Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Performance Oversight Questions1
I.
Agency Organization
1. Please provide a complete, up-to-date organizational chart for each division within
WMATA including, either attached or separately, an explanation of the roles and
responsibilities for each division and subdivision.



Please include a list of the employees (name and title) for each subdivision and
the number of vacant positions.
Please provide a narrative explanation of any organizational changes made
during the previous year.
Please describe the major functions and responsibilities of each division and
subdivision of WMATA.
Answer: Explanation of roles and responsibilities of each division can be found in
the WMATA FY2013 Approved Budget, Chapter V, Departmental Budgets located at
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Approved_FY2013_Annual_Budget.pdf
1
Please note that all references to fiscal year refer to WMATA’s fiscal year, which starts on July 1 st.
II.
Human Resources
2. Please provide a complete, up-to-date position listing for WMATA, which includes
the following information:
 Title of position
 Name of employee or statement that the position is vacant, unfunded, or
proposed.
 For each vacant position, how long has it been vacant and what is the status to
fill the position.
 Date employee began in position
 Salary and fringe, including the specific grade, series, and step of position
 Job status (continuing/term/temporary/contract)
Please list this information by program and activity
Answer: To be provided
3. In FY12 and FY13 to date, how many vacancies did WMATA post, how many were
filled, and how many positions are currently vacant? What has WMATA done to
improve hiring efficiency?
Answer: See the attached charts; we currently have 843 vacancies. See
attachments 3a and 3b
Human Resources has taken steps to improve hiring efficiency in the following ways:





Re-engineered the recruitment process to enable expedited interviewing and
hiring
Engaged 3rd party medical screening partner to enable same-day medical
screening
Implemented streamline compensation approval processes
Expanded sourcing capabilities to include increased leverage of social media,
virtual events, passive candidate mining, new and niche job boards, etc.
Established a dedicated recruitment function comprised of professional recruiters
and sourcing specialists, including dedicated headcount for military and
multicultural recruitment.
4. Please provide the average salary for administrative and managerial staff.
Managerial staff are those who direct or supervise another employee or a significant
component of a project.
Answer: Managerial Average including ELT: $125,140
Managerial Average without ELT: $121,422
Administrative Average: $54,033
Please note that this data was pulled using the Affirmative Action Plan Codes.
2
5. What number and percent of your employees are District residents? Does WMATA
have a written policy to increase the hiring of District residents? If so, please provide
a copy of the policy. Please describe the methods used by WMATA to increase the
hiring of District residents.
Answer: Over the past two years, we have exerted greater time and effort to recruit
DC residents and have responded with dedicated recruitment activities on behalf of
DC.
Such efforts have included:
 Participation in DC sponsored job fairs and employment panels;
 Providing WMATA resources for bi-weekly testing sessions on-site at DC
DOES headquarters through most of 2012;
 Priority inclusion of DC DOES referred applicants in testing sessions and/or
interview events;
 Posting of Metro jobs throughout the DOES “One-Stop” system; and
 Dedicated information sessions and/or instructions on how to apply for Metro
positions, upon request.
WMATA
Count of DC Residents By Job Category
Report Date:
1/15/2013
Row Labels
Administrative Personnel
Bus Operators
Engineers & Technicians
Maintenance Workers
Police & Security
Station Managers
Train Operators
Grand Total
Count
278
602
276
160
49
108
89
1,562
6. Does WMATA currently conduct annual performance evaluations of all its
employees? Who conducts such evaluations? What steps are taken to ensure that
all agency employees are meeting individual job requirements? What steps are
taken to train and/or discipline employees who do not meet individual job
requirements?
Answer:
a. Metro conducts annual performance planning and appraisals on nonrepresented employees and The Office and Professional Employee
International Union (Local 2) employees. International Brotherhood of
Teamsters – Law Enforcement Division (Local 639), Amalgamated Transit
Union (Local 689), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Local 922) &
3
Fraternal Order of Police collective bargaining agreements do not require
annual employee performance planning and appraisals.
b. Immediate supervisors conduct annual performance planning and appraisals
which are then reviewed and approved by the respective manager.
c. Non-represented and Local 2 employees annual performance planning and
appraisals are designed to track employee performance and progress based
on Metro’s strategic goals. Job standards, performance goals, and measures
are established annually and are then evaluated at the conclusion of the
performance cycle.
d. For employees who do not meet individual performance targets, new
performance plans are developed with targeted activities identified to support
and improve areas needing improvement.
7. Does your staff participate in ethics training? Please describe.
Answer: The Board of Directors has adopted Standards of Conduct for employees
which address ethics standards. Employees whose annual salaries exceed $50,000,
or whose duties entail procurement or program oversight responsibilities are
required to file an annual disclosure form. The annual disclosure forms are reviewed
by the employee’s supervisor and referred to the Office of General Counsel for
further review, if appropriate, i.e., if a potential conflict has been identified. The
Office of the Inspector General investigates allegations concerning violations of the
Standards of Conduct. On-line computer based training is available to inform new
and existing employees of their obligations and responsibilities under the Standards
of Conduct. Currently, WMATA staff are developing the procedures necessary to
implement mandatory annual training for employees who are required to file annual
disclosure forms.
8. Please provide the Committee with:
 A list of all employees who receive cell phones, personal digital assistants,
IPads, or similar communications devices at agency expense;
Answer: See attached policy, Attachment 8a, on voice and data communication
technology.

A list of all vehicles owned, leased, or otherwise used by WMATA and to whom
the vehicle is assigned;
 A list of employee bonuses or special award pay granted in FY12 and FY13, to
date;
Answer: Please see Attachment 8b & 8c

A list of travel expenses, arranged by employee; and
4
FISCAL YR
NUM OF EMPLOYEES
TOTAL EXPENSE(1)
FY12
291
$501,260.05
FY13 Qtr 1 &2
156
$194,512.46
Total
447
695,772.51
(1) Total includes travel reimbursement expenses, airline/train, rental car, agency
fees

A list of the total overtime and workers’ compensation payments paid in FY 12
and FY13, to date.
Answer:
Total Overtime
FY12= $84.4M
Workers Comp (Claims Paid) FY12=$20.2M
FY13 Jan YTD= $48.7M
FY13 Jan YTD=$14.9M
9. What is the current status of collective bargaining agreements with each union for
employees of WMATA, including the dates they expire and the status of efforts to
negotiate renewals?
Answer: We do not comment on ongoing labor negotiations.
10. How much will each 1 percentage point increase in a labor settlement cost WMATA?
Answer: 1% increase in labor settlements = $9.1 million increased cost to WMATA.
This amount includes payroll-related fringe benefit costs.
11. Please summarize WMATA’s fatigue management program, including efforts in
FY12 and FY13 to date.
Answer: Please see link to WMATA Board Presentation on Fatigue Risk
Management System.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/120612_III.B.Fa
tigueRiskManagement.pdf
5
III.
Budget
12. Please provide a chart showing WMATA’s approved operating and capital budgets
and actual spending, by program, for FY12 and FY13, to date. In addition, please
describe any variance between fiscal year appropriations and actual expenditures
for FY12 and FY13, to date.
Answer: Attached monthly reports detailing budget and actual spending for
December 2012 and 2013 (Responses Q12.pdf). See attachment 12
13. What steps, if any, have been taken during FY12 and FY13, to date, to reduce the
following:
Answer:
 Space utilization;
Metro has reorganized its work spaces to provide more modular work areas
thereby decreasing the square-foot-per-person ratio at its headquarters. We have
undertaken a space reallocation study throughout the organization.
The opening of the Shepherd Parkway Bus Facility in late September, 2012
provided a modern facility with all the amenities needed to maintain equipment
and prepare operators for providing service. Currently, there are over 160 buses
assigned to this facility. As a result of the opening, WMATA was able to reduce
the number of buses assigned to the three other District facilities by over 60. As
a result the overcrowding of facilities has been eliminated at Northern, Western
and Bladensburg which has produced improved conditions for maintaining
vehicles and generating timely transit service.

Communications costs;
Metro’s communication program provides the following services:
- Internet connectivity
- Off network administrative building connections
- Point of sales networks
- Primary and backup data services
- Traditional telephone services
- Emergency telephone services
- Vehicle AVL and operations networks
We have an ongoing program to manage our communication cost by performing
the following activities:
•
Monthly invoice audits to identify billing errors
•
Ongoing contract reviews to compare contract price to current market
prices and either cancel contracts or renegotiate the rates
•
Ongoing service audits to identify obsolete services for cancellation
6
•
Implemented new invoice management system to facilitate monthly
invoice audits
The above activities have resulted in a reduction of $385,000.00 (includes onetime $70,000 credit) in FY13 cost.

Energy use;
See attached memo to Board (Responses Q13c.pdf) See attachment 13

Overtime pay; and
A cross-departmental team has been assembled to reduce Metro’s overtime
expenses. This team is led by Deputy General Mangers for Operations and
Administration and is reviewing existing processes, controls and reporting
tools to allow management to better control overtime usage.

