The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Commentary
    • Columns
    • Water Cooler
    • Letters
    • Cartoons
    • Books
  • Sports
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Communities
  • Rebate Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Photos
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Politics

    Voight, tea party groups plan last-minute protest

  • Politics

    CURL: Obama the Innocent stumps for health care

  • Politics

    Key Democrat Boccieri switches to 'yes' on health vote

  • Commentary

    TURNER: Our lawbreaking Congress

  • Energy

    Obama backs plan to legalize illegals

  • World

    Gitmo suspects allowed laptops

  • Politics

    Health-vote ally Nelson to get new VA hospital for Nebraska

Thursday, June 26, 2003

Metro board favors its free-ride policy

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen

More Stories

  • Democrats predict health bill will pass House
  • Thousands rally on anniversary of Iraq invasion
  • Voight, tea party groups plan last-minute protest
  • Judge rejects settlement for 9/11 rescuers

By

Metro board members yesterday endorsed continuation of free rides for the 10,000 employees and retirees of the cash-strapped transit system, a perk which Metro officials said costs only $675,000 a year.

Board members said they are in favor of the free rides for Metro's 10,018 employees and 1,660 retirees, as a way of compensating employees, ensuring good service, and encouraging environment-friendly travel. Some current and former board members also get free Metro rides.

Meanwhile, riders can look forward to new, higher rates for rail, bus and parking on Sunday as passed by Metro to help alleviate a $48 million budget deficit for fiscal 2004. Metro expects to face another budget shortfall next year of around $50 million.

The Washington Times first reported about the free rides for Metro employees and retirees on Tuesday. According to calculations by The Times, if each of Metro's employees rides the rail daily for minimum fare the perk costs Metro around $6 million, or $18 million a year for each employee who rides every day for maximum fare.

Metro initially said it could not estimate how much the free rides cost, but yesterday said the perk costs it $675,000 a year. Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said only about 1,500 of Metro's employees ride rail to work each day because many of them start work before the system opens or go home after it closes.

Board member David A. Catania, an at-large Republican on the D.C. Council, said if Metro were to remove the perk, they would have to raise employee salaries. "I really don't object to a free pass," he said.

Dana Kaufman, board member and Fairfax County supervisor, said having employees ride the system helps them do their jobs better.

"Folks get to see how service is working or not working. It does have value," he said.

Fellow board member Christopher Zimmerman, who is also an Arlington County Board member, agreed.

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Top Stories

Most Shared

  1. KUHNER: Impeach the president?
  2. EDITORIAL: Hiding the true cost of Obamacare
  3. EDITORIAL: Obama surrenders gulf oil to Moscow
  4. RUSE: The Girl Scout Sex Guide
  5. HANSON: Proud to help - and to fly our flag
More Top Stories »
  1. Obama backs plan to legalize illegals
  2. PRUDEN: Into the twilight zone
  3. WOLF: Obama family health care fracas
  4. TURNER: Our lawbreaking Congress
  5. Lawmaker won't press charges in spitting incident

Most Commented

  1. KUHNER: Impeach the president?
  2. Obama backs plan to legalize illegals
  3. Voight, tea party groups plan last-minute protest
  4. Key Democrat Boccieri switches to 'yes' on health vote
  5. Gitmo suspects allowed laptops
More Top Stories »
  1. Lawmaker won't press charges in spitting incident
  2. CURL: Obama the Innocent stumps for health care
  3. Obama holds final pep rally for health care
  4. TURNER: Our lawbreaking Congress
  5. EDITORIAL: WWII: The most racist generation

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin

Blogs & Columns

  • Water Cooler

    Video appears to dispute lawmaker's claim of protesters' racial slurs

  • Belief Blog

    Nancy Pelosi invokes the 'wrong' St. Joseph

  • Technology

    Ordering iPad is painless, except for the wallet hit

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.