Metro (DC transit) closes ranks against outside ‘attacks’

The Washington Times ^ | Thursday, May 3, 2012 | Luke Rosiak

[robowombat]

A top official at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, in response to a Washington Times investigation that found a lack of accountability and racism at the transit agency, has issued a memo to all rail employees quoting Whitney Houston and encouraging employees to band together against the outside world.

“Family pulls together when they perceive that they are being attacked from the outside,” wrote HerculesBallard, managing director of rail transportation. “We will use our pride as a shield against any attack they wage against us.

(Click here to read the full memo)

Mr. Ballard goes on to say that The Times should have written that Metro employees are “incredible, impressive, wondrous, stupendous or amazing,” and that the agency kept its underground stations open during 2009 snowstorms (it closed its above-ground ones). He also noted that “not one station closed nor did a single train stopped [sic] running” during a recent earthquake.

The Times’ three-part series found that human resources practices left maintenance workers making nearly $200,000, that persons with criminal records were inexplicably promoted while others languished, that Metro’s largest job categories were 97 percent black, that its police force conducts little enforcement of its basic rules, and that, according to experts, policies promoting secrecy violated a federal whistleblowers law.

In public and internal correspondence, Metro has declined to address any of the facts in the three-part series.

“Well partner, that is not going to work this time, we’re too smart for that,” Mr. Ballard wrote.

Metro took a year to respond to a request for the latest pay information, and then its general manager dismissed the series as “relying on outdated data.”

[robowombat]

I suggest reading the full text of the Metro Memo signed by one 'Hercules Ballard'. It is a classic example of what the Amish consider to be polished polemic. These assclowns are spending many US taxpayer dollars in operating DC Metro. It gets a very large federal subsidy each year so this is more than an issue with another local government socialist program.

[RexBeach]

Whitney Houston? Great example of erudition.

Metro is a cesspit. It gets worse by the year.

Of course, it’s run by entitled victims who never seem to make eye contact with white people.

Honest.

[2ndDivisionVet]

They deserve $200,000 a year for all the centuries they were in chains picking cotton for you evil pink devils. Sort of “40 acres and a mule” in the urban sense, seewhatI’msayin’? Pass me a 40.

[ConorMacNessa]

How can those inept bastards have any pride? I've suffered on the Metro for years. One trick they pull regularly is to stop at Judiciary Square and sit for "schedule adjustment," allowing all the MARC and VRE reiders to miss their trains. For those who are not familiar with the system, Judiciary Square is the stop just before Union Station when you're traveling in the direction of Glenmont. Why don't they have the brains to do their schedule adjustment at Union Station?

And another thing - the stinking escalators are frequently out of service. I can't walk up the escalators - I have lots of problems with my knees.

They charge too much money for the subway and they charge extortionate rates for parking in Metro lots. To Hell with them, I say!



Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[linear]

I echo your suggestion that all should read the full memo. It’s shocking that someone in this position would allow such a poorly-written letter to come from their office. And quoting someone who died of a self-inflicted drug overdose as inspiration for overcoming adversity? Bizarre.

I’d suggest that the problems at Metro start with the author of that memo. I’ve seen better writing on Facebook.

[ogen hal]

All the Fed workers ride “ free”. Some pigs are more equal...

[Cailleach]

UGH! The escalators! As a suburban DC housewife, I’ll admit that I’m not really knowledgeable on the day to day Metro experience. Heck, in the past month I’ve only gone into the city twice. However, both times, the escalators have been out in at least one station. At 8 months pregnant, looking up the non-moving escalator was quite daunting last weekend. LOL