"General Manager John B. Catoe Jr., starting his second year in the job, cited progress with the system's safety and reliability..."

Exactly WHAT sort of "progress" in the system's safety and (especially) reliability does Mr. Catoe have in mind?

On any given day, my commute between Vienna and Foggy Bottom is plagued more often than not by: several trains queueing to service a single station, lack of space to enter trains, and/or train operators who mumble over the PA system as if their mouths are stuffed with cotton.

Ridership numbers mean almost nothing. A short-term blip is irrelevant--clearly a price increase did not lead to more riders. The only change will be long-run, as people adjust and decide that they'd rather drive, or that living near metro isn't as important (because it's not such a bargain). And there's no way to compare the long-run trend to what "would have been" with a lower fare increase.

From Dr. Gridlock: tapawingo, Catoe never said anything remotely like, "I've fixed it. Enjoy." He said some good things have happend, like a "dramatic reduction" in the number of smoke and fire incidents that plagued the rail system last year. Once basic way Metro reduced such incidents: Workers got down on the tracks and picked up the trash that riders have been tossing onto platforms and trackbeds. The workers picked up 3,000 bags of debris in one swoop.

In other areas, Catoe said, progress has been too slow. He talked about the malfunctioning doors and brakes. He said he wants that resolved within three months.

So let me get this right:

Catoe says Metro needs $150 million to make immediate repairs to tracks and start up more 8 line trains.

MWAA/VA/FTA have spent $140 million in studies and preliminary analysis for the Dulles rail boondogle.

Hmm, I wonder....

They picked up 3,000 bags in one swoop? When was the last time they cleaned? That's an impressive number depending on how long the trash has been sitting there. If it was a month or two, then WOW, they did a great job. If it was a year or more, then it's just Metro being Metro and the lazy workers not doing their job. It's expected a reporter would delve into the details a little more instead of taking the company line.

My whole problem with it all is how much some of the people at Metro are paid and do less work than I do when I'm sleeping.

Here is my list of demands of Metro before they get my money back.

1. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Systems are out there that you want to use for farecards, stop trying to create your own. Think of how easy EZ Pass is now that it's working in several states.

2. Finish what you start. There's no reason that an escalator that's down in September, still isn't put together and in order the following June (West Falls Church). If you need the parts, get the parts, then fix it. It's better to have an extra stairwell then nothing at all.

3. Fire the dead-weight. The people who are paid to clean the platforms, station managers, bus drivers, etc. who complain that they have to work will all be happy when they no longer have to work. Cleaning is not a glamorous job, but it does afford you the opportunity to meet people and give you an opportunity to take pride in what you do.

4. Train drivers need to learn to speak clearly. I will teach them myself if need be but if you can't be understood, then you can't guarantee any kind of safety in an emergency situation.

5. Better communication. A delay of 1 minute is a delay, I want to know about it. I don't want to be sitting in a station and have a train not show up, the station manager not know what's going on, then get a call from a friend at another station who has some information because he's there. If something happens, the station manager IMMEDIATELY calls 911, if needed, then a person at Metro designated to take such calls. That person then sends a release to the news stations that there is a delay and notifies the web master to put the information online. If I can have a stat program that updates information in real time, then this would be a cinch to incorporate. Again, use something that's out there.

6. Sell more advertising. I know this sounds like I'm trying to make a billboard out of Metro but I'm not. I think it's ugly on the trains, but if it means paying less to read a few more ads in the dank, dark stations, then fine.

7. Clean the lights. That's why it's so dark in the stations. Run a damp rag over the lights (shutting them off first would be a great safety feature) clearing the grime. They'll look a lot better and passengers will be able to see.

Until then Metro, it was nice knowing you.

I hope you are reading this Mr.Catoe. With all due respect, you have some nerve saying Metro has improved it's reliability.

7-10 minute waits on the orange line during rush hour are common. The trains can be so crowded you can't get on. Their is no consistant schedule and I rarely see a 8 car train. If I pay for rush hour service I expect to get it. I rarely do.

Up since Jan. 6th? That just means people came back from Christmas vacation.

Thanks for the reply, Dr. G., but I will stand by my statement.

Thanks for the reply, Dr. G., but I will stand by my statement.

NO ONE CARES

Thanks for the reply, Dr. G., but I will stand by my statement.

So?

Sorry your commute isn't perfect. Maybe you should drive.

Mr. Catoe's fare increase made riding the Metro pretty much equal in cost to driving. Here's the options as I see them:

1. Ride metro, take 45 minutes to go four miles, standing in a packed subway car that waits between each station because Mr. Catoe is too incompetent to get the Blue Line to zipper with the Orange and Yellow Lines, or

2. Drive 15 minutes across the 14th Street bridge in the comfort of my own car.

You're doin' a heck of a job, Catoe!