Transit Politics: The Little Engines That Could Get Federal Funding

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Transit Politics: The Little Engines That Could Get Federal Funding

Grey Fox: Jan 5, 2004

More great transit news out of DC: Ninety-five percent of DC Circulator buses inspected by an outside firm had at least one safety problem so significant they should have been pulled from service.

quote:

The safety defects include issues with safety equipment, engine compartments, driver controls, suspension or steering, brakes or loose doors. Some of the issues, such as a cracked windshield, an exhaust leak into a bus, loose lug nuts or brake problems, could pose a danger to riders, workers or other cars on the road, the audit suggests.

...

Overall, the audit finds the D.C. Department of Transportation and Metro have failed to carry out effective oversight of First Transit, the private contractor that operates the Circulator.

The audit notes that First Transit keeps buses for the Potomac and Rappahannock Transit Commission in Northern Virginia up to industry standards with about three smaller defects per bus, but falls woefully short when it comes to the Circulator.

�The inspection also revealed an exceptionally high number of defects, a total of 924 or an average of twenty-two (22) defects per bus. Although the industry does not have universally accepted standards, this number of defects is considered excessive based on other maintenance evaluations,� it says in the audit.

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# ¿ Apr 8, 2016 14:45

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 22:18

Grey Fox: Jan 5, 2004

https://twitter.com/nbcwashington/status/733751489110364161
1/3 of the firings were on the rail side of things, which is probably warranted.

# ¿ May 20, 2016 23:38

Grey Fox: Jan 5, 2004

Combed Thunderclap posted:

Cash might be the core of the initial cause but I'm not sure the dysfunction really has a core anymore. Roughly $5 billion's been spent exclusively on unfucking Metro over the past four years and it's still spontaneously combusting. The GM's apparent commitment to a genuinely multifaceted assault on that dysfunction continues to prove encouraging, at least.

Also included in that article is a note that the GM's direct reports are going from 21 to 9. I have no freaking idea how someone with 21 direct reporting staff could provide adequate oversight or get anything done themselves.

# ¿ May 21, 2016 00:57

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