Legal liability and associated legal costs.
All actions directed by the General Manager and undertaken by the Authority
to improve safety and to maintain the rail and bus systems have the potential
for reducing legal liability and the costs associated with liability. WMATA’s
greatest exposure comes from its bus and rail operations; relatively few
litigation matters arise in other areas (e.g. employment, civil rights) and the
costs associated with non-operational claims are not significant in comparison
to the injuries and costs that can result from bus or rail accidents. Of special
note as measures which will likely reduce liability are: (1) the enhancement of
the capabilities and role of the Safety Office, (2) safety performance
monitoring and the elevation of safety issues to the highest levels (3) the use
of Drive Cam in bus operations as a training tool and (4) the development of
the Loss of Shunt Tool (patent application pending) in rail operations. With the
exception of the Red Line litigation, the bulk of litigation matters (both liability
and Workers’ Compensation) are handled by in house litigators, with the
outside counsel budget remaining fairly constant over the years and
comprising a very small percentage (4-6%) of the Office of General Counsel
budget.
14. Please identify all legislative requirements that WMATA lacks sufficient resources to
implement properly.
Answer: Intended for D.C. agencies. We are currently implementing all District of
Columbia Council legislative requirements.
7
15. Please describe WMATA’s efforts to utilize federal funding sources and other
alternative funding sources.
Answer: On a daily basis, we monitor federal opportunities released from DOT
(Office of the Secretary); FTA; DHS; DOJ; EPA (HQ and Region 3); DOE and CMAQ
opportunities.
We periodically seek participation with state/local programs; especially for EPA
water funds that we cannot receive directly.
We also monitor funding announcements in various journals of philanthropy.
Occasionally, we find opportunities relevant to Art in Transit or that link
communications efforts with environmental objectives.
16. Has WMATA considered seeking additional sponsorships for early openings and late
closings such as for New Year’s Eve, sports games and other special events to
generate additional non-passenger revenue? Are there significant constraints to
doing so?
Answer: We always consider sponsors to pay for service upon request. In fact,
special event coordinators for the Marine Corps Marathon, Breast Cancer walk, and
other non-commercial events regularly pay for extra service. WMATA does not
solicit sponsors to support extra service for commercial or non-commercial events.
8
IV.
Performance Plans and Measures
17. Please describe WMATA’s performance measurement activities, including:
 A list of performance measures used by WMATA;
 The procedures used to review and act on performance measure results;
 All staff and resources dedicated to performance measurement; and
 The goals and actual results for those performance measures in FY12 and an
explanation of any variance between goals and results.
Answer: WMATA recently released its third annual performance report, available at
this link:
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/021413_CSO3
AAnnualVitalSigns2142013.pdf. A summary list of the performance measures can
be found on page 30 of 55 of this pdf. The detail on pages 32 to 42 of this document
discuss the reasons performance has changed and actions WMATA is taking to
improve performance of each measure.
To provide direction for the agency, the GM/CEO developed the CY 2013-2015
Business Plan which identifies performance measures to evaluate progress toward
WMATA’s four strategic goals and defines success with achievement of specific
performance targets. In addition, the GM/CEO Business Plan outlines actions that
are essential to improving performance, identifies responsible parties for each action
and required partnerships. The GM/CEO tracks progress toward agency goals
through monthly meetings with each member of the Executive Leadership Team and
monthly Vital Signs Reports. The Board of Directors tracks the agency’s KPIs on a
quarterly and annual basis and evaluates the GM/CEO at year end based on
WMATA’s performance results.
The Office of Performance, headed by the Chief Performance Officer, includes a
total staff of seven. The Office of Performance works closely with staff throughout
the agency to assist in focusing their performance measurement efforts through
operational reports for their respective departments, development of departmental
level business plans (of which there are 27 certified plans) and preparation of the
data supporting the Vital Signs Report. Each Business Plan contains measures
pertinent to the day-to-day activities of the respective departments and WMATA has
staff monitoring performance throughout the organization.
9
V.
Contracting and Procurement
18. Please list each contract, procurement, lease, and grant (“contract”) awarded,
entered into, extended and option years exercised, by WMATA during FY12 and
FY13, to date. For each contract, please provide the following information, where
applicable:
 The name of the contracting party;
 The nature of the contract, including the end product or service;
 The dollar amount of the contract, including budgeted amount and actually spent;
 The term of the contract;
 Whether the contract was competitively bid or not;
 The name of WMATA’s contract monitor and the results of any monitoring
activity; and
 Funding source.
Answer: Please see attachments 18a & 18b.
19. Please describe the steps taken by WMATA to provide oversight and management
for contracts. Specifically, how does WMATA ensure that its programmatic needs
are being met? How does WMATA ensure that contracting actions are standardized
across various programs?
Answer: All contracts are assigned a Contracting Officer’s Technical
Representative (COTR) and also a Contract Administrator. The COTR is the
program staff responsible in ensuring that all deliverables are met and received as
specified in the contract. The Contract Administrator is responsible for overall
contract management to ensure that there are not deviations by the program in the
execution of the contract’s scope of work. This cross functional team of staff is
tasked with oversight and management for contracts to make sure that efficiencies
and cost savings are realized.
Programmatic needs are met by strategically planning operational needs through the
Budget process. Once the budget has been decided and approved by the Board, the
Office of Procurement can commence with the solicitation actions required to obtain
the goods and services as defined by the program in the budget process.
The Office of Procurement has a defined Procurement Procedure Manual that
provides rules, regulations and guidelines for all procurement actions and how said
actions are to be executed. These are standardized procedures that are applied to
all programs across the Authority. There is no variation on the execution of the
solicitation process from a procurement perspective.
10
20. What steps has WMATA taken in FY12 and FY 13 to increase efficiency and cost
savings in the contracting and procurement process?
Answer: 73 long-term requirement contracts have been established for a variety of
WMATA’s inventory needs. Due to the repetitive nature of these procurements, and
the potential volatility in the marketplace, these contracts result in lower costs and
administrative efficiency.
21. Does WMATA have a written policy to increase contracting with, and procurement
from, local, small, and disadvantaged business enterprises? If so, please provide a
copy of the policy. Describe the methods used by WMATA to increase contracting
with small business enterprises.
Answer: WMATA has established three (3) socio-economic programs to increase
contracting with and procurement from local, small and disadvantaged business
enterprises. They are: (1) the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program;
(2) the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) component of the DBE program; and (3)
the Small Business and Local Preference Program (SBLPP).
a. The DBE program was established pursuant to 49 CRF Part 26.
b. Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 26.39, WMATA as a recipient of Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) funds was required to include in its DBE program an
element to structure contracting requirements to facilitate competition by
small business. WMATA drafted a policy and procedure to carry out this
function. On January 15, 2013, WMATA resubmitted this policy to FTA Office
of Civil Rights for approval.
c. WMATA, pursuant to Resolution 2003-29, established a Small & Local
Business Preference Program to allow for a local geographic preference for
non-federally funded simplified acquisitions with a dollar threshold of
$150,000 or less. The resolution also set forth the procedure to be followed
for giving a 5% preference to small and local businesses in the District of
Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 26, in section 2 F of its program for the fostering small
business participation, WMATA stated that it would implement the following small
business development methods:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identification of Subcontracting Possibilities on Large Contracts
Contract Unbundling
Race Neutral Means
Outreach Programs
Technical Training
11
With respect to the SBLPP program, WMATA has the following small business
development methods:
Sourcing Small Local Businesses:
1) Upon receipt of a purchase request that falls within the simplified acquisition
threshold, the Buyer is required to determine whether adequate competition
exists for the supplies or services from among at least (3) small local
business on the Small Business List.
2) Quotes must first be solicited from a minimum of three (3) small local
businesses. If quotes from three (3) small businesses cannot be obtained,
and if additional competition is required to obtain three (3) quotes, then large
local businesses may be solicited for quotes. If no large local businesses
provide quotes, then vendors outside the District of Columbia, Maryland, or
Virginia area may be solicited to ensure adequate competition.
Evaluation of Prices:
1) A five (5) percent analysis factor is added to the price quote from all large
local businesses competing against a small local business, whether evaluated
by line item or on the total value of the procurement.
2) Fair and reasonable price determinations will be made inclusive of the five (5)
percent analysis factor, if applicable.
3) In the case of tie bids between a small local business and a large business
(whether the large business is local or outside the local area), award will go to
the small local business.
Outreach:
WMATA conducts outreach programs and meets with the owners of small local
businesses to introduce them to available contracting opportunities.
12
VI.
Studies, Research Projects and Analyses
22. Provide a list of all studies, research papers and analyses WMATA prepared or
contracted for or plans to prepare or contract for during FY12 and FY13 to date.
State the status and purpose of each study.
Answer: The links listed below will provide access to WMATA studies and reports:
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/public records
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/planning and development
http://www.PlanItMetro.com
http://www.metrobus-studies.com/
13
VII.
Audits, Reports and Lawsuits
23. Please list and describe any ongoing investigations, studies, audits, or reports on
WMATA or any employee of WMATA, or any investigations, studies, audits, or
reports on WMATA or any employee of WMATA that were completed during FY12 or
FY13, to date.
Answer: The links listed below will provide access to WMATA studies and reports:
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/public records
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/planning and development
http://www.PlanItMetro.com
http://www.metrobus-studies.com/
24. List and describe any investigations, studies, audits or reports on WMATA or any
employee of WMATA, which were completed during FY12 and FY13 to date.
Answer: The links listed below will provide access to WMATA studies and reports:
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/public records
http://www.wmata.com/about metro/planning and development
http://www.PlanItMetro.com
http://www.metrobus-studies.com/
25. Describe any pending lawsuits involving WMATA.
Answer: We do not comment publicly on any pending lawsuits.
14
VIII.
Agency Programs and Policies
26. Please describe any initiatives WMATA implemented within FY12 or FY13, to date,
to improve the internal operation of WMATA, reduce waste, fraud and abuse, or the
interaction of WMATA with outside parties. Please describe the results, or expected
results, of each initiative.
Answer: See attached summary of FY13 initiatives as presented to the Board in
December, 2012 (Response Q26.PDF). See attachment 26
27. Please explain the impact on WMATA of any legislation passed at the federal level
during FY12 or FY13, to date.
Answer:
PRIIA funding – for the past three federal fiscal years, with the strong support of the
Metro Congressional delegation, Metro has received $150 million in PRIIA funding.
In federal fiscal year 13 under the current continuing resolution, WMATA received a
half year apportionment of $75 million. This critical funding, along with the
jurisdictional match allows us to keep our rebuilding campaign on track.
Formula funding – Metro has continued to receive $228 million in annual Section
5307 and 5309 formula funding to address capital needs.
Transit Benefits – As part of the “fiscal cliff” legislation, Congress restored the
transit benefit to $245.00 per month creating parity with the parking benefit. The
extension expires on December 31, 2013. We will be working with our
Congressional delegation in hopes of extending it past 2013.
28. What has WMATA done in the past year to make the activities of WMATA more
transparent to the public? In addition, please identify ways in which the activities of
WMATA and information retained by WMATA could be made more transparent.
Answer: WMATA established a quarterly performance report called Vital Signs,
which is available to the public and published online. There is also a cumulative
annual report which makes the agency’s performance transparent.
29. Please identify any statutory or regulatory impediments to WMATA’s operations.
Answer: There are no statutory or regulatory impediments to WMATA’s operations.
30. Please summarize Metrorail, Metrobus, and MetroAccess ridership changes on a
quarterly basis relative to estimates and prior years for FY12 and FY13 year to date.

