Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 23, 2003

This week at Metro (Monday June 23, 2003)

112 Metro employees take the early retirement incentive program

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors has approved the resolution thanking 112 Metro employees for their years of service who took advantage of the Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) that was announced earlier this year. The number of employees retiring represents 3,065 years of service collectively. Of this group, 50 employees have individually served Metro for 28 or more years, a number in excess of the Metrorail system’s age at 27. Even more, exactly nine employees match the same number of years that the Metrorail system is old.

It was the Department of Operations -- responsible for the day-to-day operation, maintenance, and upkeep of the Metrorail, Metrobus, and MetroAccess systems -- which had the greatest number of employees to sign up for the ERIP at 61 employees. They represent 1,744 years of service alone, which translates to a little more than 54 percent of the employees participating in the retirement program having nearly 57 percent of the total years of service.

Metro offered the Early Retirement Incentive Program " as a means of reducing the number of non-represented employees and the Authority’s personnel costs in the fiscal year 2004 operating budget through voluntary retirements," stated the Board of Directors" resolution on the retirement program. It ended by saying that the " Board of Directors thanks the 112 employees for their long and dedicated service to WMATA and congratulates them on their retirements with best wishes for the future." Metro will replace only one employee for every two employees who retired as a means of reducing the total workforce and containing costs during the current difficult budget cycle.

Number of Employees Who Took the ERIP

Department/Office Communications, 5 Capital Projects Management, 14 Finance, 10 General Counsel Office, 3 Operations, 61 Planning and Strategic Programs, 3 System Safety and Risk Protection, 1 Secretary and Chief of Staff Office, 12 Workforce Development/Diversity Programs, 3

Upcoming Events Accessible by Metro ∙ Now through August 7, Noon to 2 p.m., " Farragut Sounds in the Square, the Golden Triangle BID’s Fifth Annual Summer Concert Series for free in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service, at the Farragut Square Park, corner of Connecticut Avenue and K Street, N.W.; attendees can receive giveaways and prizes as well as hear entertaining music and enjoy picnic lunches.

∙ June 21, 7:30 p.m., WWF Entertainment, MCI Center; organizers expect 8,000 attendees; Gallery Place-Chinatown, Judiciary Square, Metro Center, and Archives-Navy Memorial stations are expected to be more crowded than usual.

∙ June 21-22, 2003, the 11th Annual National Capital/Safeway Barbecue Battle, on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 9th and 13th streets; organizers expect 10,000 participants over the two days; Metro expects Archives-Navy Memorial, Federal Triangle, Metro Center, and Smithsonian Metrorail stations to be crowded.

∙ June 22, 2003, 4 p.m., Washington Freedom vs. San Jose CyberRays Women’s Soccer Game, 12,000 attendees expected, Stadium-Armory Metrorail station to be more crowded than usual for the game.

∙ June 24, 7 p.m., Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun, MCI Center; 10,000 attendees expected; Gallery Place-Chinatown, Judiciary Square, Metro Center, and Archives-Navy Memorial stations are expected to be more crowded than usual.

∙ June 25-29 and July 2-6, the 38th Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival Featuring Mali, Appalachia, and Scotland, the National Mall; 50,000 attendees expected each day; Smithsonian Metrorail station to be more crowded than usual.

∙ July 4, 2003, Fourth of July Celebration on the National Mall and throughout the region; Metro is prepared to provide safe, reliable service that day. This occasion will represent the first Friday and full weekend that Metrorail service will be provided until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

∙ July 8-12, 2003, the 32nd Annual Conference of Minority Transportation Officials" National Meeting and Training Conference in Washington, D.C.; the conference will feature workshops, technical tours, and a youth symposium. Conference planners expect 1,000 attendees at the conference sponsored by Metro and the COMTO Washington, D.C., chapter and co-hosted by the Maryland COMTO chapter. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams is the Honorary conference Chair.

Board Committee Meeting Scheduled On Thursday, June 26, 2003, the Operations Committee will convene at 9 a.m. in the Meeting Room, adjacent to the lobby at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, N.W. To hear a recording about upcoming meetings, date and time changes for meetings, or the results of the last meeting, call 202-962-1055. To hear quotes by Metro experts, call MetroVoices at 202-962-2007.

News release issued on June 23, 2003.