Metro News Release
For immediate release: February 1, 2006
Metro names winner of Doors Closing Voice contest
New voice to be heard on Metrorail this month
The voice of Randi Miller soon will become familiar to the hundreds of thousands of commuters who ride Metrorail each day.
Metro selected Miller from 1,259 official entries to the "Doors Closing Voice 2006" contest. Miller, of Woodbridge, Va., works for an auto dealership, and will not receive any monetary compensation from Metro for winning the contest. Her voice will be heard on select trains later this month. After field testing, the new voice will be heard systemwide this spring.
Metro is seeking a fresh voice and new sound that will make rail riders take notice, and exit and board trains quickly and safely.
"We repeatedly observe passengers treating the current announcement and chime like a yellow light on a traffic signal. They run for the doors when they hear it, rather than stepping back and letting the doors close," said Jim Hughes, Acting Assistant General Manager for Operations. "We hope the change in voice and message will get people’s attention and change their behavior to make for a smoother, faster trip for everyone."
In addition to changing the voice heard on trains, the messages have been modified as well. The new messages are:
1) Chime. The doors are opening. Please stand back so customers may exit the train. When boarding please move to the center of the car.
2) Chime. For your safety, please step back. The doors are closing in 3,2,1. Chime.
3) (To be played if doors can not close after second message.) Chime. Please stand back to allow the doors to close.
Three industry professionals: Leann Landry, Metro manager of advertising and promotions, Adam Chism, senior copywriter, Laughlin, Marinaccio & Owens (LM&O), Metro’s advertising agency, and Doris McMillon, president, McMillon Communications, selected the new Doors Closing Voice this morning. They listened to studio recordings made last week by the 10 finalists selected by Metro. The judges based their votes on vocal quality, versatility, enunciation and elocution.
The judges also selected Linda Carducci, Vienna, Va., as a runner-up in the competition. Though only Miller will make the official "doors closing" announcement, all 10 finalists will be invited to record station announcements related to improving the flow of passengers through Metrorail stations.
Changing the "doors closing" voice on Metrorail trains is one part of a campaign to improve the flow of passengers through trains and stations. Additional efforts include more frequent station and train announcements asking riders not to block the doors and move to the center of rail cars, stationing extra employees on busy platforms to help in crowded conditions, and studying the removal of seats and reconfiguration of handrails on rail cars to allow for more standing room and better flow into and out of rail cars. Metro also plans to test directional signs on platform floors indicating where to stand while waiting for a train in an effort to expedite the exiting and boarding process. That test will take place at Union Station, Gallery Pl-Chinatown and Metro Center stations.
News release issued on February 1, 2006.