WMATA - proposed FY 2018 budget

[JDC]

Today, Sunday Oct. 30, Metro released what it is calling a 'reality check' proposed budget for FY 2018, which begins July 1, 2017. The proposal includes cutting 1,000 positions and reducing certain employee health care expenses, cutting some low-performing bus routes, and changing Metrorail service and fares.

For Metrorail specifically, the proposal calls for:

• During peak periods, trains would operate every 2-4 minutes at stations served by multiple lines in the system’s core.

• Trains would run every 8 minutes in peak periods instead of every 6 minutes today.

• Service would become more frequent for Blue Line riders, where trains are now scheduled every 12 minutes.

• Rush+ trains would be eliminated.

• During most off-peak periods (e.g. midday, early evening, and weekends) trains would run every 15 minutes on each line.

Full press release is here http://wmata.com/about_metro/news/Press ... aseID=6182

**apologies if this is posted twice - I did it once, and it never went through.

[Sand Box John]

Run fewer trains. Cheap way of eliminating a rolling stock shortage. Take the cars from the trains that never get dispatched and use them to make what's left all 8 car.

[STrRedWolf]

Okay... my questions are:

• How long are Red Line cars already during rush?
• How full are they?

[srepetsk]

Okay... my questions are:

• How long are Red Line cars already during rush?
• How full are they?

21 8-car trains are scheduled during peak periods, out of 41 trains total.

[STrRedWolf]

And since they get jammed full... I'd say this budget isn't going to fly.

[MCL1981]

Everyone is screwed no matter what the budget ends up being.

Nobody wants to pay more to get less. Nobody wants to pay more to get the same. And frankly nobody wants to pay more even if they get more. But without people paying more, the system will always be falling apart, unsafe, and late. Politicians aren't interested in reality. They just want to get re-elected. So the politicians will always fight any increase to make themselves look good in the election years. As such, Metro will never get the money they truly need to get done what truly needs to get done.

Then there are all the dysfunctions that compound the above situation. Outrageously bloated and unrealistic employee compensation. Droves of useless dead weight employees. No ramifications for being useless dead weight. Mid level management that was promoted dead weight, which can't manage their way out of a wet paper bag. Crime goes unchecked because management things MTPD exists solely for revenue collection escort. And the system in a state of disrepair from decades of top level mismanagement that trickled down to all levels. Who would want to pay more for this? Nobody.

I get it. I would accept a rise in fares and the county increases. Because I'm not delusional and I get it costs money to fix. But the general public at large, not so much.

[srepetsk]

Here's the proposed budget: http://wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_d ... 161029.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;