What stations and bus routes have seen the greatest increase in ridership in
FY12? Which have seen the largest decline?
15


Please summarize any WMATA finding on the causes and factors contributing to
these trends.
What steps has WMATA taken to counteract any ridership declines?
Answer:
See attached (Responses Q30.pdf)
 Quarterly ridership table by mode:
Metrobus
Metrorail
Quarter
Actual
FY11-Q1
31,662,347
56,526,834
612,217
FY11-Q2
29,777,749
51,182,183
598,437
FY11-Q3
30,696,092
51,632,939
576,917
FY11-Q4
32,953,053
57,710,587
548,648
FY12-Q1
33,477,672
55,901,002
515,900
FY12-Q2
32,348,873
52,066,511
513,663
FY12-Q3
33,086,466
52,770,474
524,593
FY12-Q4
33,307,185
57,506,321
528,726
FY13-Q1
33,595,689
33,286,990
53,756,394
56,516,035
503,759
564,015
FY13-Q2
30,276,515
31,924,822
48,155,454
51,799,070
492,976
549,991





Budget
Actual
MetroAccess
Budget
Actual
Budget
Stations and routes with greatest ridership increase or decline, FY11 to
FY12:
Metrorail stations
Stations with greatest increase:
o NoMa (New York Ave) 15%
o Clarendon 12%
o Navy Yard 12%
o Medical Center 10%
Stations with greatest decrease:
o Virginia Square-GMU -4%
o Crystal City –5%
o Dupont Circle -6%
o Van Ness-UDC -8%
Metrobus routes (considering only routes that were active throughout both
FY11 and FY12 and had 100,000 or more riders during the fiscal year)
o Routes with greatest increase:
 V5
57%
 16F 42%
 D5
39%
 16H 37%
o Routes with greatest decrease:
16


