro is continuing to teach basic Spanish to frontline employees who are interested in learning how to communicate better with a growing number of Spanish-speaking customers.
A total of 14 employees: four bus operators, one train operator, six station managers, one safety officer and two operations supervisors are taking the two-hour class three times a week during the month of June. The employees represent heavily populated Spanish speaking customer routes throughout the Metro service area. They do not speak Spanish but want to learn how to relay general and emergency information to Spanish-speaking customers.
“Our goal is to provide training in a learner-friendly environment that teaches English-speaking employees to communicate with Spanish-speaking customers in key phrases and words that are relevant to an employee’s specific frontline occupation,” said Andrea Burnside, Assistant General Manager of Workforce Services.
The course is voluntary and designed to empower Metro’s frontline employees to assist customers and address issues of system safety.
As part of the class, employees learn how to greet customers in Spanish and share information about the Metro transit system, including fares, colors of Metrorail lines, Metrobus route numbers, directions, system and medical emergency information.
Class participants also have a chance to practice speaking Spanish with three Metro employees who are fluent in the language and have volunteered to serve as mentors. In addition, a language assistance phone line has been set up for participants to call if they have a question or need help pronouncing a word.
Metro already publishes its pocket rail guide in several languages, including Spanish. Other customer notices are published in English and Spanish on a regular basis, such as Metrobus service changes, notice of public hearings and signs prohibiting eating and drinking in the Metro system.
According to the 2008 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Regional Bus Survey, 10 percent of Metrobus riders are Hispanic. At least 4 percent of Metrorail riders are Hispanic, according to a 2007 survey of Metro riders.
Metro launched a pilot program in October 2007 to teach basic Spanish to employees after Metro customer service staff recommended the effort. Eighteen employees participated in the initial program and provided feedback on how to improve the class, which will now be offered on a regular basis.
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Media contact for this news release: Angela Gates or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 9:55 am, June 16, 2009.