Washington Metrorail

Safety Commission

2019 Annual Operations

Report

ON MET GT R N O I R H A S I A L

W

S

A N F O E I Advancing Safety T S Y IS COMM TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Commission is Created by Public Law 1 Letter from the CEO 3 Commissioners 4 Programs, Operations and Financial 2019 6 • Background 7 • Organizational Chart 8 • Metrorail System Map 9 • Certification 9 • Key Responsibilities 10 • First Audits 11 • Financial Independence 12 •  Continuing Education 13 • Major Investigations 13 Appendices i • FY20 Budget Document i • Current Staff List iv

All photographs used in this document are property of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission or are used with the permission of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority THE COMMISSION IS CREATED BY PUBLIC LAW

After years of effort by the Commonwealth of , State of and the District of Columbia to establish the exact wording of the legislation, the Compact was sent for congressional approval. That approval came in the form of H.J. Res. 76 which, after enactment, legally established the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.

H.J. Res. 76

Joint Resolution granting the consent and approval of Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to enter into a compact relating to the establishment of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Judiciary on June 14, 2017

Public Law No: 115-54 (08/22/2017). Introduced by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-5) February 16, 2017.

Interstate Compact TABLE OF CONTENTS This joint resolution grants congressional consent and approval for the Commonwealth of The Commission is Created by Public Law 1 Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to enter into a Metrorail Safety Letter from the CEO 3 Commission (MSC) Interstate Compact. Commissioners 4 Programs, Operations and Financial 2019 6 The Compact establishes a Washington Metrorail Safety Commission for the safety oversight of • Background 7 the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Rail (Metrorail) System. • Organizational Chart 8 • Metrorail System Map 9 The commission shall: • Certification 9 • distribute a written State Safety Oversight Program; • Key Responsibilities 10 • enforce implementation of Metrorail’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan, • First Audits 11 as well as audit triennially Metrorail’s compliance with such plan; • Financial Independence 12 •  Continuing Education 13 • enforce implementation of any Corrective Action Plans; • Major Investigations 13 • enforce relevant federal and state laws and regulations relating to Metrorail safety; Appendices i • publish annually a Metrorail safety report, including updates of Corrective Action • FY20 Budget Document i Plans, Commission directives, and on-going investigations; and • Current Staff List iv • publish annually a report on commission operations.

An independent annual audit shall be made of commission financial accounts.

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 1 2 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report LETTER FROM THE CEO

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission had an extremely productive year that included taking over direct safety oversight for Metrorail, expanding the Commission’s expertise, and issuing the first directives to Metrorail tied to significant audits, incidents and investigations, all within the first weeks and months after achieving federal certification.

These are milestones that we will build upon for years to come as we continue to work with Metrorail to improve safety for riders, workers and the region.

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is the nation’s newest State Safety Oversight Agency, and the only one that is completely standalone. While other State Safety Oversight Agencies are embedded in state departments of transportation or utility commissions, the Commission handles not just oversight and enforcement work but also its own finances and other operations. We oversee safety on the second-busiest rail transit system in the country with the support of direct funding from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and related federal grants.

This did not happen without significant help. Members of the Maryland and Virginia General The Washington Metrorail Safety Assemblies, D.C. Council, local and regional bodies, Commission is the nation’s newest State the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Safety Oversight Agency, and the only and officials in numerous agencies have been crucial partners in this effort. Other elected and one that is completely standalone. agency leaders and staff in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments were also instrumental in standing up the Commission.

I cannot overstate the importance of the Council of Governments in launching and supporting our efforts to enhance the safety of Metrorail. The Council of Governments provided essential financial support while the Commission was acquiring a staff and preparing a draft of our first Program Standard. This was indispensable to the process of gaining our certification.

I would also like to especially thank the Commissioners for entrusting me and our dedicated team with such an important responsibility for the region and the nation’s capital.

The six Commissioners and three alternates guide our continuous work to make the Metrorail system as safe as possible for everyone.

