Since Metro is doing track work nearly every weekend on the system, we essentially have 20-minute headways now... not sure making it official will make much of a difference.

But in all seriousness, weekend trains are sometimes more crowded than during weekday rush hour. I've already reduced how much I use Metro on the weekends for exactly this reason, and will likely continue to use it less through the spring and summer. Yay for Capital Bikeshare.

by Adam L on May 5, 2011 12:06 pm • link • report

1. Get rid of the bus discount to E-O-T-R.

2. Get rid of DC public school students riding for free.

3. Is the reason for the new maturity at WMATA the board or the GM?

by charlie on May 5, 2011 12:10 pm • link • report

There is a chance to begin an honest dialogue about priorities among elected officials and the public.

There is so much wrong in that phrase I can't even start to dissect it...

But keep on hoping...

by Jasper on May 5, 2011 12:13 pm • link • report

@charlie:
"Get rid of DC public school students riding for free."

1. We (DCPS Students) don't ride for free, its $30 a month.
2. Metro does not provide the subsidy, the District of Columbia does.
3. The reason for the subsidy is because of buses to our city's schools.

Would you rather have us driving ourselves to school (like those in the 'burbs) and having such high rates of teenage ca accidents?

You did not mention this, but one commonly cited reason against us using the system is high crime rates. Out of the top ten stations for crime, only two stations are in the District, the only place our subsidized farecards work.

by thedofc on May 5, 2011 12:59 pm • link • report

New Carrollton Station is not located in Hyattsville (http://hyattsville.org/index.aspx?nid=458). Aside from that, thanks for the post.

by Phil LaCombe on May 5, 2011 1:34 pm • link • report

The address of the site where the hearing is happening is Hyattsville, MD.

by David Alpert on May 5, 2011 1:56 pm • link • report

Remove the bus discount.
Remove buses that exactly copy existing train lines.
Create new bus lines to neighborhoods that aren't currently served.
Add express buses to try to skim off the slug lines.
Tax the crap out of downtown parking/garages.

by eb on May 5, 2011 3:50 pm • link • report

This was not leadership. Leadership would have been to do something about the out of control cost structure that is creating the same recurring problem every year. When someone addresses the gold plated health benefits and pensions that WMATA gives it's employees at the expense of everyone who lives in the area, then we should complement the leadership. All they do now is figure out how much money they need and then threaten to cut service unless someone comes up with more money. This annual extortion won't stop until WMATA and the area's governments step up and show some real leadership rather than simply pushing the problem out to the next budget cycle.

by Jim on May 5, 2011 4:41 pm • link • report

@Jim

+1

by Adam L on May 5, 2011 5:01 pm • link • report

The implication here is that WMATA has wrung out all the efficiency in the system that it can, which I find hard to believe. Of course, doing that involves taking on the unions, and none of the liberals involved in the discussion seem to have much of an appetite for that.

by Stephen Smith on May 5, 2011 5:37 pm • link • report

@Stephen Smith

There's also the fact that doing something to control costs by addressing labor issues has a long time horizon and would do little to address a budget gap in the current fiscal year.

by Alex B. on May 5, 2011 5:48 pm • link • report

@ Stephen Smith--

Of course, doing that involves taking on the unions, and none of the liberals involved in the discussion seem to have much of an appetite for that.

True. But baby steps. Hopefully liberals will take on the union, at least in their own way.

(The snarky side of me wants to say Rome wasn't deregulated in a day)

by WRD on May 5, 2011 5:50 pm • link • report

@WRD

As I recall, it took some 500 years and a handful of Visigoths. After that, deregulation was a snap.

(Sorry.)

by Ser Amantio di Nicolao on May 5, 2011 6:04 pm • link • report

I have to agree with Jim. They haven't displayed leadership, as far as I can see, that exceeds what their duties are. I don't even consider their efforts as meeting the obligation of their roles. I do acknowledge that this level of performance is above what they have shown previously but it is still below what it should be. If I were evaluating their performance as their employer I couldn't rate them as 'meets expectations' and I'd have to put them on a performance correction plan.

I also agree with Stephen Smith. WMATA hasn't even scratched the surface of boosting efficiency from a service perspective or a monetary perspective. We all must remember that the largest cost to running a train is the driver. Eliminate the drivers and have the trains run under central control and you can increase frequency at off time / late hours and potentially at a net gain vs. current costs.

I have to disagree with Stephen Smith's statement about liberals. I'm fairly darn liberal but I'd love to see the WMATA union busted, Jacky 'You must believe in slavery!' Jeter fired, and their benefits rescinded. The workers do need reasonable benefits so they have the same opportunity as everyone else to make a good living but the 1950's style benefits are inappropriate.

by James on May 6, 2011 10:12 am • link • report

@ thedofc; given how fat DC public school students are, I suggest all of you start walking. I really don't want to pay for your medical care, welfare, and child support later.

by charlie on May 6, 2011 10:18 am • link • report

Metro is considering the complete elimination of the E6 bus (Chevy Chase line) between Friendship Heights and Knollwood (a retirement residence on Oregon Avenue). Hundreds of riders depend on this bus route every day. It meets the needs of residents who may not own a car or want to drive; it allows many seniors, in particular, to get to their physicians on Wisconsin Avenue; it allows commuters to get to work in downtown DC, Maryland, and to connect to other parts of the DC metro region; it allows access to shopping near Chevy Chase Circle, including the Broad Branch Market, Safeway, and Magruders; and, it brings many people to the Chevy Chase Library and Community Center. Finally, it permits students to use the bus to get to school including Lafayette Elementary School and St. Johns. Years ago, the E6 bus also ran on weekends. Now it is a Monday to Friday service only. Its elimination will directly affect the lives of hundreds of citizens that reside in Ward 3 and Ward 4 and their visitors as well as workers that provide services to the homeowners that live along the bus route (e.g., housekeepers, nannies, and others). If the proposal is approved bus service could also be discontinued for the K1 bus (Takoma-Walter Reed Line) and the N8 bus (Tenleytown-Glover Park Loop Line). Notably, no other bus routes in the city would be discontinued only those in upper Northwest DC.

