FixWMATA

WMATA Week of May 20th

chrisunwired — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:45:54 -0400

All 5 lines get single-tracking overnight work this week. Details here.

Concerned about changes to the 80 bus route? There’s a public meeting this Wednesday, May 22nd, starting at 5:30 PM to hear what you have to say: Metrobus Studies

WMATA Board meetings…

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Poll: Close WMATA Rail on Weekends?

chrisunwired — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:09:00 -0400

~~Take the poll here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P2SPQG5~~

Results:

“Yes - close it till it’s a reliable service again.” - 41

“No - as bad as it is leave it open.” - 59

Your comments:

“Close it down- most don’t even consider using metro on weekends unless they absolutely have to. Shut ‘er down and get the rebuilding done faster.”

“Are you serious?”

“There are plenty of people in the region who don’t have other options. A thirty-minute trip that takes two hours still gets you there SOMEHOW. Point of privilege to suggest otherwise.”

“Yes, but increase bus service”

“Only transport option in my area.”

“Personally I would want them to just close it. But for people who need it to get to work on weekends (as crappy as it is), I wouldn’t want to take that transportation option away from them.”

“Many of us do work/take classes/etc. on weekends! And I don’t really have a lot of optimism that it’ll become a reliable service again, so…”

“Maybe close down specific lines, but WMATA likely doesn’t have the resources to do meaningful work on the entire system at once - or not enough to justify closing the entire system”

WMATA's Pandora "Jingle"

chrisunwired — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:25:00 -0400

Bus Delays

chrisunwired — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:35:34 -0400

Gazette.Net: Local Twitter user frustrated after being blocked by WMATA on Twitter

chrisunwired — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:12:30 -0400

Gazette.Net: Local Twitter user frustrated after being blocked by WMATA on Twitter:

‘The real problem is that they are blocking people at all,’ Barnes said

WMATA Blocks Twitter User, Followers Revolt - via WUSA9

chrisunwired — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:22:19 -0400

WMATA Blocks Twitter User, Followers Revolt - via WUSA9

WHEN WMATA BLOCKS CRITICS ON TWITTER

chrisunwired — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:01:58 -0400

wheninwashington:

https://twitter.com/FixWMATA/status/334639999515516928

Blocked by @WMATA

chrisunwired — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:35:00 -0400

Guess I struck a nerve…

Update via DCist:

Lynn Bowersox, WMATA’s Assistant General Manager for Customer Service, Communications and Marketing, responded to the DCist’s question in a statement: “Our Twitter feed is primarily TO PROVIDE Metro service information for riders. Violating reasonable boundaries of professional, civil discourse with profanity, personal attacks and inaccurate speculation is not a service to riders.”

Red Line Communications

chrisunwired — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:17:33 -0400

ACT to WMATA: Don't Close Stations for Major Events

chrisunwired — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:30:00 -0400

Today Action Committee for Transit (ACT - @actfortransit) issued a press release asking WMATA to reschedule track work that’s set to close, among other stations, College Park station the same weekend of University of Maryland graduation.

ACT says “The College Park closing continues a pattern of Metro ignoring riders’ needs when it schedules weekend maintenance”.

Read the full press release here.

The U of Md spokeswoman I just talked to seemed unaware the station would be closed and of why #wmata closes stations…
— Liz Essley (@lizessley) May 14, 2013

What it all comes down to...

chrisunwired — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:37:27 -0400

Unexpected delays I understand but the absence of communication is so disrespectful and inexcusable @wmata
— Danielle Martineau (@danymarvellous) May 14, 2013

WMATA Track Work: Week of 5/13

chrisunwired — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:53:39 -0400

Week Night Track Work (5/13-5/16)

Weekend Track Work (5/17-5/19)

Social Media Trailblazing: WMATA vs SEPTA

chrisunwired — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:10:00 -0400

(click for MUCH larger image)

Dan Stessel, WMATA’s Twitter Guru, Wants to Make Washington Fall Back in Love with the Metro (8/12/11)

WMATA hires social media manager (7/18/11)

(yes, both are still employed by WMATA)

Red Light Running by DC Metro Buses (by Mike Pulsifer)...

chrisunwired — Sun, 12 May 2013 09:54:39 -0400

Red Light Running by DC Metro Buses (by Mike Pulsifer) #WMATA

Seems like no matter how many times a local TV station shows “shocking” Metro Bus camera footage, no matter how many times drivers are caught reading, talking on phones, or being otherwise distracted these bus drivers continue to think they’re above the law.

Thanks for this video, Mike!

WMATA, what do you plan to do? Your PR bullcrap is wearing thin.

WMATA Board Member Muriel Bowser

chrisunwired — Sat, 11 May 2013 05:03:05 -0400

#WMATAwknd?

Thank you @uber_dc for delivering safely tonight!
— MurielBowser (@MurielBowser) May 11, 2013

WMATA Booted at HQ

chrisunwired — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:17:11 -0400

Even Metro gets a parking boot outside its headquarters. twitter.com/mattackland/st…
— Matt Ackland (@mattackland) May 9, 2013

WHEN I READ THAT SOMEONE HAS BEEN POOPING ON METRO ESCALATORS

chrisunwired — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:54:40 -0400

wheninwashington:

http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2013/05/metro-pooper.html

2 Sides of the Same Coin

chrisunwired — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:28:52 -0400

How 2 media outlets covered recent WMATA safety news:

The Washington Examiner:

Survey: 15 percent of Metro workers scared to report safety problems

WAMU:

Metro Survey Highlights Progress In Promoting Culture Of Safety

How Long Do You Wait for the Blue Line?

chrisunwired — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:57:27 -0400

.@wmata can claim blue line trains run at 6-12-6 intervals all they want. Lately it has been at least 15-20 b/t EVERY train. @unsuckdcmetro
— Terry Carter (@Districtopia) May 9, 2013

Just waited 20 minutes For a Blue Line (no delay), and @wmata has the audacity to call it “Rush Plus.”
— Casey Given (@CaseyJGiven) May 9, 2013

I read the tweets above and wanted to know what was really going on with the Blue Line at McPherson Square. Luckily @mikeyusc has been keeping PIDs data so I asked him for yesterday morning’s Blue Line times at that station and here’s what I found:

On Track 1 (from VA to Largo):

Average Wait: 10 Minutes

On Track 2 (from Largo to VA):

Average Wait: 9 Minutes

Now the most obvious problem here, and I think reason for complaint, is that depending on when you get to the platform you’re waiting anywhere from 1 minute to TWENTY-SEVEN minutes for a Blue Line train. The inconsistency is enough to drive you mad.

Metro's Escalator Reliability

chrisunwired — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:22:04 -0400