DC Metro Fires Chief Safety Officer, So What?

The decision by DC Metro's General Manager this weekend to fire the beleaguered agency's top deputy and safety chief is nothing but window dressing - a transparent public relations ploy to boost the agency's image as being more "serious" about tackling its chronic safety issues.  The truth of this lies in the fact that nothing was done to hold these officials accountable - even months after the system's worst train crash - until Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) called the agency to task at a Congressional hearing earlier in the week.   The fact that this move was nothing but window dressing was clear in the words used by General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr. when explaining the move to his board.  He said that the move was necessary to make Metro's allegedly renewed focus on public safety more "visible" to improve "public perception" and "confidence."  In my opinion, this lame "business as usual" attitude at Metro illustrates what we've been saying for months.  This agency just doesn't get it.  Until fundamental safety reforms happen from the ground up, the public is at risk.