Accountability and WMATA

(reprinted due to some weird problem with links)



While I am inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to John Catoe, the General Manager of the WMATA system, despite all the recent problems the system has been experiencing, because the reality is that most of the system's problems--lack of oversight, inadequate leadership, inadequate funding, the weird relationship with the federal government, bickering between the jurisdictions, a militaristic organizational culture begat from the first manager, who was a General from the Army Corps of Engineers, and a lack of significant systematic regional transportation planning--predate his tenure. He inherited these problems.

But he did just get his contract extended for three years. See "Catoe's Contract Renewed In Show of Broad Support‎ " from the Washington Post.

On the other hand, the lady bus driver who hit a jogger, but didn't kill her, was fired. See "Sources: Metro Bus Driver Ran Light, Hit Jogger" from Fox5.

So what lesson does that send about accountability when 9 people die and 70+ people are injured as a result of a subway train accident?

If the bus driver was fired (and maybe she shouldn't have been driving a bus given her other driving issues and previous accidents), does that mean that many many people will be fired from the Rail Operations Division, once the National Transportation Safety Board findings and report are released, reviewed, considered, and responded to by WMATA management and the Board of Directors?