21 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release, 10/30:

 

Metro GM proposes "reality check" budget plan

 

Calling it a Reality Check Budget Plan for FY18, Metro officials will present an austere recommendation to the Board’s Finance Committee at its meeting Thursday. The budget downsizes the workforce by an unprecedented 1,000 positions, cuts certain employee health care expenses, and rightsizes rail and bus services to support current ridership.

 

In preparing the $1.8 billion operating budget, General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld directed his executive team to fully fund key safety improvements, improve track and train reliability, sharply cut management and labor costs, outsource functions where possible, improve maintenance personnel productivity, and scale train and bus services to match existing ridership demand. The budget also funds stricter fare enforcement, a plan Wiedefeld calls Fair Fare Collection.

“Metro has to face reality when it comes to what the region says it can afford and direct those resources to best serve the riders we have today,” said Wiedefeld. “This plan has Metro doing everything in our power to get major expense categories under control while improving safety and making the trains run on time.”

After accounting for $50 million in projected savings through management and labor actions, Metro balances the budget through shared contributions distributed among all Metro stakeholders. While reducing its reliance on federal grant funds by $35 million, the operating budget assumes $60 million of grant funding of eligible maintenance expenses. Forecasting ridership that is down more than 20 percent from 2009 levels, rail service would be reduced, making trains less frequent during peak and off-peak travel times, but more reliable through aggressive rail car and track maintenance. In addition, about a dozen low-ridership bus routes are proposed for elimination.

 

As proposed, rail service beginning July 1, 2017, would operate as follows:

• During peak periods, trains would operate every 2-4 minutes at stations served by multiple lines in the system’s core.
• Trains would run every 8 minutes in peak periods instead of every 6 minutes today.
• Service would become more frequent for Blue Line riders, where trains are now scheduled every 12 minutes.
• Rush+ trains would be eliminated.
• During most off-peak periods (e.g. midday, early evening, and weekends) trains would run every 15 minutes on each line.

The plan assumes growth in commercial (non-passenger) revenue, including advertising and joint development agreements. Consistent with Board policy for periodic fare adjustments and recognizing that passenger fares have been held constant since 2014, an increase is proposed to generate $21 million, less than 10 percent of the budget gap. The combination of fare increases and service cuts would generate about $50 million from riders to help balance the budget. Contributions from the jurisdictions are projected to increase by $47 million from the District of Columbia, $44 million from Maryland, and $39 million from Virginia.

“The most difficult part of this plan is the impact for Metro customers and employees,” said Wiedefeld. “Tough choices are required to balance the operating budget.”

The proposal equalizes the local bus fare with the off-peak rail boarding charge at $2 per trip. Off-peak rail riders would pay the $2 boarding charge in addition to current distance-based fares. During peak hours, the boarding charge would increase a dime to $2.25 with a new maximum fare of $6 (vs. $5.90 today). For bus riders, one-way local bus fares would increase from $1.75 -- among the lowest nationally -- to $2.00. Express bus fares would increase from $4 today to $4.25, and daily parking fees would tick up by a dime.

Metro’s Board of Directors will be asked at its December meeting to approve a public hearing among other online and community based outreach for consideration of the budget. Community outreach and public hearings would begin in late January. The final budget, including any service and fare changes, requires approval by the full Board in March in order to take effect July 1, 2017.

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 10/30:
 

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld’s budget raises fares, reduces service, cuts 1,000 jobs

 

Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld is proposing fare increases, reduced rail and bus service, job cuts and higher subsidies from the jurisdictions Metro serves, according to a briefing on his fiscal 2018 budget obtained by The Washington Post and presented to Metro’s Board of Directors over the weekend.

 

Wiedefeld is planning to request an additional $130 million from the District, Virginia and Maryland to help close an anticipated $290 million budget shortfall for the budget year that begins July 1 — a gap that is $15 million higher than estimated in recent projections to the board.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio, 10/30:
 

Proposed Metro budget cuts 1,000 jobs, increases fares and wait times

 

WASHINGTON — In what Metro is calling a “reality check,” the $1.8 billion budget that general manager Paul Wiedefeld has just proposed for the 2018 fiscal year includes cuts to service and staffing to reflect the realities of the transit system’s financial situation and declining ridership.

 

Under the “austere recommendation” released Sunday, 1,000 employees throughout the system would be laid off. There would also be cuts to employee healthcare expenses. And it would bring about significant changes to the rail schedule if the budget is enacted.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 10/31:
 

Metro makes case for more track work hours

 

Metro managers are making the case that the successor program to SafeTrack should not be SafeTrack 2.0.

 

Instead, they say, the rail system’s maintenance program needs to move away from today’s largely reactionary approach into a phase that emphasizes preventive maintenance — in other words, more hours of unfettered access to the tracks.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio, 11/1:

Metro budget plan assumes late-night service cuts

 

WASHINGTON — The proposal to run Metro trains less frequently and raise fares also assumes that the system will cut back hours, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said.

 

He told WTOP that the financial impact of cutting trains late at night or on weekends was not the primary driver of his request for the system to run eight fewer hours each week, but that the cuts, which are still yet to be fully debated by the Metro board, are included in his budget proposal he will formally present Thursday.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 1/22:
 

Metro gets some financial breathing room — but only for the short-term

 

 

The District, Maryland and Northern Virginia have agreed to give Metro the extra money it has requested for its next budget, granting the transit agency a bit of financial breathing room as it works to improve safety and reliability.

 

SNIP

 

The three jurisdictions’ commitments mean that Metro can count on getting the extra money that General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld sought in his $1.8 billion operating budget presented in October.

 

More here.

