Metro’s general manager on Thursday proposed spending $19 million in the fiscal 2009 budget to improve on-time service on the cash-strapped agency’s rail cars and buses.
The operating budget John Catoe proposed to a board of directors committee totals $1.3 billion for fiscal 2009, which begins in July. That’s $167 million higher than the 2008 budget, partly because of anticipated high fuel prices and higher electricity costs for running more trains and buses.
The money also would be spent on operating more eight-car trains. Metro officials say 50 percent of all rail cars will be that length during peak hours by early next year, as opposed to the current 20 percent.
The biggest fare increases in Metro’s history went into effect Sunday to help cover a budget gap for the coming fiscal year.
Officials acknowledged that service likely will continue to suffer from breakdowns in the system’s aging fleet of rail cars. More than a quarter of the agency’s 1,040 rail cars have been running the tracks for more than 30 years, and with every car needed, there is no plan to retire them.
Board members expressed frustration with the lack of improvement in on-time rail service, which ran at below 90 percent for almost all of 2007 and fell way short of the agency’s goals. They demanded monthly reports from Catoe and Metro Deputy General Manager Gerald Francis.
“We should and we will report this on a monthly basis,” said Catoe, who, with Francis, has been at the agency for only one year. “I do believe we can get this up past 90 percent.”
The proposed budget also sets aside $3 million to ease the source of the agency’s top customer complaint — unpredictable bus service. One measure could include using existing bus Global Positioning System units to evaluate schedule performance.
“Why don’t we have that information now?” incoming board Chairman Chris Zimmerman asked. “That’s something we were promised years ago.”
Nancy Iacomini, chairwoman of the Riders Advisory Council, expressed cautious optimism about the proposed service improvements.
“I think it’s a good start, but what’s the old saying? The proof is in the pudding,” she said. “It’s great for you to tell us these things, but we have to work on these issues.”
The Metro board must approve a budget by June.
