: News

Filed Under:

Transit Expert Issues "Withering" Report On Metro

March 11, 2010
Play associated audio
comments

By David Schultz

After a string of accidents and safety failures, Metro's board of directors commissioned David Gunn to do a full audit of the transit system. Gunn is a veteran of the transit industry who was once the General Manager of Metro in the early 90's.

This afternoon, Gunn gave the Board an oral summary of his yet-to-be released report. Chairman Peter Benjamin says he expected it would be frank.

"It was more than frank," Benjamin says. "It was withering."

Gunn says the system has a culture of "kill the messenger" that discourages the reporting of problems. He says this needs to change so workers can ask for help without fear.

Gunn also says Metro should consider scaling back subsidies for riders of MetroAccess, the para-transit service for people with disabilities. Gunn says the cost of these subsidies has grown more than 300 percent in the past decade.

Benjamin says Gunn will issue a full written report in a few weeks.

Arts & Culture

NPR

China Builds Museums ... But Will The Visitors Come?

China is on a spree to build world-class museums and has opened about 100 of them annually in recent years. Two of the biggest opened on the same day last fall on opposite banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. But filling these museums — with both art and visitors — is proving more challenging.

Food

NPR

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.

Politics

NPR

IRS Official In Charge Of Nonprofits Declines To Testify

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division dealing with nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status, will not testify on Wednesday despite a congressional subpoena, her attorney says. She is accused of closely scrutinizing conservative groups that sought tax-exempt status.

Technology

NPR

Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Game System

Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey into becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for more than seven years.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.