Metro News Release

For immediate release: December 28, 2005

What’s in store for Metro in 2006"


New buses, rail cars and continued focus on safe, clean, reliable customer service on tap

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is looking ahead to 2006 with a continued back-to-basics approach that will focus on safe, clean and reliable service for the 1.2 million passengers who use Metrorail, Metrobus and Metroaccess each weekday.

"We are dedicated to improving the quality of our service," said Richard A. White, Metro’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. "We had a good year in 2005, and more is in store for the new year. Improvements we’ll see in 2006 include 417 new Metrobuses hitting the streets; 110 new rail cars being placed into service to provide for 20 percent eight-car trains by December 2006; introduction of a new paratransit service provider; and continued bus and rail ridership growth. In addition, the proposed FY 2007 budget has major recommendations for management improvements and service enhancements, particularly for Metrobus."

Metro will continue to reach out to its customers with new service initiatives and enhancements in 2006. The implementation of the Metro Riders Advisory Council, a new and re-engineered complaint handling system, a Spanish language trip planner, an automated telephone switchboard system, and a customer service quality assurance team to oversee phone, e-mail and correspondence with customers will all enhance the experience of both current and future Metro riders.

In addition, Metro will continue its efforts to enhance managerial and organizational performance and accountability. It is evaluating the establishment of a new Office of Inspector General as a part of this effort.

Metro Highlights for 2006

2006 Metrorail Highlights:

  • Metro anticipates taking delivery of 110 of 184 new series 6000 rail cars, manufactured by Alstom Transportation, Inc.
  • Metro will continue making traction power upgrades in preparation for 20 percent eight-cars train by December 2006.
  • Metro will conduct eight-car train precision station stopping tests on the Blue/Orange and Yellow/Green Lines in preparation for eight-car trains.
  • Modernized 2000/3000 BREDA rail cars will continue to be returned to the fleet. By the end of 2006, Metro anticipates have 260 of 364 of these rehabilitated cars in service.
  • Metro will begin modifications of the Shady Grove, Greenbelt and Brentwood rail yards as part of the continuing Metro Matters program to increase rail car capacity by expanding to eight-car trains. Work will be completed at each location between summer 2007 and early 2008.
  • Station enhancement to the east side of the Ballston Metrorail station will finish by summer 2006 to include an additional elevator on the north side of Fairfax Drive, and two new elevators and a connecting underground passageway beneath the south side of Fairfax Drive.
  • Commencing construction of new parking facilities at the Glenmont and Huntington Metrorail stations.

2006 Metrobus Highlights:

  • Metro will replace 417 buses by summer 2006, reducing the average age of the fleet from more than 10 years to approximately 7 years.
  • As part of the Metro Matters bus program, Metro will initiate a procurement for 50 new expansion buses for 2007 delivery.
  • As part of the five-year Metrobus Capital Improvement Program, Metro will install site-specific bus maps for on-street bus shelters and replacement maps for Metro-owned shelters; replace and maintain 343 bus shelters at Metrorail stations and 163 bus shelters at street locations; install up to 6,000 encased bus stop schedule display cases in addition to maintaining existing cases; install regional bus stop ID labels on all bus stop poles and shelters to be used for region-wide implementation of real-time bus information; provide real-time information to customers that can be accessed initially by telephone, the internet and system displays at five major bus transit centers; and install a separate reporting system that will store and analyze operations data for bus route performance, and to update and maintain schedules.

2006 Customer Service Highlights

  • In early 2006, Metro will introduce a new and re-engineered Web-based system to improve response to passenger complaints.
  • By late spring 2006, Metro will introduce the Spanish Trip Planner, a fully functional telephone-based trip planner for Spanish-speaking customers.
  • In late spring 2006, Metro will introduce an automated switchboard system to increase service to customers who call the main switchboard . It will include a fully automated directory, recorded information for callers, and the capacity to set up automatic routing so callers get to the correct person.
  • In spring 2006, Metro will establish an executive correspondence team to handle executive level telephone calls, e-mail and written correspondence by preparing responses based on established standards for the quality of response and timeliness of responses and using information provided by operating offices.
  • In spring 2006, Metro will introduce new station passenger flow improvements that will increase the efficiency of passenger movements off and on trains with new signs, in-station announcements and a new "doors closing" recording.
  • In early 2006, the Riders Advisory Council will be in place and the concept of creating an office of the Inspector General will be evaluated.