 7E
-62%
 R12 -36%
 J1
-22%
 S80 -20%
Causes and factors contributing to trends:
o Rail: The rail stations showing the greatest ridership increases are
generally those with the most extensive economic development in
the areas surrounding the station. NoMa and Navy Yard, for
example, have both experienced substantial commercial and
residential development during the FY11 and FY12 periods. The
rail stations showing the greatest ridership decreases have often
experienced station-specific changes that hurt ridership. For
example, the south entrance at Dupont Circle was closed for
repairs for much of FY2012, which significantly depressed ridership
at that station (with some riders switching to Farragut North while
others utilized modes other than Metrorail). Meanwhile, in Crystal
City, the impacts of BRAC and the relocation of jobs to the Mark
Center on Seminary Road had a negative impact on rail ridership.
o Bus: The period from FY11 to FY12 showed growth on Priority
Corridor Network (PCN) services, full service plan routes, and
express services, while ridership fell on high ridership services and
basic service plan routes. The PCNs on the 16th Street, Wisconsin
Avenue, and 14th Street corridors showed strong increases in
ridership. Also, specific routes (such as those listed above) often
lose ridership when competing routes are added or improved.
Steps to counteract declines:
o Bus: At a micro level, Metro’s bus planning group regularly
readjusts bus routings and headways to reflect changing demand,
and also works to ensure that areas of growth are appropriately
served. At a macro level, Metro has worked consistently in recent
years to improve bus appearance and cleanliness (including
replacement of older buses), increase on-time performance,
improve safety, and provide better communication and multi-media
access to the system. All of these changes have helped to increase
bus system ridership.
o Rail: At a micro level, Metro works to ensure that station-specific
impacts (such as the entrance closure at Dupont Circle) are fixed
as quickly as possible. At a macro level, Metro works with local
jurisdictions and developers to encourage transit-oriented
development (TOD), and Metro joined with other large transit
agencies to successfully push for the reinstatement of the federal
transit benefit at parity with the parking benefit, which encourages
and sustains our ridership.
17
31. What is the current status of the effort to develop a multi-year business plan for
WMATA?
Answer: The GM/CEO provided the Board of Directors with a copy of his Business
Plan for CY2013 – 2015 on November 23, 2012.
18
IX.
Metrorail
32. Please provide the current status of construction on the Phase I of the Dulles Silver
Line, including the expected completion dates for construction and the start of
revenue service.
Answer: The construction of Phase 1 of the Silver Line is being funded and
managed by the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority (MWAA). They have
contracted with Dulles Transit Partners (DTP) to construct the extension. The status
of this construction could be more accurately answered by MWAA because at this
stage WMATA is only monitoring the progress.
Based on the most recent information presented to us by MWAA, the following is a
status of the construction:
 Design:
99.9%
 Construction:
87%
o Stations
48-76%
o Trackwork
94%
o Guideway and Trackway 100%
 Systems:
33%
 Key Dates:
o Cutover with the K-Line: February 22-25, 2013
o Scheduled Substantial Completion Date (SSCD): August 29, 2013
The following shows the present timeline for the Silver Line:
19
33. Why doesn’t WMATA have State of Good Operations (SOGO) Rail Service
adjustments similar to the SOGO adjustments made regularly to bus service?
Answer: The Metrorail system is operated on a fixed-route and occupies a twotrack system. As such, options available to adjust rail service similar to the SOGO
adjustments made regularly to bus service are not possible as Bus operates on a
street level network. The rail service adjustments surround single-tracking effort,
interlocking availability and segment shutdowns to make major repairs.
34. Please describe WMATA’s efforts in FY12 and FY13 to date to plan and implement
greater use of 8-car trains throughout the system.
Answer: In the spring of 2011, we added five 8-car trains to the peak service
requirements. In FY 13, we increased the peak service requirement to accommodate
Rush Plus service and maintained the same number of 8-car consists in the system.
This represents roughly 33% 8-car usage during the peak service. Studies are
being finalized for the next generation of 8-car train requirements.
35. What has WMATA done or plan to do to fix and prevent malfunctioning railcar
doors?
Answer:
Door Improvement Campaigns
Description
Door Close Summary and
Zero Speed Relay
Replacement
Software Update
Brake Unit Modification /
Shim
Brake Unit Gap Setting
Spindle / Spindle Nut
Testing
Troubleshooting Procedure
Inspection and
Maintenance Procedure
Brake Gap Setting
Procedure
Backlash Criteria
2K3K Document
%
Compl.
6K
Document
%
Compl.
EMI-180424
97%
EMI-150118
100%
EMI-180418 Rev. 01
93%
EMI-150121
87%
EMI-180427 Rev. 01
100%
EMI-150119
100%
EMI-180406
ETP-180406 Est.
completion April
2013
MSI-180241
81%
EMI-150113
100%
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
MSI-150055
N/A
MSI-180238
N/A
MSI-150053
N/A
MSI-180234
N/A
MSI-150050
N/A
MSI-180232
N/A
N/A
N/A
20
4000 Series Door Campaigns
Side Door Motor Isolation
5000 Series Door Campaigns
LDCU and GDP Replacement
EMI-170124 Rev. 01
100% Complete
EMI-160208
96% Complete
(only spares have open work orders)
36. What is the current process and schedule to clean, maintain and replace carpet and
seats on the existing stock of railcars?
Answer: Carpets are swept daily, shampooed every 60 to 90 days and replaced as
needed. During the winter months after every snow/ice storm a special carpet
shampoo campaign is completed on the fleets.
Seats are cleaned daily and replaced as needed. Those replacements are usually
due to vandalism.
37. What is the status of procurement for the 7000 series rail cars? When does WMATA
expect delivery of the cars? How will they be assigned across the various rail lines?
Answer: See 7000 Series PowerPoint presentation attached.
38. How many incidents occurred in FY12 and FY13 to date that required unscheduled
track work, single tracking or other major service disruptions on Metrorail? What
was the average time it took to return to normal service?
Answer: Trains traveling over the 106-mile Metrorail system make more than
20,000 station stops. In 2012, 91 percent of those stops occurred on time, providing
reliable service to roughly 212 million customers. Unlike other transit agencies,
Metro measures train and bus arrivals at every station and stop rather than terminals
– a tough standard that is designed to reflect customers’ experience.
39. What steps has WMATA taken in FY12 and FY13 to date to improve escalator and
elevator availability?
Answer: Actions to improve escalator and elevator availability are reported to the
Board each quarter via Vital Signs Report. For 2012, the following reports were
provided.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_CY%202012%20Year%20End.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_Nov_2012_Q3.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_%20August%202012%20QTR%202.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_%20May%20QTRLY%202012.pdf
21
40. How many outages or service calls have been required for newly replaced
escalators at Foggy Bottom and Dupont South stations? Is this an unusually high
number for new equipment? What is causing these outages? What has been done
to avoid future incidents from occurring? Are contractors and manufacturers of
these escalators held liable for these incidents under contract or warranty terms?
Answer:
Since the new escalators were placed into service on October 20, there have been
three outages that were unrelated to routine break-in adjustments or customer
activation of safety switches. Specifically, one outage was to allow the manufacturer
to perform a warranty replacement of one drive motor on the center unit, and two
outages were to allow for replacement of demarcations.
In addition, the escalators have been reset 9 times due to safety switch activations,
usually the comb-impact safety switch (often the result of heavy luggage striking the
comb plate), and there have been 8 routine adjustments to detectors and switches
as the units go through their break-in period
Is this an unusually high number for new equipment?
No
What is causing these outages?
For both stations, the majority of the service calls are due to comb impact switch,
hand rail speed sensor and preventive maintenance.
What has been done to avoid future incidents from occurring?
All new escalators have more safety fixtures added to the design, therefore a higher
safety switch activation is expected, however the return to service time is minimal, in
these cases the technician needs to use the display unit provided in the control
panel to validate the fault, verify condition of the affected switch (and settings) and
reset the fault. Newly installed escalator availability is higher than system overall
availability.
Are contractors and manufacturers of these escalators held liable for these incidents
under contract or warranty terms?
Yes, there is a one year warranty and maintenance provided as part of the contract
41. What is the current status of WMATA’s efforts to upgrade public information display
signs (PIDs) at Metrorail stations?
Answer: In January 2013, Metro installed dynamic (flat screen) signs at kiosk
locations at its 86 rail stations. The signs provide real time service information,
customer advisories, and MetroAlerts, as well as elevator outage updates.
22
X.
Metrobus
42. Please provide the status of WMATA’s effort to implement its “Better Bus” customer
service initiative?
Answer: The FY 2013 Bus Enhancement Program was approved by the Board of
Directors as part of the FY 2013 budget. This program provides for $3.1M in Priority
Corridor Network enhancements and $1.2M for maintaining a State of Good
Operations (SOGO) to improve running time, reduce crowding and to make safety
adjustments elsewhere in the system. Implementation is on schedule with
adjustments having been made in June, September and December 2012 and the
final segment will be implemented on March 24, 2013.
43. Please summarize actions taken and currently planned to implement the bus priority
corridor network, including the top 20 priority actions the District Department of
Transportation could perform to facilitate this program.
Answer: Actions taken on PCN network:
 Increased service span and trips on MetroExtra Lines: 39, 37, and S9.
 Implemented headway management on MetroExtra 79.
 Implemented the K-9 MetroExtra service that begins at Fort Totten.
 On March 24, 2013, the A9 MetroExtra service will begin on Martin Luther
King Ave. and be extended to McPherson Square and the MetroExtra 79
service will be added to Saturdays.
 Continuing operations of X9 to cover all corridors in the City. And Improved
16X and 16Y services providing direct connections to Downtown from
Virginia.
Summary of the Status of Metrobus Priority Corridor Network
Recommendations in the District of Columbia
Corridor
Actions
Georgia Avenue/7th Street
MetroExtra service, with limited stops on
branded buses, began in March 2007 along
with installation of a TSP pilot and improved
bus stop shelters. Service has been
expanded to operate 6AM to 8PM on
weekdays and has grown to 6,500 riders per
day. Adjustments have been made in the
local 70 route including the simplification of
the operating pattern in September 2012 to a
single shorter route at regular headways.
Service on the southern portion of the line
was restructured to create route 74,
Routes 70, 74, 79
23
designed to serve the growing needs of SW
neighborhoods and the Waterfront.
Subsequent to the changes, on-time
performance and ridership have both
increased. New and renovated buses have
been assigned to the line along with 60 foot
coaches for high capacity. Bus stop, TSP,
Next Bus and bus lane projects funded by
TIGER I are currently in process with DDOT
and WMATA.
Wisconsin Ave/Pennsylvania Ave
Routes 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 39
Sixteenth Street
Routes S1, S2, S4, S9
H Street/Benning Road
Routes X1, X2, X3, X9
A study of the 30s Line corridor took place in
2007. The restructured line went into service
in June 2008 with the creation of limited stop
routes 37 (Wisconsin) and 39 (Pennsylvania)
along with local routes 31 and 34. An
evaluation of the changes, conducted
between August 2009 and January 2010,
documented the improved operation, safety
and ridership growth and also resulted in
additional recommendation or further
improvements to the two corridors. Bus stop,
TSP, Next Bus and bus lane projects funded
by TIGER I are currently in process with
DDOT and WMATA.
A study of the corridor was completed in
October 2008, with Phase 1 improvements—
limited stop route S9 with branded vehicles
during peak periods--beginning in March
2009. Expanded hours for S9 service to
midday and late evening, are pending
adoption of the FY 2013 budget. Bus stop,
TSP, Next Bus and bus lane projects funded
by TIGER I are currently in process with
DDOT and WMATA.
The corridor study was completed in October
2009. A new fleet of high-capacity
articulated coaches was obtained to replace
an aging fleet and improve reliability and
customer comfort. In December2009 service
improvements included additional local route
X2 trips. Limited stop X9 service with
branded buses, began in December 2010.
Some stops were improved and shelters
installed as part of the H Street NE
reconstruction. Additional bus stop, TSP,
24
Next Bus and bus lane projects funded by
TIGER I are currently in process with DDOT
and WMATA.
U Street/ Garfield
Routes 90, 92, 93
The corridor study was completed in October
2010. Funding to implement limited stop
route 99 service has not yet been identified.
Interim improvements included changing to
‘headway” based service for routes 90, 92 on
weekdays and some route modifications to
avoid and mitigate the impact of six major
road construction projects along the line.
Significantly improved on-time performance
and customer satisfaction has resulted.
Anacostia/Congress Heights
Completion of the corridor study occurred in
November 2011, with recommendations for
running time improvements, route
restructuring, and addition of limited stop
service. Funding for some improvements of
service or facilities has been proposed in the
FY 2013 budget but a complete funding plan
not yet been identified for all
recommendations. This service is included
in discussions regarding transit access to the
St. Elizabeth’s Campus developments. A
recommendation for a new Route W1,
restructure of A4 an A5 and extensions to
serve the new Coast Guard facility are
among the highest priority recommendations.
Fourteenth Street
The corridor study process began in
December 2011, and study final report was
completed October 2012. Route 53 running
time, trip frequency and span of service was
revised in June 2012 resulting in greatly
improved on-time performance to overcome
severe traffic delays in the Columbia Heights
area.
Routes 52, 53, 54
Rhode Island Avenue DC
Route G8
The study of this corridor will begin in April
2013. Adjustments to running-time to
improve on-time reliability are slated for
implementation in FY 2013, subject to
adoption of the Priority Bus initiative.
Several bus stops were consolidated in NE
as a result of a study-process to improve
Metrobus efficiency.
25
North Capitol Street
Route 80
The study of this corridor will begin in late
2013 or early 2014. A change in several
rush period trips was made during FY 2011
to improve on-time performance and balance
service to demand along the line.
Each study (six completed, one on-going, two in queue) result in lists of specific
recommendations for future enhancements including things such as signal priority,
strengthened enforcement of parking restrictions, enhanced bus stops, real time rider
information, street markings, and additional signage that are under the control of
DDOT. The studies and detailed recommendations are available at Metrobusstudies.com.
Top Priority Actions by DDOT to Support the Priority Corridor Network
Priority actions the District Department of Transportation, Office of Planning and other
DC agencies could perform to facilitate this program include actions such as:

Provide sufficient funding to allow running-time, crowding and safety adjustments
on existing service on priority corridors to offer better on-time performance and
standard-compliant service provision.

Provide funding for new services and additional buses to implement additional
MetroExtra services on 14th Street, ML King Ave SE, the 90s Line and North
Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue. A multi-year program has been
prepared with a first installment recommended as an initiative in the FY 2013
budget.

Enforce parking and stopping regulations so buses have clear running ways and
accessible stopping areas.

Continue to deploy Traffic Control Officers during periods of peak traffic and
increase the locations and duration of deployment to meet needs of bus travel
through the Downtown area.

Working closely with Metrobus staff, create and retrofit design-compliant and
accessible bus stops throughout the City. Correct locations of bus stop shelters
to ensure adequate coverage and accessible pathways.

Implement transit priority bus lanes and signalization coordination along corridors
with a first implementation on I and H Streets NW between 13th and
Pennsylvania Ave.

Remove the current bus lane marking on 7th and 9th Streets NW. Restoring
dedicated left-turn lanes will improve southbound bus movements through the
Gallery Place/Archives area.

Implement intersection and traffic operations improvements identified in the
Priority Corridor Study recommendations.

