Metro News Release

For immediate release: December 21, 2004

Metro offers 2004 year-end review

As 2004 comes to a close, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) would like to take the opportunity to review this year’s achievements, while looking ahead to 2005 with optimism and an emphasis on safety, reliability, cleanliness and improved customer service outreach.

Nearly 310 million passenger trips were made on Metrorail and Metrobus combined in 2004. And while 2004 has not been easy for Metro, its core customers who use Metro" ’s services regularly have continued to ride in record numbers.

"We overcame a year of tough challenges that hampered service reliability and caused frustration among a rising number of customers," says General Manager and CEO Richard A. White.

"While challenges will always test us, it’s important to stop and savor the many successes we achieved in 2004, including the $3.3 billion Metro Matters funding agreement, three new rail stations, SmarTrip capability on all Metrobuses, continued ridership growth and good stewardship on our budget resources."

A summary of Metro’s accomplishments during Calendar Year 2004 is listed below.

Metro’s Accomplishments in 2004

* The approval of a six-year, $3.3 billion funding agreement from the region’s state and local governments to help pay for Metro’s short-term capital needs, known as "Metro Matters." The $3.3 billion includes $1.8 billion in previously pledged funding and $1.5 billion for basic infrastructure improvements, purchasing 120 new rail cars for eventual 8-car train operations, and 185 buses to meet continuing demand. The short-term needs include critical security enhancements which require federal funding.

* Metro launched an aggressive service reliability, customer service and corporate accountability initiative to win back customer confidence and regional support. The "back to basics" approach recommits Metro’s resources from the front office to the front lines, to improving service reliability and customer satisfaction. This measure was taken in light of declining service reliability and back-to-back fare increases. * Metro opened its 84th passenger rail station, New York Ave-Florida-Ave-Gallaudet U Metrorail station on the Red Line. The station, which’s 28-year history to be constructed between two existing, operating rail stations--Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue.

* Metro opened its 85th and 86th passenger rail stations, a 3.1-mile, two-station, $456 million extension of the Blue Line to the Morgan Boulevard and Largo Town Center Metrorail Stations.

* The District of Columbia and Metro broke ground on the Anacostia Light Rail Demonstration project, to serve the Anacostia area in Southeast, D.C. The project, 2.7 miles of new track and six new stations is scheduled to begin service in the fall of 2006.

* Metrobus riders saw the new high-tech SmarTrip fareboxes on all 1,450 buses this summer. The new fareboxes allow customers to touch their card to pay the bus fare, making it as easy to use as a Metrorail station faregate.

* Metro’s Board of Directors hosted its first Town Hall meeting that drew more than 350 attendees.

* Fairfax County and Metro opened a new six-level, $13 million, parking structure at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station with 1,200 parking spaces.

* Montgomery County and Metro opened a new six-level $28 million parking structure at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail station with 1,500 parking spaces, making a net increase of 1,200 parking spaces.

* Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria and Metro initiate the "REX" limited stop express bus service along the Richmond Highway corridor. The special service utilizes bus priority traffic signals, low-floor buses and SmartCard technology and operates between Fort Belvoir and the Huntington and King Street Metrorail stations.

* Metrorail customers set a new all-time record ridership level as 850,636 passenger trips were recorded on June 9, a day that people flocked to the District of Columbia to pay their respects to former President Ronald Reagan.

* Metro took final delivery of its series 5000 rail cars, with the last 42 of 192 cars distributed to the Red Line. Metro also continues to place its series 2000/3000 BREDA rehabilitated rail cars into service, with 80 in service by December.

* The Metrorail system began opening at 5 a.m. on weekdays in September, providing customers in suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia with a half-hour jumpstart on their daily commutes.

* The Metro Transit Police Department launched a Metro Citizen Corps program to provide Metro-specific training ranging from rail safety and emergency preparation and response to identification of terrorist activity. The two-step program involves Metro Transit Police officers, Metro employees and area residents who have participated in specialized training within their local jurisdictions, and participate in a day-long interactive coordination "train-the-trainer" sessions.

* The Metro Transit Police launches the "Hey, is that your bag" campaign, designed to increase customer readiness for terrorist threats.

* Metro installed a new real-time traffic camera system inside its Bus Operations Control Center, allowing Metrobus supervisors to monitor regional roadways to improve rerouting needed to move customers when incidents cause road closures.

* Metro started construction on new parking structures at New Carrollton, College Park and White Flint.

* Construction began on the expansion of the King Street Metrorail station, including a new elevated walkway, two new elevators and a stairway to provide access to the elevated walkway; a new canopy, above the station platform that will go over the uncovered portion of the platform; a new station kiosk; and more farecard machines.

* Construction began on the placement of additional elevators at the Ballston-MU Metrorail station to provide for greater access into and out of the station.

News release issued on December 21, 2004.