Sincerely,

David Mayer, Chief Executive Officer

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 3 MARK ROSENKER ROBERT BOBB (Commonwealth of Virginia), (District of Columbia) COMMISSIONERS Vice Chairman Commissioner Vice Chairman Bobb earned a Rosenker is a Bachelor of Arts in CHRISTOPHER HART transportation Political Science (District of Columbia), Chair consultant and from Grambling Mr. Hart is chair of safety analyst. State University the Washington He is a board and a Master of Metrorail Safety member of several Science degree in Business from Commission. companies. He was chairman of the Western Michigan University. He Chairman Hart NTSB from 2005 to 2009 and served went on to earn a Certificate for as a member from 2003 to 2009. has extensive Senior Executives in State and Previously, Vice Chairman Rosenker Local Governments from Harvard experience working in transportation worked for two years (2001-2002) University’s John F. Kennedy School and specifically transportation at the White House as a Deputy of Government. Commissioner Bobb safety issues in both the public Assistant to the President and is known as a turnaround specialist. and private sectors. He served as Director of the White House Military He stepped in as emergency an attorney for the Air Transport Office. He also lent his efforts to financial manager of Detroit Association of America, as an the United Network for Organ Public Schools. He also served as associate attorney for the law firms Sharing and the Electronic Industries city administrator for the District Peabody, Rivlin, Lambert, & Meyers Alliance. Vice Chairman Rosenker of Columbia, among his many and Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin, is a retired major general in the Air accomplishments. Commissioner and as a managing partner for the Force Reserve. His term expires in Bobb’s term expires in 2020. law firm Hart & Chavers. He was 2023. also the Deputy Administrator of JOHN CONTESTABILE the National Highway Traffic DEBRA FARRAR- (State of Maryland) Administration and Assistant DYKE Commissioner Administrator for System Safety (State of Contestabile is Maryland), and Deputy Director of the the Director of Secretary-Treasurer Air Traffic Safety Oversight Public Safety Commissioner Service at the Federal Aviation Programs for Farrar-Dyke is Secretary-Treasurer Skyline Technology Administration. Chairman Hart of the Commission. She is a senior Solutions where he develops served two terms as a member manager with over 30 years of information technology initiatives for of the National Transportation successful, progressive leadership the public safety community. He was Safety Board (NTSB) from 1990 in transportation and procurement a Program Manager for Emergency to 1993 and 2009 to January management. Commissioner Preparedness and Response Systems 2018. He served as chairman of Farrar-Dyke is also a Commissioner in the Homeland Security practice the NTSB from 2014 to 2017. on the Maryland Transportation of the Johns Hopkins University/ Chairman Hart earned a Bachelor Commission. Previously she was Applied Physics Lab. Prior to working of Science in Engineering and a responsible for the Disadvantaged at Johns Hopkins, Commissioner Master of Science in Engineering Business and Small Business Contestabile worked for the state from Princeton University and a Programs at the Washington of Maryland in a variety of roles Juris Doctor from Harvard Law Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. including Acting Assistant Secretary School. Chairman Hart’s term as She also led oversight of operating of the Maryland Department of Commissioner and Chair expires and capital budgets preparation Transportation, Acting Homeland in 2022. and implementation at Metro. Security Director, and Public Safety Commissioner Farrar-Dyke’s term Communications Interoperability expires in 2021. Director. He also worked directly