Ensure that Office of Planning include bus stop and bus-friendly design
treatments in new development requirements and streetscape, sidewalk and
urban forestry projects and community enhancement efforts. It is critical that if
buses are to serve the community, they must be able to do so safely, reliably and
efficiently.
26










Mitigate the effects of road construction projects on bus operations, both while
under construction and upon completion through early and close coordination
and recognition of the extreme impact on the customer/residents that some of
these projects have on bus services that must pass through them.
The closure of the Columbus Circle bus facility at Union Station has displaced
Metrobus routes to the surrounding streets. A permanent plan for
accommodating these relocated services must be developed and implemented to
provide a bus transit hub for Metrobus, Circulator and other services to this
growing area.
Recommendations for enhancing bus stops at Gallery Place should be
implemented to address the unique needs of these highly used transfer and
destination bus stops on all four corners of H Street NW and 7 th Street NW.
Metrobus staff is completing an On-Street Bus Terminals Study with
recommendations for enhancing the design, facility and capacity of terminals in
the Downtown area to better accommodate current bus traffic and provide
needed capacity for future service enhancements.
Support a grant application to renovate the Duke Ellington, Chevy Chase and
Cleveland Avenue bus stations to provide for needed State of Good Operations
investments and improved customer and community amenities.
Improve coordination between DCPS and WMATA to address student travel and
behavior management to ensure safe and incident free travel throughout the
Metrobus and Metrorail network.
Encourage MPD officers to work closely with MTPD to increase the number of
uniformed officers on buses and engaged in community policing activities to
ensure a safe and secure environment for Metrobus passengers both on the
buses and at bus stops.
Work with WMATA OEM and Metrobus to better coordinate emergency response
strategies to large scale events and service disruptions. Crowd control, service
access and traffic operations are critical components to event responses that are
often not as successfully executed as expected by the public.
WMATA created a “TOP 10” list of PCN corridor segments for bus priority
improvements and it is requested that DDOT prepare strategies to implement
improvements or address mitigation of the impacts of these recurring chokepoints.
DDOT is one of the regional partners awarded over $58.8M in TIGER I
competitive funds for priority bus transit in the Capital Region – the 6th largest
award in the nation and the largest award for bus services. Of this, over $16M is
awarded to bus priority investments in the District of Columbia for implementation
including real-time bus arrival signage, transit signal priority systems, signal
optimization, uninterruptable power supply for signals, curb extensions and other
facility improvement, and a dedicated bus segment on Georgia Avenue.
Completion of these projects as envisioned by DDOT staff is critical to realizing
the benefits to Metrobus The investments will be along the following corridors:
a. Georgia Avenue NW,
b. Wisconsin Avenue NW,
c. Pennsylvania Ave SE
27
d.
e.
f.
g.

16th Street NW,
14th Street SW/NW,
H Street NW-NE/Benning Road
The corridors leading to and from the T.R. Bridge to K Street NW (18 th and
19th and E Street NW)
Metrobus staff meets monthly with DDOT PTSA, IPMA and TOA staff to review a
list of specific traffic operations and facility actions. This list is attached by
reference. See attachment 25.
44. Please provide the status of WMATA bus route surveys and efforts to implement the
resulting recommendations.
Answer: In the past year Metrobus staff have completed two and begun a third
Corridor Development study to guide the PCN implementation. These include:
 Completion of MLK Ave. Study in SE
 Completion of 14th Street Study in NW
 Beginning 80 Line study in NE
Additionally, four Service Evaluations assessed performance of current Metrobus
services.
 W4 Alabama Ave Line in SE
 96 E. Capitol St. Line in SE
 E2, 3, 4 line in NE/NW
 Beginning H 2,3, 4 study in NE/NW
Implementation Highlights include:
 The new and improved MetroExtra limited stop services mentioned in #43.
 Continuing engineering work with DDOT staff to implement TIGER-funded
bus stop, signal priority and real time passenger information investments.
 SOGO adjustments on lines throughout the City including Services along:
Connecticut Ave, Mass Ave, Alabama Ave, Columbia Road, 16the Street
NW, services from Virginia, Minnesota Ave, ML King Ave and a proposal for
adjustments along Military Road.
 Additional bus stop shelters have been implemented by DDOT.
 Bus stops have been improved by DDOT supported by a grant received by
WMATA.
45. What are WMATA’s plans to increase the number of articulated buses in the
WMATA bus fleet?
Answer: Currently, the greatest need for additional articulate buses is in the NW
sector of the District. The best location from which to operate these buses is the
Northern Division, located at 14th and Decatur. However, we are currently beyond
capacity at the facility for articulated buses. A replacement facility for Northern
would be designed for about 50% articulated buses. Staff is currently analyzing
28
the effectiveness of articulated buses in other areas of the District to utilize the
additional capacity for such buses at our new Shepherd Parkway facility.
46. Please provide a status update on the initiative to deploy bus driver shields,
including an analysis of costs and benefits, as well as alternative measures.
Answer: Currently, 52 buses are equipped with bus shields. Western is the only
District facility operating these buses. Plans exist to add shields to the 22 NABI
articulated buses that operate exclusively on the X-2 line and these are expected to
be in place by the end of the fiscal year. Bus shields cost from $1500-$3500 each.
The benefits of these optional use shields include providing operators with added
protection if they are concerned about operating in a safe manner on the routes
they have selected to operate. Operator feedback on the usefulness of the shields
is mixed and evaluation of the shields will continue. There are no current plans to
expand the demonstration of the shields at this time.
47. Please provide the status of hiring for 32 additional officers to be assigned to
Metrobus routes. When do you expect these officers to be deployed?
Answer: Fall of 2013.
48. Please describe any other current or planned initiatives to improve Metrobus safety
for riders and operators?
Answer: Actions to improve Metrobus safety are reported to the Board each quarter
via Vital Signs Report. For 2012, the following reports were provided.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_CY%202012%20Year%20End.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_Nov_2012_Q3.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_%20August%202012%20QTR%202.pdf
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/Vital_Signs_%20May%20QTRLY%202012.pdf
49. What is the status of providing real-time information signs at bus stops? Please
describe any constraints to further deployment of such technology.
Answer: Refer to question #51 “real-time bus information” for response.
50. Please summarize the most current available data on the percentage of buses that
have functioning NextBus information at any given time.




