Catoe Takes Stock as Metro's Woes Add Up

IN THE MIDST of Tuesday's massive morning Metrorail delays, General Manager John Catoe said he got an earful from some customers: "'Get it fixed,'" the transit chief said one told him. "And that's what we have to do."

Of course, that's easier said than done. While on a normal day, 96 percent of Metrorail trips go off without a hitch, "that four percent can be irritating." And Tuesday, more than four percent of riders were irritated.

Catoe credits the media — which he had coincidentally gathered for a status report on his first 100 days as general manager just as delays rippled across Metrorail — for raising his profile around the region. In Los Angeles, where he was the No. 2 transit chief, public transportation was more of a footnote to the local news. Not so in Washington, where he'll hear personally about problems because he uses public transportation for 97 percent of his trips around town.

This morning, the headlines point to mounting problems for the transit agency.

Tuesday's system-wide delays, which in particular caused grief for Green Line commuters during the height of the morning rush, happened as the system's usage numbers increase. And as The Post's Lena H. Sun reports, Metro has been facing a shortage of rail cars during rush hours, due to a number of mechanical problems and related delays:

[Catoe] has called the shortage "unacceptable," and agency officials said they hope to have additional cars available for regular service by the end of the week. Officials said they are working with Alstom Transport, which has a $323.4 million contract to build 184 cars and a separate deal to rehabilitate many older models, to address Metro's needs.

During the media gathering, Catoe said that apologies only carry so much weight, and that swift action and long-term planning are needed to address the top problems.

Catoe said he's prioritized Metro's needs. First and foremost is improving safety and security for Metro personnel and commuters who use the system daily. His second priority is improving the system's aging mechanical and operations systems. While he could not specifically quantify how much work the system needs, it likely adds up to "a couple of billions" in investment.

Overall, Catoe said that he's been moving the agency from one that built the original system to one that is maintaining and upgrading it, moving "the emphasis to operations." Replacing cable conduits (all those cables you see in tunnels) and traction power systems (which power trains) across the system is on the current agenda.

Catoe admitted that Metro faces many difficult challenges on the maintenance front, since transit technology has changed and matters that may seem tiny — like finding spare parts for repairs and upgrades — can be difficult.

Lastly, Catoe said that public areas of the transit system are physically deteriorating with age. Such "cosmetic" needs are of lowest priority at the current time, but Catoe says he wants to keep the system clean and visually appealing as soon as other, more pressing service needs are met.

Some other matters on Catoe's mind ...

» FARE INCREASES: While there is no fare increase planned for the rest of the year, Catoe said he plans to bring a new "fare adjustment" policy to Metro's board by the end of 2007. While that won't trigger an immediate hike, it would lay out a plan on how to institute fare increases, perhaps tied to inflation or other economic indicators. Metro has a history of going many years without fare hikes only to push a large one on commuters all at once. One strategy might be to have smaller, more frequent fare increases.

» CONGESTION PRICING: Last year, before Catoe moved to D.C., Metro had considered a scheme for congestion pricing in which commuters would be charged extra to enter or exit at busy stations in the District and Virginia. Catoe said while he hasn't ruled such a plan out, he doesn't favor it, calling it "too confusing" for commuters to figure out.

» CARPETING IN TRAINS: Catoe said that carpeting in Metrorail train cars is not well suited for Washington's climate. Not only can carpet get dirty easily, is it very expensive to maintain. Commuters should expect to see more rail cars in the near term that will test new flooring materials.

» ADVERTISING: The new budget was designed with more advertising in the system in mind. So commuters should prepare to see ads popping up where they might not have been before, such as blank pillars.

» "Heavy Green Line Delays During Outage" [WaPo]
» "Railcar Woes Leave Metro Lacking Trains at Rush Hours" [WaPo]

Photos by Michael Williamson/The Washington Post and Melina Mara/The Washington Post"

Posted By Michael Grass at 9:57 AM on June 20, 2007 Tagged in Free Ride , Maryland , News , The District , Top Stories , Transit , Virginia

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