4 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report on Metrorail safety as a member GREG HULL planning, program and engineering of the region’s Tri-State Oversight (Commonwealth of Virginia) officer at the Maryland Transit Committee (TOC) from 1999 to Commissioner Administration. His term expires 2007 and has experience as a rail Hull worked for in 2020. incident investigator. Commissioner many years as Contestabile participates on several assistant vice MICHAEL J. RUSH national and local committees president of the (Commonwealth of Virginia – including the Transportation American Public Alternate) Research Board’s (TRB) Resilience Transportation Commissioner Section, where he is chair. He is a Association (APTA). In this capacity Rush serves member of the TRB Transit Safety he conducted hundreds of public as Senior Vice and Security Task Force and has transit safety reviews, audits, and President, Safety served a term on the District of investigations and was responsible and Operations Columbia Homeland Security for the management of APTA’s for the Association Commission. Commissioner programs for safety, operations of American Contestabile’s term expires in 2023. support, security, and emergency Railroads (AAR). He serves as management. Prior to joining APTA, the rail industry’s liaison with CHRISTOPHER GELDART Commissioner Hull held various regulatory bodies, including the (District of Columbia – Alternate) senior management positions U.S. Department of Transportation, Commissioner with Calgary Transit from 1979 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Geldart is Director 1999. He also served as secretary Security, and the Environmental of the D.C. to the U.S. Mass Transit Sector Protection Agency. Commissioner Department of Security Coordinating Council and Rush oversees much of the rail Public Works. He chaired the European Commission’s industry’s work on interchange is a recognized “SECUR-ED Project” Advisory standards, its homeland security leader in Board. Commissioner Hull is certified plans, and environmental protection emergency management with in- in system safety, system security and and safety programs. An expert depth experience across municipal, systems auditing and is a certified in regulatory law, Mr. Rush has state and federal agencies, as well safety professional. His term expires represented AAR in various as in the private sector. Mr. Geldart in 2021. regulatory agency and legislative previously served as the Federal activities, testifying at hearings and Emergency Management Agency’s SUHAIR AL KHATIB drafting comments, briefs, and Director of the National Capital (State of Maryland – Alternate) Congressional testimony. His Region Coordination Office, as Commissioner Al Assistant Director of the Maryland Khatib is a KCI term expires in 2020. Governor’s Office of Homeland Practice Leader The Commissioners would like Security, and as Director of the DC for Transit, with to acknowledge their colleagues Homeland Security and Emergency expertise in Howard Roberts (Maryland) and Management Agency where he capital programs, Barbara Reese (Virginia alternate) directed the response to major maintenance and who have left the board, but snow storms as well as Hurricane regulations. He previously worked who contributed immeasurably to Sandy and was involved in planning at the Maryland Department of the success of the Commission. for special security events such Transportation for more than 30 as presidential inaugurations and years, rising from a scheduling State of the Union Addresses. He engineer on ’s Light Rail also served in the Marine Corps. to capital program manager for the Commissioner Geldart’s term Maryland Transportation Authority expires in 2021. and deputy administrator and chief

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 5 WE ARE COMMITTED TO PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY...TO CONTINUALLY IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE METRORAIL SYSTEM.

6 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report PROGRAMS, OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL 2019

Background

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission was created when Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia each did the heavy lifting to approve identical legislation establishing the Commission. Because it was an interstate compact, the creation of the Commission needed to be approved by Congress. On August 22, 2017 President Donald Trump signed the resulting legislation, H.J. Res. 76, into law. The legislation grants the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission significant 2019 was a monumental year for enforcement powers in its safety oversight of the Washington Metrorail Safety Metrorail. Commission that included taking The approval was the conclusion of several years of dedicated work by elected leaders, staff and over direct safety oversight for the others across the Maryland and Virginia General Assemblies, D.C. Council, local and regional bodies Metrorail system, conducting its including the Metropolitan Washington Council of first audits, issuing its first findings, Governments, the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, federal executive branch agencies, and and ensuring the Commission’s numerous others. The wide group of leaders whose financial independence. The ongoing support is crucial to the Commission’s mission to keep workers, commuters and others accomplishments came as the safe each and every day include Virginia Gov. , former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, organization continued to expand Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, D.C. Mayor Muriel its expertise, handling a number Bowser, D.C. Council Chairman , President Bill Ferguson and of incidents and investigations and former President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones and former Speaker demonstrating its commitment to Michael Busch, Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler- public transparency as a crucial part Corn and former Speakers Kirk Cox and William Howell, Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and our of working with the Washington other local and regional partners involved in the leadership and governance of Metrorail. Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to continually improve safety in the In the immediate months after the Compact became law, the three jurisdictions appointed Metrorail system. Commissioners to fill the six seats (two each for Virginia, Maryland and D.C.) and three alternate