What proportion of NextBus failures are the result of staff not following proper
procedures?
Please describe any other constraints to improving NextBus accuracy.
What is the timeline and strategy for improving this performance?
Does WMATA work closely with third-party users of NextBus data to ensure
clean, accurate data and to troubleshoot problems should they arise?
29
Answer: Approximately 85-87% of the buses in operation have working systems to
provide next bus arrival times.
 The proportion of the buses not providing predictions as a result of employee
not following proper procedures is minimal, less than 5%.
 The constraint on improving accuracy is the availability of new on-board
equipment to generate the predictions and to increase the polling of bus
information from every 2 minutes to closer to every 30 seconds. The new
equipment is now in a test mode and if test go well, full installation in the bus
fleet will be completed by the end of fall 2013.
 WMATA provides real time data feed to developers and works closely with
developers and customers to trouble shoot and improve Nextbus service.
Also internally each department at WMATA has quality control process to
ensure the accuracy, completeness and cleanness of bus schedule data.
 Metro provides a free API feed for all bus stops and predictions for the use of
any application developer.
51. What is the status of the procurement of transit signal priority and optimization
technology that member jurisdictions can implement to improve bus service?
Answer: The procurement project status for the Traffic Signal Priority (TSP) and
Real-Time Bus Information are as follows:
TSP: The TSP project has been through the procurement process, and Metro has
received three bids on the project to install signal priority equipment at 25 signals
along Route 7 in Virginia, and to equip six buses with compatible equipment for
system testing. The responses we have received in the bidding process fail to meet
either the technical specifications or the project budget.
After reevaluating, we canceled the solicitation and decided to modify the scope of
the project to ensure it is completely compatible with new equipment on board the
entire Metrobus fleet. The new equipment is currently being tested and will be
implemented this year. We expect to complete the modification of the scope in the
next two or three weeks.
At that point, we will implement one of two options. First, we can request pricing
from our on-board equipment supplier to complete the project. This option is
preferable, since the TSP requires integration with the other equipment being
supplied by our vendor. If this is successful, we would anticipate that the test
products would be in place by fall 2013, consistent with the other equipment they
are providing. The second option is to re-bid the modified scope of work with a
desire to gain an acceptable technical and price bid.
30
Real-Time Bus Information: The Real-Time Bus Information project, to install
digital display screens at Metrobus shelters, is also delayed  in this case, as a
result of questions raised by Metro’s General Counsel regarding the justification for
the contract award at the end of the procurement process. Accordingly, staff has
requested clarifications on three areas from the two vendors. The clarification
requests were sent to vendors on February 6, 2013, and responses are due
February 8. With appropriate responses, we anticipate an award this month, after
which prototypes can be developed.
These projects have been complicated by a general absence of use and standards
for these technologies throughout the industry, but we believe the final products will
serve Metro and the other jurisdictions well into the future.
31
XI.
MetroAccess
52. What steps has WMATA taken to achieve efficiencies and cost-savings, as well as
service improvements for MetroAccess in FY12 and FY13 to date?
Answer: The Department of Access Services began a series of demand
management initiatives in 2009 that have resulted in greater efficiency in the delivery
of paratransit service and dramatically reduced costs. In FY 2011, paratransit
demand decreased (by nearly 2%) for the first time since the inception of
MetroAccess in 1994. In FY 2012, ridership decreased by nearly 11%, and the year
ended with a $9M favorable variance to budget. For FY2013 YTD, ridership has
continued to decrease with a projected favorable variance of $6M. Because of the
great success of these efforts, WMATA received the 2012 American Public
Transportation Association (APTA) Innovation Award.
53. What steps has WMATA taken or does it plan to take to ensure taxi cabs account for
a greater percentage of the MetroAccess trips provided in the District?
Answer: The solicitation soon to be awarded permits up to 10% of MetroAccess
trips to be provided by taxi providers at WMATA’s discretion. A proposal to increase
the use of District taxi resources has been shared with staff from DDOT and the Taxi
Commission, and WMATA is prepared to implement the proposal following the
award of our paratransit contracts.
54. Please describe WMATA’s efforts to make rail and bus services more accessible
and user-friendly for the disabled community. Has WMATA been able to document
greater usage of the fixed route system by such riders as a result?
Answer: Metrorail and Metrobus have been fully accessible to the Washington
region for some time, but the most accessible transit services can still be
inaccessible if customers do not know about the service or are unable to navigate to
it. Through the aforementioned demand management initiatives, promotion of free
rides for conditionally eligible MetroAccess customers has greatly increased, and
participation in this program has doubled since the previous fiscal year (over 1
million trips per year being taken on bus and rail by customers who could otherwise
have chosen MetroAccess). Coordination efforts with jurisdictions on accessibility
improvements to select bus stops in the region are also underway, and federal grant
funds are being used toward this objective in some localities.
32
55. What is the current status of web- and phone-based reservation systems that allow
customers to consider their options by cost and time of departure? If they are not
operational, when do you anticipate them being so?
Answer: The “Fare Calculator” is currently under development and the phonebased aspect is expected to be operational by the end of May 2013. The web-based
function will follow shortly thereafter.
56. Please describe the status of the procurement of a new MetroAccess provider
contract. When do you anticipate finalizing the contract? When will the winning
bidder begin offering service?
Answer: The evaluation process for the paratransit procurement is nearly complete,
and contract awards will follow shortly thereafter. The new business model calls for
the issuance of multiple awards, so the start-up dates for the new providers will be
staggered to allow for a smooth, incremental transition. The current single-provider
contract expires on 6/30/13, and it is our intent to complete the transition in the time
intervening.
57. What improvements in performance and efficiency do you expect to achieve as a
result of the new contract?
Answer: By dividing the paratransit scope of work into functional components, the
new business model incorporates a system of checks and balances into the system.
Quality assurance checks will be performed by an independent entity, and driver
schedules will also be generated independently with a greater emphasis on
efficiency. Each service provider’s market share will be adjustable in proportion to its
adherence to WMATA’s performance standards which have been augmented under
the new model. This arrangement leverages competition between the providers and
offers Metro alternatives if the performance of a given provider falls below standard.
58. Is WMATA preparing a detailed transition plan as the business model and providers
change under the new contract?
Answer: Yes, WMATA has already begun discussions of a transition and
communications plan with our Accessibility Advisory Committee, and each
contractor has also submitted detailed start-up plans with their proposals. The
content of the start-up plan is partly dependent on the outcome of the contract
awards, but the preparation of the overall transition plan is already underway.
33
XII.
Metrorail Parking
59. Provide the usage rates for FY12 and FY13 for all WMATA-owned parking garages?
Answer: CY 2011 and CY 2012 Utilization Reports for all Metro parking facilities
are attached. See Attachment 59 a and b
60. What is WMATA doing or considering to promote the use of underutilized garages?
Answer: PARK is working on a parking marketing campaign with the MKTG Office.
Signage has been installed at parking facilities advertising daily and reserved
parking at Metro stations. Targeted email blasts and public advertising are being
assessed.
PARK initiated a pilot program on July 30, 2012, at an under-utilized surface parking
lot at Rockville that enables ParkMobile pay-by-phone technology for daily parking
fees. In the 6 months since the pilot began, utilization has increased from virtually 0
to more than 50% daily.
61. Has WMATA considered privatizing the management or actual ownership of its
parking garages? Please describe the costs, benefits and constraints to doing so.
Answer: WMATA has conducted analysis on parking facilities and is currently
developing a parking asset management strategy. The results of that analysis
provide the following preliminary conclusions:
 Metro’s cost of operations is significantly lower than similar costs for
private operators due to the parking model implemented and the use of
automation used in our parking operations.
 The elasticity of daily parking fees has been analyzed and it has been
determined that significant changes in parking fees will have a significantly
on impact utilization and ridership at stations where parking is a significant
mode share.
 Constraints on privatization of Metro parking include control over parking
fees, operating costs and the potential impacts to Metrorail ridership.
 Security costs (police) represent almost half of the total parking expenses
 Current maintenance and reinvestment practices may be insufficient to
support parking facilities to reach useful life
 Parking facilities generate higher net revenue than others, due to
variations across facilities in utilization, parking rates and required
maintenance costs
 Parking revenues exceed operating costs in each of the past three years
34
XIII.
Planning and Real Estate
62. Please provide the pipeline of joint development projects being actively pursued on
WMATA land, including:
 The location and size of property;
 The development team;
 The deal structure (including sale v. lease, compensation amount, and intended
scope of uses);
 The WMATA staff responsible for managing each project; and
 The expected completion date for execution of the development agreement and
construction (identifying multiple phases if any).
Answer: See attachment 62
63. Please provide a list of the stations and other WMATA land that are viable locations
for joint development, but are not currently in the pipeline of projects that are being
actively pursued. For each site, please identify:
 The location and size of property;
 The reason it has not been developed so far; and
 The future development plans for the site, if any.
Answer: See attachment 62
64. What is the status of negotiations with the General Services Administration to locate
federal agencies at WMATA joint development projects under the previously
negotiated MOU?
Answer: WMATA signed the MOU with GSA in February 2012. Discussions began
in earnest in August 2012 with WMATA presenting to GSA potential sites across the
entire region that could accommodate potential GSA office space. These
discussions continued, with GSA evaluating the potential sites and ultimately
narrowing down to one site for their first tenant requirement. WMATA is finalizing a
term sheet with GSA for the selected site that will be presented to the WMATA
Board of Directors for approval in March 2013.
65. What efforts has WMATA made in FY12 and FY13 to date to review and update its
joint development policies and guidelines?
Answer: WMATA is in the process of developing recommended updates to the
Joint Development Guidelines with the goal of (a) better defining Board roles and
responsibilities, (2) streamlining activities and reducing the burden on development
partners, (3) increasing transparency in the process, and (4) identifying opportunities
to enhance notification and communication to Board of material events.
35
66. What efforts has WMATA made in FY12 and FY13 to date to include affordable
housing in its joint development projects?
Answer: WMATA currently requires developers to comply with local zoning
requirements for projects in each jurisdiction. The WMATA Board of Directors does
not currently have an affordable housing policy. In accordance with the previous
question, staff will be developing proposed changes for Board consideration to the
Joint Development Policies and Guidelines to reflect this approach toward affordable
housing.
67. What performance measures and procedures does WMATA use to gauge the
effectiveness of its planning and real estate efforts?
Answer: WMATA’s real estate function includes not only joint development
activities, but also (1) acquisition of property for operational needs, (2)
review/processing of permits and easements on WMATA property, (3) and
responding to inquiries from the public seeking information about WMATA property
ownership. For all transactions, we focus on timeliness as a key measure – are we
advancing our joint development projects through the negotiation period toward
closing; are we executing property transactions to operational timeframes; and are
we responding to outside inquiries as quickly as possible. In addition to timeliness,
we place great emphasis on achieving fair market value for our real estate
transactions – whether we are acquiring assets/leases/properties, issuing leases or
properties, entering into joint development agreements, or selling surplus assets.
We rely upon outside appraisals to ensure that at the end of the day WMATA is
managing its real property assets in a financially responsible manner.
68. In what ways does WMATA currently serve as a regional transit leader, planning
entity and integrator? How might this role be expanded to achieve the goals of the
Momentum strategic plan?
Answer: Metro already plays important roles as the regional transit operator, transit
planner and leader. Some of these roles include coordinating transit service through
the Jurisdictional Coordinating Committee, developing long-range transit plans as
part of the project development program and Regional Transit System Plan,
coordinating bus service and facility improvements, and developing technology in
the areas of fare payment, real-time service information, and transit signal priority.
The Momentum plan proposes that Metro take an even greater direct role in helping
to plan the region’s transit network, such as: (1) developing bus priority
improvements on roadways and bus stops not owned by Metro; (2) integrating LRT
and streetcar projects, and (3) taking a more active role in station area development
plans.
36
69. Describe the major hurdles for implementation of the strategic plan?
Answer: Answer: Momentum, the Strategic Plan, is currently a staff draft. We
anticipate working closely with the Board and jurisdictions to finalize the plan this
summer. No major hurdles are anticipated at this time.
37
XIV.
Information and Technology
70. Please describe how WMATA is currently using its website to help fulfill its mission.
Answer: WMATA’s website provides an information gateway to riders and
stakeholders. The most popular feature offers trip planning, as well as opportunities
to learn about various services provided by Metro. In addition, the website contains
important budget information, the draft strategic plan, and opportunities for customer
comment via email.
71. Please describe how WMATA is currently using social media sites to help fulfill its
mission?
Answer: WMATA offers updated information about service and agency progress in
several areas via its Facebook page and through Twitter. We also host more than
40 videos on youtube and offer customers an online subscription to MetroAlerts, for
real time information about bus and rail service.
72. Please identify all electronic databases maintained by WMATA, including the
following:

A detailed description of the information tracked within each system
Answer: WMATA maintains hundreds of systems of all sizes to manage our
operations. Four systems in particular including PeopleSoft, Maximo and Trapeze
represent the systems that substantially manage the major functions of WMATA and
which contain the majority of data about operations.
PeopleSoft is WMATA’s ERP system. Among other things, PeopleSoft is the tool
used to manage our budgeting, financials, personnel, procurement, payroll, accounts
payable, grants, inventory and customer relations functions.
MAXIMO is a computerized asset maintenance system that provides asset, work,
and materials management and purchasing capabilities to help WMATA maximize
productivity and extend the life of their revenue-generating assets. It stores and
maintains data pertaining to assets, facilities, and inventory.
Trapeze has two major functions used by WMATA. The first major function is
scheduling for bus and rail, with capabilities for producing the least cost approach for
providing scheduled service. The second major function of Trapeze is to manage
the day-to-day bus and rail service such as operator work schedules, bus
assignments and train assignments.
Active Directory (AD) is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain
networks. Active Directory provides a central location for network administration and
38
security. Active Directory is used to authenticate and authorize all users and
computers in a Windows domain-configured network.

