WMATA Metro Rail Operator Texting on the Job

Update: Various media outlets are reporting that Metro has stated that they were not aware of this incident until after June 22 when this video was posted. This is not the case. Metro was informed of this incident within hours of the video being recorded on June 5. At this time they were also offerred the opportunity to obtain this video. Hopefully they did not wait until June 22 to take action against this operator simply because that is when this embarrassing video was publicized.

In the time since this video was posted, this operator has been appropriately reprimanded by Metro; hence I have removed his name from this caption.

It took them two weeks to notice, but blogs, newspapers, and TV news stations have taken interest in this video and reported on the issue. WJLA was the first to pick it up, then WUSA, WTTG, CBS News, Fox News, WTOP, CNN, and others realized they would be left behind and picked it up as well. And they all claim to be on the ball when it comes to reporting the news.

It looks like he's sleeping, but he is actually holding a Blackberry between his legs. The train is moving under automatic control but no one is watching out for what is in front of it! Track workers are frequently out walking the tracks, and if there had been any present, no one would have seen them in front of this train.
This was on the Blue Line towards Franconia-Springfield between King St. and Van Dorn St. on 6/5/09 around 3:55pm.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• wmata
• metro
• rail
• operator
• train
• driver