2006 Metroaccess Highlights

  • Metro’s new service provider for Metroaccess, MV Transportation, will begin work in mid-January 2006. The four-year, $210 million contract includes options for two, two-year extensions.
  • The contractor will install cameras on 310 vehicles to monitor operations.
  • A free trip voucher will be provided to any Metroaccess passenger who has experienced a missed or excessively late trip.
  • A new vehicle performance and maintenance tracking software will be utilized to monitor service.
  • New scheduling software will be in place to ensure most trips are delivered with the fewest vehicles in the shortest time.

2006 Elevator and Escalator Highlights

  • Metro will complete construction of canopies at 13 remaining Metrorail stations as part of the Comprehensive Escalator Canopy Program.
  • Metro will modernize 25 elevators as part of its ongoing Elevator Rehabilitation Program This is part of a six-year program to overhaul 75 elevators, by the end 2008.
  • Metro will complete the modernization of 40 more escalator units, concluding the fifth phase of the multi-year Escalator Rehabilitation Program by the end of the year. At that point, 178 station entrance escalators will have been modernized, since the program began in 2000.
  • Metro will open a specialized training lab that will incorporate two elevators and an escalator for training elevator and escalator maintenance workers as well as other Metro personnel and local fire departments.

2006 Miscellaneous Highlights

  • The Metro Transit Police Department will move into its new substation at Fort Totten.
  • Metro will launch advertising displays inside Metrorail tunnels.
  • Metro staff will develop a plan to install video monitors inside Metrorail trains and buses.
  • Preliminary engineering work for rail service to the Dulles Corridor will continue. Metro is providing technical oversight under the direction of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is working with its PPTA Contractor, Dulles Transit Partners.

Metro Proposed Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Highlights

  • For the second year in a row, Metro is proposing no fare increase as part of next year’s budget. The authority’s $1.8 billion fiscal year 2007 operating and capital budget proposal includes new buses, rail cars for eight-car trains and other expanded services.
  • The budget proposal also includes additional recommendations for bus and rail such as additional money to relieve bus overcrowding, enhanced security, increased rail service on four federal holidays, and operation of longer trains during off-peak hours and weekends year-round.
  • The spending plan also funds more than 200 new operational and police positions, and eliminates bus routes with low ridership while investing money in more heavily utilized bus routes. In addition, it recommends major route restructuring for several of Metro’s longest bus routes, which are experiencing major difficulties in maintaining schedule adherence.
  • In the $662 million capital budget, a majority of funds are going to new rail cars for eight-car trains, rail yard expansions, buying new buses and overhauling elevator and escalators.
  • For the first time in Metro’s history, the Board will be arranging for a public meeting to receive public comments and input before taking final action on the budget.
  • Key highlights of the budget proposal include:
    • Metrobus Highlights
      • Add street supervisors to manage current levels of service and supervisors in the Bus Operations Control Center to increase monitoring of bus locations and schedule adherence.
      • Add operations supervisors to provide weekend and garage supervision.
      • Eliminate bus routes with low ridership and re-invest in weekend and off-peak service.
      • Restructure select bus routes based on travel time, ridership, and on-time performance. Enhancements include creating "skip-stop" service. (Unfunded)
      • Add about 20 Metro Transit Police officers assigned to the Metrobus Enforcement Division.
      • Expand the Metrobus Enforcement Division effort again with an additional 20 officers in fiscal 2008. (Unfunded)
      • Enhance security at all bus facilities on a 24/7 basis. (Unfunded)
    • Metrorail Highlights:
      • Add 110 new rail cars into service.
      • Introduce eight-car train service.
      • Provide regular weekday service during Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day. (Unfunded)
      • Provide six-car train service on the Red, Orange, Green and Blue lines in the off peak hours and weekends year round. (Unfunded)
      • Among the proposed highlights in Metro’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget are:
    • Infrastructure Renewal Program:
      • Continue rehabilitating older rail cars that are restored to "like-new" conditions.
      • Continue rehabilitation of escalators and elevators.
      • Continue to maintain passenger facilities in a state of good repair.
    • Metro Matters Bus Program:
      • Procure and deliver of 50 new expansion buses on top of the nearly 400 new replacement buses to be put into service by July 2006.
      • Continue activities for a new Metrobus maintenance facility.
      • Improve bus passenger information systems and bus stops.
    • Metro Matters Rail Program:
      • Continue maintenance and rail yard storage facility improvements.
      • Continue system improvements including traction power to accommodate eight-car trains.
      • Continue automatic train control eight-car train precision stopping tests.
    • System Expansion Program/System Access Program:
      • Completion of Ballston Metrorail station phase I enhancements.
      • Continue project development on Columbia Pike alternatives analysis.

    Metro’s Board Budget Committee will review the proposed budgets over the next six months.

    The full Board will make its final recommendations on the budget next June. The fiscal 2007 budget will take effect July 1, 2006.

News release issued on December 28, 2005.