An immediate concern is lack of visibility and public transparency on this issue (it's a "who knew" proposal). Although the Metro Board voted on this issue in March, no signage whatsoever has been posted by DDOT or Metro alerting riders along the route that they may lose their bus service in September. Why hasn't WMATA or DDOT posted signs at the bus stops, at Friendship Heights, and on each of the E6 buses, letting riders know that the Chevy Chase line could be eliminated? Why hasn't the public hearing notice been posted at Friendship Heights or on the impacted Metro buses? That information is only available on Metro's website (BTW, a public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 17, at St. Mary's Armenian Church in NW DC). Similarly, I suspect no signage has been posted along the K1 or N8 routes. Not many of us go to Metro's website on a daily basis to check whether DDOT/WMATA is considering the elimination of our bus service. This makes it hard for the public to voice their concerns and undermines the idea of public openness.

Despite all of these impediments, citizens have stumbled onto this proposal. On April 25, more than 150 people came together to voice their opposition to the plan at the Chevy Chase advisory neighborhood commission meeting. Also, concerned riders are circulating a petition to retain the E6 bus line and have already garnered over 500 signatures.

The proposed plan is also ill-timed. Gas prices are higher than ever (already over $4.00 in many places and seem to be trending to $5.00 or more). More people might opt for public bus transportation as a result. In areas like DC Chevy Chase demographics show a shift to older residents that depend on public transportation for their mobility. Access to metrobus should be made easier rather than harder, which could, of course, increase ridership. Finally, all citizens of DC should have access to public transportation, including those residents that live in upper Northwest. Increasingly, this community is being shut out and one day might lose all of its access to Metrobus services. Some areas of the District, like parts of upper Northwest, might become completely automobile dependent.

by Michaela on May 8, 2011 5:11 pm • link • report

@ Michaela--

Now we see why running WMATA is so difficult. They have staff that looks at usage, cost, and alternatives. They decided cutting these lines is best. As terrible as it is to lose this service, cuts elsewhere would have to be worse.

As a resident of this area, I can't say I'm happy the service is being cut. But Metro's management deserves our trust. (If they don't live up to that, we should kick them out) It's our turn. I think complains along your lines are transit NIMBYism, pure and simple.

WMATA needs to cut and no cuts will be popular. It's easy to rally around services lost, but who will pay? How are we going to fund the system?

Having an independent group of people make these cuts based on measurable merit isn't perfect. WMATA certainly has accountability problems in the past. But I trust politicians to make these decisions even less.

There is another option, too. On Tuesday, MD State Reps. from District 16 will be holding a meeting at Bethesda library at 7:30pm. They're the ones we need to hold accountable for providing WMATA's management with the tools necessary to do a good job. Maryland--and especially this part of Maryland--isn't stepping up to the plate. The representatives in Annapolis should be held responsible.

by WRD on May 8, 2011 6:18 pm • link • report

Its not an issue of NYMBISM, its an issue of fairness and access at a time when people need public transportation more than ever. At the recent meeting with officials from DDOT/WMATA it was clear they did not understand our community and the necessity of the bus service. We are a group of citizens that truly support the objective of access to good public transportation. Instead of working with us to ensure that all citizens of the community have good access to a solid transportation network, all that has happened in recent years is an erosion of service. Bus service in upper NW has already been cut by Metro so we've taken hits. This is just one more.

The way DDOT/WMATA have handled this issue indicates that WMATA staff is not interested in input from riders. They have opted to make decisions without feedback from those of us affected by the reduction in service by ensuring that they receive as little feedback on the elimination of the service as possible. They refer to the matter as an "adjustment" and do nothing to raise public awareness of their proposal (or has the decision already been made effectively rendering public hearings like those scheduled later this month a sham?) Additionally, we have been paying for this service by the fare increases in recent years and I am certain WMATA will raise those fares again soon on all riders, whether or not they cut a small route like the E6.

IMO, cutting a popular bus route like the E6 is short sighted and will only make Metro's problems worse as committed Metro bus riders are forced to turn away from public transportation.

by Michaela on May 8, 2011 6:53 pm • link • report

I am tired of subsidizing mass transit through my absurdly high property taxes etc.

by Brenda on May 9, 2011 2:57 am • link • report

@Brenda:
I am tired of subsidizing roads through my absurdly high taxes.

by Matt Johnson on May 9, 2011 6:49 am • link • report

Matt beat me to it.

@Brenda, you realize that single occupancy automobiles, roads and fuel receive incredible amounts of subsidies, no?

Is this the most efficient use of government dollars and credits?

by William on May 9, 2011 6:54 am • link • report

I think Brenda's sentiment is quite common--though incredibly misguided. I still think we should have a single day every year (call it "Transit Day") where WMATA just shuts down: no bus service, not rail.

As it is now, there are a lot of folks who take transit, and so are kind of incapable of appreciating the fact that it's only transit that makes the area's roadways even remotely workable. Without transit, the region's drivers would blow their brains out within a week.

by oboe on May 9, 2011 10:20 am • link • report

First, Brenda, how much of the increase in your property values are due to access to transit? I don't know where you live, but the answer could be a lot or nothing...

To read into Brenda's comments broadly and generously, I do think it's worth asking:

Are we funding WMATA using the right mix of taxes and fees? Not just pure levels but also which taxes fund transit?

by WRD on May 9, 2011 11:07 am • link • report