Metro News Release
For immediate release: February 17, 2005
New Metro Board Chairman T. Dana Kauffman outlines his vision for the year
Metro to establish riders advisory committee and public comment period prior to board meetings
Metro Board Chairman T. Dana Kauffman took the gavel at his first Metro Board meeting today as he began to serve his one-year term as Chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Board of Directors. Prior to the meeting, Mr. Kauffman took the opportunity to outline his goals and vision for the year.
One priority that Mr. Kauffman stressed for 2005 was accountability. Coming on the heels of Metro CEO and General Manager Richard A. White’s announcement last November of a back-to-basics program and a commitment to improved customer service and reliability, Mr. Kauffman stressed the importance of accountability and highlighted the following goals that will involve feedback from customers who use Metro’s services each day.
"I believe we must recognize that the vast majority of our customers are customers by choice," said Mr. Kauffman. "We must acknowledge this, thank our customers, and give our riders an active role in shaping the future of Metro.
"To make this happen, this year, my colleagues and I will establish Metro’s first ever ’Riders Advisory Committee.’ This action will give everyone the benefit of regular, formal feedback from actual customers who use our services. I have set a goal of having this committee up and running by July 1."
Mr. Kauffman also announced an initiative to begin allowing for a public comment period at the start of each monthly Board meeting. This will allow for Metro’s top managers and the Board to hear from customers regularly. This initiative will begin with the April Board meeting.
He also committed to continue the Town Hall Meeting and said wanted to hold three Town Meetings in 2005; one in Washington, D.C., one in suburban Maryland and one in Northern Virginia. "This way, we can begin to recapture and accentuate for our customers the regional linkage and shared understanding that first gave life to Metro," he said. The next Town Hall Meeting will be held in April.
"We have already acted to improve public access to our records. We will go beyond this to further open our internal operations, regular meeting material, and yes, even ourselves to the public," Mr. Kauffman said.
Starting with the March meeting, all Board meeting material will be available, in advance, over the internet via Metro’s Web site. Board meetings will be available live via computer simulcast starting in June. This spring, Board members will be available to respond to customer inquiries via the internet at BoardofDirectors@wmata.com.
"By presenting this package of initiatives, and involving our customers by listening to them, we are making a collective commitment to outreach, availability and accountability," he said.
A second priority for Mr. Kauffman in 2005 is to continue the dialogue on securing a separate dedicated funding source for Metro. In January, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in partnership with the Greater Washington Board of Trade and Federal City Council, completed an exhaustive study of dedicated funding for Metro. The final report concluded that Metro needs a funding source that is both adequate and reliable to help solve Metro’s current funding crisis.
"I believe now is the time for action on the panel’s recommendations," said Mr. Kauffman. "We must make certain the region’s policy makers don’t just congratulate the panel and go back to the status quo of funding Metro based on the lowest common denominator of member contributions and erratic fare increases.
"Together with the Federal City Council, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Downtown Business Improvement District, I am calling on our key elected officials and regional stakeholders to assemble for a regional summit by the middle of the year to lead us toward consensus on a specific funding package. This summit will seek to fortify the 50-year federal and regional partnership that built and continues to operate this system.
"I don’t underestimate the enormous challenge all our stakeholders will face to establish the stable and reliable funding we need to keep ’America’s Subway’ in good repair. However, we’ve been talking about this since 1979. Now, we must test to see if anybody is listening."
In his address, Mr. Kauffman addressed the critical role the Federal Government plays, as nearly half of Metrorail’s peak ridership are federal employees.
"What makes the Metro system undeniably unique is that Metro was built primarily to serve the federal workforce, and it has done so for decades," said Mr. Kauffman.
"While the Metro Board is not advocating any particular one or combination of the funding options offered by the blue ribbon panel, we do maintain that a regional re-commitment - with full federal participation - is crucial.
"Forty-seven percent of Metro’s peak period riders are federal employees. Some 300 agencies are located near a Metro station. Such proximity now ranks high in determining the location of future federal offices. In fact, as cited in the blue ribbon report, the federal government is the single largest beneficiary of Metro. It should be clear to everyone that we must forge an even stronger partnership with the federal government, to whom Metro is so vital."
Mr. Kauffman concluded his remarks by addressing all Metro employees and their vital role in customer service and reliability as the transit agency stresses accountability in 2005.
"As it pertains to our workforce at Metro, our employees are very similar to you and me. I believe they all want to do the best job they can and, for the most part, they are focused on delivering quality service to the more than 1.2 million people who grace our doors each workday. I know they are capable of rising to our many challenges. We need to acknowledge their efforts to make your commute a good one. I applaud each and every one of you and pledge that this Board will work together with you to better serve our customers.
"Metro literally holds our region together; now is the time for the region to come together for Metro," concluded Mr. Kauffman.
News release issued on February 17, 2005.