Comments on Innovation resistance at Metro, part 3: Missing the forest for the trees - Greater Greater Washington

Comment by Squalish

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:28:53 EDT

I invite you to inspect the dollar auction for background on why spending $500k to decide whether something that benefits riders should be free is a bad idea. This is a very similar predicament to that posed by defense contracting R&D.

Comment by shy

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:57:06 EDT

So, how does one apply for the $500,000 IP valuation contract?
Can this website apply as a group project?

Comment by James

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:26:14 EDT

@Jason: I brought this up with Catoe at the last lunchtime chat. Here is his response:

Hello Falls Church. Route and schedule data can be downloaded for Web application development. As of late March, anyone could download technological data about Metrorail and Metrobus routes, stops and schedules from our Web site. The raw data is available in a coded format that can be used by anyone who wants to turn the information into a usable computer application, including businesses and Web masters. Still, for the average Metro rider, the best way to get up-to-date and accurate bus and rail information is to visit our Web site. Users of the information must agree to our terms of use before they can download the information, which includes exempting the transit agency from liability. That goes for Google too. The user also is responsible for keeping the information up-to-date and accurate. Users can sign up for RSS feeds to be notified when the raw data has changed.

The problem with the lunctime chat is that Metro can simply ignore any comments that it wants. There is no indication as to how many people are asking a specific question. It is much harder to ignore a crowd in person.

Comment by JTS

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:58:04 EDT

yeah I may just make it myself. full disclosure: not my idea. Saw a cammo t-shirt in philly with the SEPTA logo on it at their 15th/market station on the El. Excellent T-shirt that was a hot commodity for a while

Comment by metronic

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:55:16 EDT

Metro has sold logo apparel and the like before, through its website. My understanding is that the take was minimal. I know that few years ago NJ Transit found it was actually losing money by operating a retail store in the Newark station.

As for advertising, I would like to more. One way to open this up would be allow small advertisers (like a local business) to put a single small ad in a single Metro car. New York allows this, but in DC, its pretty much an all (rent out the entire car or at least one of the big postes) or nothing approach.

By the way, my Metro car this morning was sponsored by the CIA. They are recruiting for police officers and had ads on the outside of the car.

Comment by Jason

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:56:37 EDT

@James: Catoe is doing a lunchtime chat on Friday. We should get a protest on there if all the "GTFO Catoe" people don't attack first!

Comment by James

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:18:39 EDT

We should stage a protest at the next Board meeting. Maybe if enough people show up to voice their opinions, Metro will come to realize what it's customers want.

Comment by JTS

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:43:24 EDT

I, for one, would love a cammo T-shirt with the Metro logo in neon orange, and would pay as much as 20 dollars for said shirt.

Great article, David. It's quite clear that decisions such as these are made by bureacracies and not by individuals. Let's hope for the best, but I do believe that this is a 'kicking and screaming' situation where WMATA will sign up but only after truly being the last to the party. We need some more vision at WMATA (hint hint: WMATA Bike Share a la DB Bike Share).

Comment by Allen Greenberg

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:24:27 EDT

Great points overall. I often feel that Metro management loses perspective at times and this posting said it far better than I could.

Comment by Alex B.

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:08:19 EDT

One comment:

Do we know the full scope of the $500,000 study? For that kind of money, I would expect a consultant to be looking at all sorts of revenue opportunities for Metro - more advertising in stations, buses, trains, etc. Selling and promoting Metro-licensed apparel, as you see in New York and other places.

That doesn't change the conclusion of the article, but I think there are some areas where Metro could be gaining more revenue that absolutely are worth investigating.