Metro News Release
For immediate release: July 16, 2009
Metrobus reorganizes bus services
Early indications show drop in complaints, accidents
Metrobus just got an institutional makeover. Managers have reorganized the transit agency’s bus service in an effort to improve safety, reliability, customer service and efficiency.
Changes began in January at the three northern Virginia bus divisions and were implemented at the remaining six garages in the District of Columbia and Maryland by May.
“This is a significant organizational and culture change for Metrobus,” said Assistant General Manager of Metrobus Milo Victoria. “So far, we have seen a drop in customer complaints and accidents in northern Virginia. Over time, we expect improvements at the other divisions as well.”
At the divisions, five layers of management were combined into one in an effort to bring more responsibility and authority to employees responding to customers, Victoria said. More information about delays and detours is being posted on Metro’s Web site, and the real-time bus information system, Next Bus, was launched earlier this month. Managers in the office and or field can now track buses in real-time when the vehicles are on the street, and contact bus operators and their supervisors to troubleshoot early arrivals or delays. Metro also is in the process of changing its hiring practices, procedures and training to attract the best and brightest candidates, Victoria said.
Under the old management structure, a customer complaint was sent to a division’s superintendent. The superintendent was responsible for investigating the complaint and managing 300-500 bus operators. Many complaints sometimes meant a delayed response to operators and customers. Under the new system, a complaint is sent immediately to the superintendent and then sent to the newly promoted street supervisors, who are now called service operations managers. They now manage 25 bus operators and investigate complaints and incidents. The managers interact with customers more and work at finding solutions rather than following a “cookie cutter” form of discipline for all complaints.
“We have empowered our former street supervisors to be team leaders,” said Victoria. “One service operations manager was keeping track of customers at the Ballston Metrorail station, who were trying to transfer to the last bus of the night. He has talked with the planners about making schedule adjustments to better serve those late night riders. Others are announcing the good work of an operator to customers on board a bus.”
The managers also now have laptops on the streets that can be used to track buses in real-time, and they are in the process of receiving more training.
“We have the right equipment, tools and resources now,” said Dale Fowler, a service operations manager, who has worked for Metro for nearly 22 years. “Now we see more interaction between service managers and operators. We are definitely on the right track.”
Last year, the northern Virginia bus divisions reported 3,469 customer complaints between January and April about delays, buses skipping stops, not showing up and driver behavior. For the first four months of the year, there were 216 fewer complaints. Metrobus riders take about 450,000 trips per day.
Service operations managers also are having more conversations about safety with operators. The rate of preventable Metrobus accidents fell nearly 6.5 percent at the northern Virginia bus divisions between fiscal 2008 compared to fiscal 2009, which runs from June to July. On-the-job injuries also fell about 13 percent during the same time period.
Media contact for this news release: Candace Smith or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.
News release issued at 12:00 pm, July 16, 2009.