Metro News Release

For immediate release: July 14, 2003

This week at Metro (Monday, July 14, 2003)

Metro employee receives accolades from Canadian customer

In a letter addressed to Metro’s Customer Service department, Professor Stephen Michnick, of the University of Montreal, had kind words to say about the excellent level of service he received from Yvette Carter who works in Metro’s Lost and Found office. Michnick had visited Washington during the middle of June when he left his jacket with important items in it on a train as he traveled to an airport. Michnick wrote: " I am writing to commend your empoloyee Yvette Carter for exemplary public service. I was attending the BIO 2003 conference in Washington . . . and forgot my jacket, containing several important things, including all of my keys, on the Metro . . . . " I" d given up on the jacket for lost, but was surprised and delighted when Yvette called me a few days later to tell me that the jacket had been turned in and that she had tracked me down based on an envelope with my address she found in a pocket [while] searching for my phone number. Yvette was kind enough to check that everything that I remembered had been in the jacket was there and arranged to send it back to me that same day. I received [my] jacket with everything . . . in order. " Throughout my dealings with Yvette, she was thoughtful, very polite, and very attentive to details, including getting my strange Canadian and French address right and arranging to send my jacket by Fedex." I know that in a public service organization, the quality of service provided is important, and equally as important is the public face of such an organization. It has always been clear to me that WMATA provides outstanding service as a public transportation system, and encountering Yvette Carter gave me a rare opportunity to see just how good you are at dealing with the public." 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 get to the concerts by Metrobus and Metrorail, receive giveaways and prizes as well as hear entertaining music and enjoy picnic lunches.∙ Now through August 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m., ’sunset Serenades" FREE concerts, at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo; concerts will be on Lion/Tiger Hill each Thursday and featured music will include jazz, folk, blues, and rock and roll; attendees are encouraged to take Metrobus to the zoo or Metrorail to the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metrorail station. ∙ Now through September 6, 2003, 1 to 6 p.m., " Live on Penn" FREE concerts, every Saturday on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 3rd and 6th streets, near the National Gallery of Art; featured music will include rock, hip hop, jam, and reggae. Metro will sponsor a booth each Saturday for customers to obtain information on the system and purchase Metro merchandise and SmarTrip cards; attendees are encouraged to take Metrobus or Metrorail to these concerts.∙ July 17, 2003, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Employee Fair, for Metro employees, at the Plant Maintenance Building in Alexandria, Virginia, where employees can learn more about discount opportunities from various organizations and information on how to join credit unions.∙ July 19, 2003, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fannie Mae Foundation’s Home-Buying Fair at the New D.C. Convention, Exhibit Hall C; admission is FREE and some lucky attendees may receive a FREE credit report; take Metrorail or Metrobus to the fair by logging onto the RideGuide at www.metroopensdoors.com to obtain a trip itinerary.∙ September 7, 2003, Noon to 6 p.m., The Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival " Celebrating the Blues," featuring more than 30 FREE performances and activities for the whole family; ride Metro to Foggy Bottom-GWU, then take a FREE shuttle bus running every 15 minutes beginning at 11 a.m.Board and Committee Meetings ScheduledOn July 17, the Budget Committee will convene at 9 a.m. in the Meeting Room followed by the full Board of Directors meeting in the Board Room. Both rooms are 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 July 14, 2003.