Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 24, 2010
Metro Board approves FY2011 operating budget to maintain services, continue focus on safety and reliability
Budget focuses on safety, service reliability, keeping up with a state of good repair
Metro’s Board of Directors approved a $1.4 billion operating budget for FY2011 today, June 24, that provides financial stability for Metro, which will enable the nation’s fourth largest transit agency to maintain customer services while continuing to focus on safety and reliability. Many transit agencies across the nation have been forced to cut services as a result of tight economic times.
The balanced budget was developed as a result of a combination of higher contributions from the local jurisdictions that fund Metro; the borrowing of some capital funds for preventive maintenance; and a fare increase that was developed in response to overwhelming customer preference for a fare increase over service reductions. The fare increase will go into effect in two phases, the first on June 27 and the second on August 1.
Among the changes to take effect in August, the Board today also approved a 50 percent reduction in the cost of SmarTrip® cards to $2.50. This marks the first reduction in the price of the cards since SmarTrip® was first introduced in 1999.
“This has been an extraordinarily challenging budget process,” said Peter Benjamin, Chairman of Metro’s Board of Directors. “We listened when our riders told us not to cut services, and to increase the jurisdictions’ contributions. And the jurisdictions came through with increases because of their commitment to public transit. Not one member of this Board wanted to raise fares, but it was necessary even after all of the actions we took to close a substantial budget gap and move forward with a number of safety initiatives.”
The budget, which begins July 1, “includes a strong focus on the agency’s top priority—safety,” said Metro General Manager Richard Sarles. “It includes funds to implement a number of safety priorities and recommendations.” They include:
• Implementing NTSB recommendations regarding safety;
• Developing a safety training and certification program for bus and rail personnel;
• Completing the Railway Worker Protection manual;
• Developing a fatigue management program;
• Developing a suicide intervention program;
• Conducting employee Right of Way training;
• Conducting Transportation Safety Institute training;
• Addressing Federal Transit Administration and Tri-State Oversight Committee audit findings;
• Conducting employee safety training, which will include realistic scenarios;
• Strengthening employee knowledge of rules and rules compliance;
• Developing safety hotlines for anonymous reporting;
• Developing an accident and investigation database;
• Creating a strong internal training tracking database;
• Developing hazard analysis and programs;
• Developing an incident management system to analyze trends and spot issues in advance to minimize the possibility of incidents occurring; and
• Installing additional safety signs at bus and rail divisions.
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News release issued at 5:20 pm, June 24, 2010.