Identification of persons who have access to each system, and whether the
public can be granted access to all or part of each system
Answer: We do not disclose the names of those who have access for both security
and privacy reasons. Metro IT Security (MITS) handles access control for enterprise
applications. The access provisioning is in accordance with our information security
policy for general access to systems; it is based on the principle of “need to know”
and role based access control (RBAC) process. Certain data from Maximo and
Trapeze is publically available via WMATA’s Transparent Datasets.

The age of the system and any discussion of substantial upgrades that have
been made or are planned to the system.
Answer: There have been many functional areas of the information technology
infrastructure at WMATA that have been upgraded in the past couple of years.
Some representative examples of these upgrades include the following:











A major upgrade of the JGB data center.
The development and deployment of a MPLS fiber network with new routers
and switches.
Standardization of the hardware infrastructure for cost-effectiveness,
uniformity, and enhanced support capabilities.
A server consolidation and upgrade of legacy hardware into a centrally
managed data center environment, including redundant Virtual Infrastructure.
Implementation of IBM Power 7 Servers to consolidate various models of IBM
p-series hardware into a newer platform, enhancing efficiency.
Implementation of a disaster recovery data center at Carmen Turner Facility
(CTF) to support WMATA’s business continuity plans.
Consolidation of multi-vendor, non-redundant storage systems into highperformance Enterprise Storage Systems with synchronous replication
between the JGB and the CTF datacenters.
An Enterprise Monitoring Center was established for authority-wide
monitoring of critical IT and non-IT systems and business services.
A monitoring/alerting system was implemented which gives the monitoring
center staff and systems owners the capability to detect fault events, assess
the risks with the faults, and notify appropriate staff.
Migration from a legacy Novell and GroupWise Messaging Environment into
Active Directory and Exchange environment.
Implementation of a disaster recovery-capable Messaging infrastructure
based on Microsoft Exchange 2010.
39





Upgrades to the technology helpdesk, including the implementation of an
ACD system for the helpdesk, along with implementation of new helpdesk
ticketing software (Maximo).
PeopleSoft Human Capital Management system is currently undergoing an
upgrade to version 9.1 which includes redesign of time and labor, core human
resources, security and department trees as well as the addition of new
functionality including absence management and enterprise learning
management.
MTPD and IT are in the evaluation phase to determine the best products to
replace the obsolete Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records
Management System (RMS). Pending a successful evaluation, the awardee
will begin implementation of the product around the beginning of the next
fiscal year. This project also includes mobile reporting utilizing tablet
technologies and a business intelligence initiative, which will provide
WMATA’s police with a more complete insight regarding the safety and
security of the customers, allowing them to be both reactive and proactive.
Once initiated, CAD/RMS implementation is expected to take twenty months.
A Contract Lifecycle Management System implementation is underway to
improve the efficiency with which contracts are sourced and managed.
MAXIMO (the maintenance transaction management system) has been
upgraded to version 7.5.
73. What is WMATA doing to encourage better third-party smart phone applications to
encourage system use? In particular, please describe WMATA’s efforts to make
system data more widely available and in standardized formats.
Answer: WMATA is utilizing a public facing API (Application Programming
Interface) and GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) to supply third parties with
the ability to utilize non-sensitive transit data to develop applications online and for
smartphones for public consumption. In conjunction with BUS, RAIL,
Elevator/Escalator, and GIS services, third parties have the data necessary to
provide quality services to the general public at a fraction of the cost of in-house
development. Furthermore, WMATA is developing outreach services to its
development community to keep them informed and involved in their applications.
WMATA utilizes its own website and social networking (Facebook and Twitter) to
inform Metro customers of the smartphone applications that are available, and with
the development community of any issues, changes, or other news related to the
API services.
WMATA is in the planning process to implement project-level changes to the system
for the next fiscal year with the following strategies: Product Innovation, Customer
Satisfaction, and Performance Optimization. We plan on accomplishing this by
constantly improving our relationship with the development community, interactively
providing them with information (technical and social) to help them build quality
applications that are in demand by DC region residents, and ensuring that the
40
supporting infrastructure is maintained in a manner to support the current workload,
future workloads, and surges in use that may occur.
WMATA currently has approximately 1400 register developers from around the
world who are developing applications for online use, information kiosks, and smart
phones. Additionally, there are seventeen featured applications in our App Gallery,
supporting Apple products, Android devices, Palm, Windows Phone 7, and web
applications. Over the course of the last year, API usage doubled, starting the year
with 5.6 million calls to the service and ending the year with 11.2 million. WMATA
also logged a service of 16.2 million data calls, indicating not only an upward trend in
the use of the API service, but also a newly increased interest in the applications
that use the service. WMATA expects to see last year’s trend to continue, at a
minimum. This service continues to provide WMATA with a low-cost alternative to
accurate and innovative transit information products for its customers.
74. Please describe WMATA’s current or planned efforts to encourage real-time transit
information displays at third-party sites.
Answer: Real time data is available for third party use upon request and is free of
charge.
41
XV.
Customer Service
75. How does WMATA solicit feedback from customers? Please describe.
 What has WMATA learned from this feedback?
 How has WMATA changed its practices as a result of this feedback?
 Please summarize any significant changes to WMATA customer service policies
during FY12 and FY13 to date.
 Please summarize the number of WMATA customer service requests by method
of request and category for FY12, and FY13 to date.
 Please also indicate appropriate statistics on responsiveness to these requests.
Answer: WMATA solicits feedback from customers through multiple
communications channels. Through market research, we conduct survey online, in
person through intercepts, in focus groups, and through deliberative forums, as well
as through crowd sourcing. We also accept phone calls and email comments, as
well as provide paper tear offs/mail backs in advertising. The feedback influences
WMATA’s method of communications, decision making about customer information
tools such as map updates and station naming, for example. Customer feedback is
also informing the design of rail and bus rolling stock.
In addition, we use customer satisfaction surveys to provide specific feedback to rail
and bus operations personnel to improve the delivery of day-to-day service. And the
customer input had informed the General Manager’s Customer Service Action Plan
which contains more than 50 individual initiatives to improve service delivery.
76. Please discuss the performance of PlanItMetro and Metro Forward, as well as any
feedback that Metro has received on these customer communication/engagement
tools.
Answer: PlanItMetro (www.planitmetro.com), the blog of Metro’s Office of Planning,
was launched in 2010 and has been well received by the riding and planning
communities. In calendar year 2012, the site had over 57,000 page views from
almost 34,000 visits. Of those visits, over 24,000 were from unique visitors and over
70 percent were from new visitors. Forty-eight percent of the site’s traffic has come
from Metro’s homepage, either through a general search or from the link on the
Planning & Development page. An additional 18 percent has come from Greater
Greater Washington, a regional planning blog. Site traffic has also come from twitter,
google, DCist, Facebook, and thewashcycle.
In 2012, 48 articles were posted on the blog, which received 222 comments. The
Office of Planning writes blog posts on a wide range of topics. Posts include updates
on ongoing studies, such as the Regional Transit System Plan and the Metrobus
Effectiveness Study, to Charts of the Week which present quick analyses of existing
data, to posts on topical policy questions, such as what the 2010 census means and
how Metro fares are calculated.
42
Metro Forward is a multi-channel information campaign to keep customers up to
speed on the massive capital program underway to rebuild the 37-year old Metro
system. Customers are engaged through a mix of communications channels,
including in-station signage, displays and on-board posters, web and social media,
as well as through outreach to community organizations to showcase local capital
projects and their benefits. The Metro Forward campaign has grown in the last year.
For example, the number of people who have "liked" Metro Forward now exceeds
5,050 people. We continue to add content to our Metro Forward YouTube channel,
and to engage customers on Twitter.
77. What does WMATA currently do to monitor and improve customer service by station
managers, rail and bus operators, and other Metro employees? Please describe
any new initiatives planned for FY14 in this regard.
Answer: WMATA uses three methods to monitor service delivery, including
customer comments via phone calls and emails, Mystery shopper reports and
customer satisfaction surveys (quarterly).
78. Why hasn’t WMATA pursued co-branded Smartrip cards to generate additional
advertising revenue? If WMATA plans to do so, what is the timeline for completion?
Answer: We are currently investigating the market opportunities for selling branded
SmarTrip cards.
79. How many and what percentage of riders are currently enrolled in the Smartbenefits
program? Excluding the federal government, how many employers in the
metropolitan area offer Smartbenefits to their employees? What is WMATA doing to
increase these numbers?
Answer: There are 251,000 SmartBenefits participants, which represent
approximately 44 percent of Metro bus and rail riders. Excluding government
employers, there are 3,434 employers that have SmartBenefits accounts with the
Authority.
80. Has WMATA considered spinning off the Smartbenefit program to a non-profit or forprofit third party as several other transit agencies have done? Please describe
benefits, costs and constraints to such an effort.
Answer: WMATA is undertaking a cost efficiency review and outsourcing of
functions where it is cost effective will be considered.
81. What are the current usage rates (as a % of trips or riders) for SmarTrip cards, as
well as weekly and monthly passes? What is WMATA doing to promote greater
usage of such fare media?
Answer: SmarTrip Usage Rate Bus – 89%
43
SmarTrip Usage Rate Rail – 88%
SmarTrip 1-Day Rail Pass Sales – 1,379
SmarTrip 7-Day Rail Pass Sales – 2,430
SmarTrip 28-Day Rail Pass Sales – 316
82. What is the status of the procurement for a new electronic payment program? When
do you expect deployment to be complete? Will it allow for direct payment by debit
and credit card, as well as smartphone payment technology?
Answer: WMATA received revised final proposals on February 28, 2013 and is now
under detailed review by WMATA and other regional transit operators. We
anticipate awarding the program late in the second quarter of calendar year 2013
with notice-to-proceed following immediately thereafter.
The program will include a pilot phase which will commence right after conceptual
design reviews. The pilot phase will test performance of key systems and hardware.
The test will be performed at a selected small number of rail station mezzanines (10)
and buses (50) with up to 2,500 participants. Predicated on successful completion of
that pilot, system-wide installation will take approximately 4 years to complete or
approximately mid-year in calendar 2018.
The new system will allow for direct payment of passenger fares at the farebox or
faregate using a variety of contactless, chip-enabled devices. The methods of
payment accepted will include pre-paid, debit or credit cards with contactless chips,
smart phones equipped with near field communications capability and Federal
identification credentials (PIV or CAC) cards issued to civilian and military agencies.
44
XVI.
Safety & Security
83. Please provide a report on the overall safety of the Metro system.
Answer: – Please see link to Performance Indicators;
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/scorecard/index.cfm?
Supplemental Answer – Please see attached internal documents on the two Key
Performance Indicators (Employee and Customer Injuries). See attachment 83