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release:
 

January 24, 2017

Metro invites public to comment on FY2018 budget proposal, fare and service adjustments

 

Metro is inviting the public to provide feedback on its proposed FY2018 Operating Budget, a proposal aimed at rightsizing rail and bus services to support current ridership, as well as the Capital Improvement Plan and Federal Grant Applications.

 

The proposed $3.1 billion budget funds key safety, service and customer initiatives critical to reversing declining ridership and building a financially sustainable future for Metro. Following the year-long accelerated track maintenance program, SafeTrack, Metro will institute a new preventive track maintenance program in Fiscal Year 2018. In addition, a new railcar "Get Well" plan will address persistent railcar problems to help further reduce delays.

 

Metro values the input of its customers and the Metro Board will take all comments into consideration prior to adopting the budget.

 

The public is encouraged to comment by 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 6, 2017:

• Take a survey or provide written comment. The survey may also be downloaded, filled out and dropped in a survey collection bin near the faregates at any Metrorail station.
• Provide feedback to staff at Metrorail Stations Monday January 23 – January 30. * View here for a full list of locations and times.
• Attend an open house Monday, January 30, 2017, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and public hearing starting at 5:00 p.m. Speaker registration is onsite only and will close at 9:00 p.m.
  
  Metro Headquarters Building
  600 Fifth St. NW
  Washington, DC 20001
  (via Metrorail: Gallery Place or Judiciary Square)

*Note that dates may change due to weather and check wmata.com/budget for any schedule changes.

 

Several key initiatives are being considered including:

• Increase in Metrorail rush hour and non-rush hour fares
• Increase in regular and express Metrobus fares
• Replace 1-day rail pass with new 1-day unlimited rail/bus pass
• Adjust train service during weekday rush hour
• Reduce train service during non-rush hour and weekends
• Eliminate or modify bus routes in the District, Maryland and Virginia

The proposed budget seeks to close a $290 million budget gap with shared sacrifice between state and local governments, Metro personnel and customers. The proposal calls for the District, Maryland and Virginia to contribute a total of $130 million more than they did last year. Metro is also proposing $50 million in cost savings by eliminating positions and taking other cost cutting actions. Fares for riders would go up between $0.10 and $0.25 for rail and bus trips, while service is rightsized to fit current ridership levels.

 

To view the full dockets and for more information about the operating budget, visit wmata.com/budget.

The survey results, along with written statements and public hearing comments will be part of the official public hearing record and submitted to the Board for consideration and approval.

 

Metro's fiscal year 2018 budget and any approved changes would take effect in July.

 

Additional Information

The location for public hearing and outreach locations are wheelchair accessible. Any individual who requires special assistance such as a sign language interpreter or additional accommodation to participate in the public hearing, or who requires these materials in an alternate format, should call 202-962-2511 or TTY: 202-962-2033 as soon as possible in order for Metro to make necessary arrangements. For language assistance, such as an interpreter or information in another language, please call 202-962-2582 at least 48 hours prior to the public hearing date.

 

How to register to speak

Speaker registration is onsite only and will close at 9:00 p.m. All organizations or individuals desiring to be heard with respect to these dockets will be afforded the opportunity to present their views and make supporting statements and to offer alternative proposals.

 

Public officials will be heard first and will be allowed five minutes each to make their presentations. All others will be allowed three minutes each. These limits apply regardless of whether the speaker is addressing one or more dockets. Relinquishing of time by one speaker to another will not be permitted.

 

Please note that all comments received are releasable to the public upon request, and may be posted on WMATA's website, without change, including any personal information you provide.

 

[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio, 1/31:
 

Metro riders weigh in on proposed budget

 

 

WASHINGTON — Metro riders had a chance Monday night to weigh in on the transit agency’s next budget.

 

In a packed board room at Metro headquarters, riders gathered to raise their concerns over proposed increases in fares, along with cuts in bus routes and the work force proposed for the 2018 fiscal year.

 

Rider Chauniece Jones called on Metro board of directors to find a way to have one flat-rate fare for the entire system.

 

“You need to make the changes that the working people demand because we are the people who ride Metro. We are the people who solely rely on Metro, not you,” said Jones.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio, 2/15:
 

Costs to fix Metro could bog down budgets for schools, police

 

 

FAIRFAX, Va. — Schools, roads, public safety and other key budget needs could be squeezed out by ballooning needs at Metro after years of neglect, Nothern Virginia leaders were warned Tuesday.

 

New estimates put Loudoun County’s total costs for fiscal year 2020 around $50.8 million, $31.5 million higher than the 2012 estimate used when the Board of Supervisors gave final approval to get the Silver Line to Dulles International Airport and Ashburn. In fiscal year 2025, the total for Loudoun County could rise to $82.2 million, an increase of $60.7 million above projections. The estimates still need to be revised to reflect the fact that Loudoun opted out of Metro’s bus system, and so will not pay that portion of the costs

 

SNIP

 

“The WMATA 2012 Model assumed a level of spending consistent with prior budgets approved up through that time,” a staff report read. “In the intervening years, significant failures have occurred, including fatalities that have highlighted the impacts of long-term deferrals of capital needs. The WMATA 2012 Model relies on past operation and capital budgets that never built-in completely the needs and requirements for both safety and reliability.”

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

WTOP Radio 2/15:
 

Metro makes case to local leaders for raising fares, cutting service

 

 

WASHINGTON — Metro leaders took their case for higher fares and reduced service to area leaders Wednesday. The changes are proposed as part of Metro’s upcoming budget and could take effect in July.

 

“We have not had a fare increase at Metro in three years,” said Regina Sullivan, Metro’s director of government relations, during a meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board.

 

Under the plan, rush-hour rail fares would go up by as much as 10 cents, and non-rush hour rail fares would increase by up to 25 cents. Metrobus fares would go up by 25 cents as well.

 

Continue here.