If there were a “Chutzpah of the Year” award, D.C. Councilman and Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham would win hands down. The man is amazing.
The Examiner‘s Kytja Weir reported earlier this week that Graham has embraced the idea being pushed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and others of establishing national federal safety standards and oversight of transit agencies and subway systems. “We need it,” said Graham.
That’s an understatement. But, didn’t Metro General Manager John Catoe and Graham insist in June the system is “safe,” despite the deaths of nine people in one of the worst tragedies in WMATA’s history? Why the change of heart?
Graham may want to give the impression that a potential federal takeover is a collaboration.
Federal attention to the system and possibly arming the National Transportation Safety Board with enhanced powers to force implementation of its recommendations are critical. I advocated as much earlier this year.
Graham and his colleagues have failed to remove uncrashworthy rail cars, despite repeat warnings from the NTSB. Metro employees reported problems with track circuitry even before the June accident; but neither the board nor management considered their complaints. And, proving preserving territorial controls more important than protecting workers and riders, Metro prevented the Tri-State Oversight Committee from doing its work. This week, Graham tried to trash the group.
“It’s obvious to everyone at this point that by now — I’m not being critical of [the Tri-State Committee] but the structure and their resources — they haven’t had much impact,” he told Weir.
Metro has done end runs around the Tri-State Committee. Graham and his colleagues have watched from the sidelines, mimicking the three monkeys.
But, when a reporter has appeared, the chairman has sprung into action, suggesting he has things under control. For example, Graham said he addressed Metro’s denial of the Tri-State Committee’s requests to inspect tracks where trains were in operation. He was instrumental in getting the chief safety officer placed under the supervision of the chief of transit police.
“This is a response of the general manager to the question I raised,” Graham said proudly.
I’m confused. Aren’t the two jobs different? The police handle customers who violate Metro rules and city laws while using the system. The safety officer must ensure tracks, trains, buses and equipment are safe for riders and workers, reducing the system’s liability?
Duplicity can be an effective device when expertly deployed. Graham is a master. What’s more, he has been adept at covering his flank, protecting his board colleagues and his main man Catoe during this season of intense scrutiny.
What Graham hasn’t done, however, is adequately perform his oversight duties, guaranteeing a well managed, cost efficient, and safe mass transit system. That failure is reason enough for the federal government to step in establishing standards but also demanding the appointment of an entirely new board for Metro.
Jonetta Rose Barras, host of WPFW’s “D.C. Politics with Jonetta,” can be reached at [email protected].