Compare safety statistics in FY13 to date, FY12, and FY11.
What steps has WMATA taken in FY13 to date and FY12 to improve these
statistics?
Answer: WMATA reports its performance toward reaching the agency’s goals
through the quarterly Vital Signs Report, published since 2010 and posted online via
a Scorecard. The report is presented quarterly to the Customer Service and
Operations Committee. This report captures Metro’s systemwide performance,
providing an analysis of key performance indicators that monitor long term progress
in the strategic areas of safety, security, service reliability and customer satisfaction.

Please compare appropriate categories of safety and security statistics to those
of comparable transit systems.
84. How many video cameras are currently deployed throughout the system to monitor
safety? Are there plans to deploy more and/or upgrade this technology?
Answer: Currently in the rail system and in some of the parking facilities there are
nearly 1,900 cameras deployed. Future plans include increasing the number of
cameras to nearly 6,000.
85. Please describe the procedures WMATA utilizes to evacuate riders from
malfunctioning train cars? What is the average response time to an incident? What
efforts has WMATA made in FY12 and FY13 to date to improve response time for
such incidents.
Answer: WMATA uses several methods to evacuate customers from trains. During
non emergency situations i.e., train door malfunctions or trains having mechanical
issues at the stations, customers are offloaded onto station platforms where they
can take the next available train. During emergency situations, trains are evacuated
per Metrorail Rail Safety Rules and Procedures Handbook (SOP 4) and SOP(4a).
After the College Park incident, train being stranded between stations. Rail OCC is
to notify MTPD if a train cannot be moved within 5 minutes. This is a pro-active
measure to start first responders in the direction of the incident in a more timely
manner. The current response time for MTPD personnel to any emergency situation
is 9 minutes on average. Collectively, deployments of emergency personnel from
45
each department in WMATA are being reviewed and revised to decrease the
amount of time it takes to get personnel on emergency scenes and mitigate the
emergency.
86. What steps has WMATA taken in FY12 and FY13 to date to improve customer
communications during service disruptions and safety and security emergencies?
Answer: The most recent Green Line incident report to the Board of Directors on
February 7, 2013 documents improvements over the last year is attached. Also, the
incident communications and emergency response public meeting with the Riders
Advisory Council in October provided an overview of those improvements.
46
XVII. Capital Projects
87. Please list five potential capital projects that are not funded in FY12 or FY13 which
would most substantially reduce WMATA operating expenses.
Answer: Metro’s current Capital Improvement Program is focused on Metro’s
highest priorities: safety and the rebuilding of the Metro system. More than 90% of
FY2012 and FY2013 investments advance projects that improve the safety and
reliability of the Metro system and projects that rebuild, rehabilitate, and replace
existing infrastructure, transit vehicles, and other assets. Many of these projects will
result in future operating cost avoidance: safety improvements reduce the risk of
future incidents and new infrastructure and equipment will be less costly to operate
and maintain than if the existing assets are left in service. Continued investment in
the rehabilitation and replacement of the system will prevent the deterioration of
assets and service reliability.
88. Has WMATA performed any analysis to inform locations where additional station
entrances or new stations would provide the greatest benefit to the Metrorail system
and its users? If so, please describe the findings.
Answer: Metro has performed a number of station improvement studies that have
examined the demand for second entrances including at Foggy Bottom, Courthouse,
Crystal City, East Falls Church, Bethesda, and Medical Center. In 2008, Metro
completed the Station Access and Capacity Study which looked at long-term
ridership forecasts for each station in the system and examined available capacity of
existing stations. These studies are available at Metro’s planning page:
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/planning_dev.cfm
As part of the Regional Transit System Plan, Metro has also examined some of the
possible locations for new in-fill stations including St. Elizabeth’s campus in SE
(Green Line), Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road (Orange/Blue), Kansas Avenue
(Red Line), and Eisenhower Valley (Blue/Yellow). These forecasts used COG’s
cooperative land use forecasts based on expected development for jobs and
housing. Thus, they may have under-projected the amount of development that
could occur if an in-fill station were constructed. The St. Elizabeth’s and Oklahoma
Avenue sites both had feasibility issues that could prevent these stations from being
able to be built.
89. Please describe WMATA’s overall strategy for renovating and replacing bus
maintenance garages, including a discussion of the operational and budgetary
constraints, impacts on service, anticipated ridership trends, and relationship to
transit-oriented development.
Answer: Metro bus facilities:
The newly opened (Sept. 2012) Shepherd Parkway facility houses 250 buses and is
a state of the art facility. But the location of Shepherd Parkway facility in far SE is
47
not optimal for providing efficient service to all Wards of the District and so attention
must also be paid to retaining and expanding capacity at other locations to provide
cost-effective services to all residents of the District.
The other facilities:
Northern: Over 105 years old and is need of replacement. Recent rehabilitation
efforts ($9M) provided the short term upgrades needed to operate the facility for
another 5 years. Staff is exploring the possibility of relocating the facility to another
site in the northwest sector of the District. Such a new facility would allow for
expansion of articulated buses, expansion of services within the District and close a
facility that is a desired site for neighborhood specific uses.
Western: There are discussions with the District and potential developers to
provide for a new facility in the general area of the current facility and freeing up the
current site for development.
Bladensburg: Bladensburg is Metrobus’ largest facility and will remain so far into
the future. The facility is over 50 years old and major work is required to maintain
this key facility in good operational condition.
Southern Avenue: About 40% of those buses serve the District.
Funding: There are funds currently available to build a replacement facility for
Northern if the project is approved in a timely manner. The value of the current
Western facility property and the opportunity for redevelopment of the site is likely to
provide the resources for a new facility. .
Bladensburg rehabilitation options are currently under review. Rehabilitating
Bladensburg would not change operating configurations or increase operating cost
of service.
Replacing Northern in the NW Sector of the District will allow for cost effective
service and relocating it elsewhere in the District would generate excessive
deadheading costs.
Western replacement near the current site would be ideal and not increase cost and
allow for the continuation of minimal deadhead costs.
90. Has WMATA considered the privatization of any of its infrastructure through leasebacks or other arrangements? If so, please describe the potential benefits, costs
and other constraints to doing so.
Answer: In conjunction with its Strategic Plan, Momentum, WMATA is reviewing
various funding and financing strategies and options, including but not limited to,
48
Privatization and Public Private Partnerships. Some of the issues/constraints which
require careful analysis are:




Disposition of WMATA assets is covered by the Gross Revenue Bond pledge
not to “impair or impede the realization of Pledged Revenues”. This means
that revenues (excluding the surcharge part of parking) must be compensated
for if an asset is disposed of.
Assets purchased with federal funds are subject to possible reimbursement to
the federal government of the un-depreciated value of the asset disposed of
and may also required FTA approval.
Assets which generate fares or rates (ex. Parking) must have those rates
established by the WMATA Board.
Some parking facilities are also covered by jurisdictional bonds for which
WMATA has agreed not to take any action(s) which would destroy the taxexempt nature of those bonds (Surcharge Garages). Privatization of those
garages would constitute private use which would be inconsistent with a taxexempt bond.
49