The Metro system, once a reliable point of pride for D.C.’s boosters, has had a rough few years: Safety problems, escalator outages, and rising prices have made the subway a regular subject of local griping. At times, it can be hard to keep up with the torrent of unflattering Metro-related scoops. As a public service, Washington City Paper is offering beleaguered riders this irregular round-up of recent media lowlights:
- Some Metro employees are raking in money thanks to overtime pay. “What are they doing wrong there that they had people working that many hours?” asks a transit police lawyer.
- After heavy rain, faulty pumps knocked out service between two stations on Monday morning. The wait for shuttle buses looked like fun.
- Station managers get sleepy sometimes. While they’re dreaming, have a little Photoshop fun with them.
- Nobody knows who owns unsuckdcmetro.com.
- Local crime reporter becomes a local crime victim on Metro.
- For this weekend, goodbye, big chunk of the Red Line. Hello again, shuttle buses.
In better news this week: behold, the Farragut Crossing. And riders rescued a man in a wheelchair from the tracks at Union Station.