Metro board now moving on to its plans to reform the Rail Operations Control Center, which was the subject of a scathing Metrorail Safety Commission report released Tuesday. wmata.com/about/board/me…
Wiedefeld and some board members have been having weekly meetings with the ROCC since July. That came after a leadership change after WMSC exposed a number of issues at the ROCC. dcist.com/story/20/06/23…
This presentation covers short term changes (this year), medium-term (2021) and long-term (2022) changes.
Looks at five different areas.
MD rep. Michael Goldman says the WMSC report is "damning." Rider safety is highest importance. Need to take this time to get the ROCC right before ridership returns to normal levels.
Wiedefeld says any harassment is unacceptable in the agency. We are going to find out what happened there. Want to get to the root of it. Bringing in outside law firm to investigate. Don't have specifics to react to yet, but are unacceptable and will be dealt with.
Fed's rep Horner encourages "radical" decision to address the ROCC like WMATA did with shutting down the system for a day in 2016.
"Consider a partial or total standdown of the system on an expedited basis. The impact would be small because rail ridership down."
Horner asks what's the worst thing that could happen/crop up if ROCC issues left unaddressed.
And it appears my live stream is crapping out at a very pivotal/important moment
What all of 2020 has felt like 👇
Letourneau says livestream issue was not on purpose. They switched to a new stream:
Slater says changing the ROCC it's all about culture, accountability and leadership.
Says there's a number of high-functioning facilities in the industry right now and encourages WMATA to look at and learn from them.
Jamie Jackson, who is leading the ROCC transformation, said he's having conversations with a dozen transit agencies to learn from them, including BART in SF.
Sorry - Jayme* Jackson.
Wiedefeld says changs to the ROCC can't be a board room discussion only. Needs to have everyone in the room to "see the warts and all."
Either they get it and they start to change or it isn't a good fit for them, he says. Everyone has to work through the issues with us.
Goldman says culutral change is essential to maintaining safety for riders on the system.
"Treat this as a crisis," he says. He and other board members support taking extra steps, like shutting down rail temporarily to make sure ROCC has safety culture needed.
And meeting is adjoured/going into exec session. That's all for today.
My goodness. It's Jayme Johnson. Apologies to, Jayme who is the Director of Change Management, Rail Transportation.
Brain is not firing on all cylinders today.
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MD Gov. Wes Moore and his transportation secretary Paul Wiedefeld are going on a safety walk along Georgia Ave. in Wheaton today with Councilmember @NataliFGonzalez to get a sense of pedestrian safety issues and economic development in the corridor.
Wiedefeld will also be the keynote speaker this year for WABA’s annual Vision Zero conference in June.
It’s a large crew here at Regina’s Restaurant in Georgia Ave ahead of the pedestrian safety walk with Gov. Moore, Transpo Sec Wiedefeld and more.
'70s: Dave Grohl moves to NoVa
'80s: he goes to shows at old 9:30 Club in DC
'97: Foo Fighters' "The Colour and the Shape" released, becomes seminal album of my childhood
'23: Grohl opens replica of the venue he went to as a teen, I get to see him for news:dcist.com/story/23/05/30…
FWIW: I was too young for Nirvana when they were big, but these 14 tracks were so huge when I was like 10 years old. Iconic shit.
I still stand by that Everlong is the best rock song of the past 30 years
The Atlantis, I.M.P..’s new small, 400-person music venue, opens tonight with the Foo Fighters. Mayor Bowser is giving remarks at the opening as is Dave Grohl and the owners of the venue.
Dave Grohl is here and just like casually milling about
It's Metro Board day. Not a super-packed agenda.
MD Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld isn't here today. Michael Goldman filling in. wmata.com/about/board/me…
Board starts with a moment of silence for Bob Cunningham.
GM Randy Clarke says WMATA is taking care of his family, but the GoFundMe has raised $185,000 that will help pay for his kids college among other things. Clarke thanks the community for their thoughts and generosity.
Metro has set up town halls to talk about security and wellness for employees. Clarke says the staff is resilient, but angry at the gun violence in America.