As the Washington Post reports today, the reliability of the region’s Metro subway system escalators has been dropping steadily over the past three years. If you live and commute in the area, you know how far and deep these escalators run, and how frustrating it is to arrive at a Metro station only to see all escalators out of service.
The system’s governors have tripped over themselves for years to explain away similar problems, including fatal crashes, frequent derailments, growing ridership and demand, failure to communicate rider notifications properly, failure to handle emergency situations, and so forth.
Back to the escalators. The Post attempted to talk with the top Metro official in charge of escalator repairs, David Lacosse. Unfortunately Lacosse couldn’t be bothered to comment for the story. In fact, he apparently has so much contempt for the press and Metro riders that he offered his spokesperson to say the following: “He has made it clear to us that he has no interest in being interviewed.”
This is what you can call a massive, massive PR FAIL. Metro, your support amongst the community, elected leaders, federal officials and other stakeholders is collapsing, just like the mechanical stairs at each station. Time for Mr. Lacosse to get some media training.
Metro escalator / elevator operational failures are a public safety issue. How so? A patron died climbing a disfunctional Bethesda Station escalator several years ago, and Metro promised (Wash. Post) this would never happen again. Subsequently, along came David Lacosse who now refuses to talk about continuing problems, even though the Wash. Post gave him celebrity by calling him “Metro’s vertical people mover”. By refusing to be interviewed now, this guy showed he has no professional safety interests whatsoever. He is a national disgrace and needs to go. Make sure it happens!!! Jackson Schad, Bethesda, MD (Charter Member, US Surgeon General’s Committee on Disability)
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Thank you, Legal Sounds!