Metro News Release
For immediate release: January 8, 2015
Remarks by GM/CEO Richard Sarles
Special Remarks by GM/CEO Richard Sarles
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Mr. Chairman and Board Members,
Thank you all for your kind words. It has been my honor and pleasure to work alongside you these past four years.
Throughout my career, I have tried to live by the Athenian Oath. This code of civic responsibility was first recited 2,000 years ago by the citizens of Athens, but its core message – to always leave a place better than you found it – remains relevant today.
The oath states: "We will ever strive for the ideals and sacred things of the city, both alone and with many, we will increasingly seek to quicken the sense of public duty; we will revere and obey the city's laws; we will transmit this city not only no less, but greater, better and more beautiful that it was transmitted to us."
This oath inspired my mentor the father of public transportation in New Jersey – the Honorable Lou Gambaccini – early in his career. And he, in turn, encouraged me and countless others to consider our own obligations as public servants.
Here at Metro I feel confident that the state of operations – both customer operations and internal operations – has improved; and we are achieving a higher standard of performance than five years ago.
Safety is top of mind for all employees throughout the Authority, and we continue the painstaking work needed to bring the rail and bus systems to a state of good repair.
But the most important legacy that I leave is the strong leadership team in place today to continue the work of serving our riders and meeting the goals laid out by the Board.
A number of projects have been set in motion that offer promise for the future of Metro.
From the arrival of the 7000-series railcars to the Customer Care program that is still in its early stages, Metro must continue working to be responsive to its riders and committed to delivering quality service.
Facing tough budget times ahead, Metro can never go back to the bad old days of disinvestment that jeopardized safety and reliability. Investments must continue, and continued expansion where that makes sense, such as Silver Line phase 2, will greatly benefit the economy of this region.
Metro’s intermodal system is critical to the creation of jobs, the locating of centers of employment, retail and all economic development in the national capital region.
Recognizing this, the business community has thrown its support behind transit investments, and I’d like to thank the region’s business leaders for their efforts on our behalf. The business community in this region understands and supports public transportation more actively than anywhere in this country, and it matters.
They know a great business investment when they see it – and they understand that expanding capacity using existing infrastructure is a cost effective way to drive growth for the remainder of this decade and beyond. Their continuing support for all eight-car trains and enhanced bus service will be critical to Metro’s success.
These are no small tasks, but with the support of so many outstanding stakeholders – including loyal riders, the dedicated and incredibly hard working Board of Directors, and the focus of our extraordinary, professional leadership team, Metro can achieve these goals.
I’d like to close with an important reminder from someone I have long admired who made a difference while he was here in Washington, Theodore Roosevelt. He captured what I think it takes to enact change and to achieve success.
His famous “Man in the Arena” quote reminds us that you can’t stand on the sidelines and expect something to happen. You must take risks; and in taking those risks, you must be prepared for failure.
Roosevelt said: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.”
He tells us that the person to admire is the one who dares greatly. Only he who dares will know the triumph of achievement; and if he fails, Roosevelt said, at least he failed “while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
I think everyone is this room has dared greatly. And I thank you for the opportunity to serve with you for these last four years.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my final remarks.
News release issued at 4:39 pm, January 8, 2015.