All Metro Wants For Christmas Is...

Richard White, CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, has made a New Year's resolution: Better customer-focused service for rail, bus, and para-transit users. It has been a rough year for Metro, with increasing delays, drivers walking off the job, failing infrastructure, colliding trains, and a recent suicide death in the system. Mr. White blames the majority of his organization's problems on its lack of funding. "My gut tells me we're at a situation driven about 75 percent by funding deferrals and 25 percent under the control of the organization," Mr. White said during a year-end sit-down with reporters. Things may be looking up, though. A blue ribbon panel recently released its recommendation for a regional sales tax to permanently fund transit. "That was a very bold step," Mr. White said. Metro has accomplished a great deal in 2004, opening three new stations and ordering 184 new rail cars. White recently said at a town hall meeting that Metro is shifting its focus from construction to customer service in order to improve the transit system's image and reputation in the Washington community.

Thanks to Peter Buryk