7 seats (one from each jurisdiction). The Commissioners and required by federal law, The Moving Ahead for elected as chair former National Transportation Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). MAP-21 Safety Board Chairman Christopher Hart. is a funding and authorization bill to govern federal surface transportation spending. In early 2018, the Commissioners hired It was passed by Congress on June 29, 2012 and Chief Executive Officer David L. Mayer, PhD., President signed it on July 6, 2012. the former managing director of the NTSB and former chief safety officer of the New York The Program Standard document provides detailed, Metropolitan Transportation Authority. With the step-by-step instructions on the Commission’s financial support of Virginia, Maryland, the District strategy for enforcement, investigation and of Columbia and federal grants, along with major communication with Metrorail. It stands as a logistical support from the Metropolitan Washington blueprint for both the Commission and Metrorail Council of Governments, he immediately built a on the procedures, timelines and expectations that team of experts in operations, track and structures, rail vehicles, signaling systems and traction power both parties must fulfill in their interactions. that set the Commission on the path to Federal This Program Standard document was officially Transit Administration certification. submitted to the FTA in September 2018. In the first few months, the most important work was In December of 2018, inspections moved to the final the creation of the Program Standard. The Program phase of the oversight transfer when Commission Standard identifies the processes and procedures that govern the Commission’s activities and lays staff began leading inspections, meetings and out the processes and procedures that Metrorail other activities with FTA inspectors now shadowing must have in place to comply. The program Commission technical staff. Commission staff led standard includes the precise details for conducting inspections of traction power, automatic train investigations, audits and other core oversight control, track, car maintenance and operations at responsibilities that are mandated in the Compact the Rail Operations Control Center.

Organizational Chart Chief Executive Officer

Business Manager/ Administrative Chief Operating Communications Attorney Office Manager Assistant Officer Director Advisor

SME: Vehicles SME: Manager, Traction Compliance Power & SME: Oversight Business Track & Process Structures Specialist

SME: Program Signals & Specialist Train Control

SME: Program Operations Specialist

8 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report Metrorail System Map

The Commission launched a website and set up over the preceding two years, making the money a Twitter account to provide transparency to the available for transit systems from Roanoke and public. Among the first of many staff projects was Hampton Roads to Baltimore and Frederick. the installation of a financial system and payroll At the crack of dawn the next morning, the portal to handle all procurement and to manage Washington Metrorail Safety Commission began budgets, grant applications, payroll and banking. its first independent inspections in the Rail Operations Control Center. The Commission is certified, takes The work of overseeing Metrorail safety has on direct oversight responsibility been a 24/7 job ever since. On March 18, 2019, the FTA certified the Commission, meeting the deadline set out by To give some idea of the scope of the challenge federal law. the Commission faces in its oversight duties, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority The FTA concluded its direct safety oversight operates the second largest heavy rail transit of Metrorail when the system closed that night, system in the United States. Metrorail has 91 officially transferring oversight responsibilities stations; 118 miles of track; 6 rail lines; more to the Commission. With the transfer, the FTA than 1,000 railcars; and had a 2019 average rail released $48.5 million in formula funds that had ridership of 643,522 per weekday in Metro’s been withheld from D.C., Maryland and Virginia benchmark month of May. During its 2019 fiscal

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 9 year, Metrorail provided 175.2 million trips. Every • Remove a vehicle, infrastructure element or one of Metrorail’s thousands of passengers and hazard from the Metrorail system; employees has the expectation of safety. They • Direct Metrorail to prioritize spending on place their lives in the hands of Metrorail on a daily safety critical measures; basis. More than half of Metrorail stations serve • Order WMATA’s Office of Inspector General federal facilities in the National Capital Region, to conduct certain investigations; making safe Metrorail service critical to America’s • Instigate legal action to enforce Commission national security. powers and authority; • Issue citations and fines to Metrorail in relation to the Commission’s directed safety measures. Key responsibilities The Commission also has the right to extensive The legislation that created the Commission physical and virtual access to the Metrorail (the Compact) grants the Commission significant system to carry out its core oversight duties. authority including the power to: These duties are: • Investigations • Investigate hazards, incidents and accidents; • Inspections • Restrict, suspend or prohibit travel on all or • Audits part of Metrorail; • Restrict, suspend or prohibit certain • Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) personnel on all or part of Metrorail; • Safety certification • Emergency management.

10 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report To accomplish those duties, the Commission A final public report with 16 findings was issued has the right to unfettered access to electronic in February 2020. information and databases, the right to enter property for the purpose of inspection, the right The Commission’s second subject-area audit to conduct investigations and examinations and included detailed observations and interviews the right to carry out related activities that the in Nov. 2019. That audit examined Metrorail’s Commission concludes are necessary to ensure Roadway Worker Protection training curriculum, the proper safety protocols and practices are certification tracking, rail controller procedures, being followed. protection effectiveness, communications, maintenance and job safety briefings. These areas are elemental to ensuring the safety of workers on First audits and around the tracks. In 2019, the Commission completed a significant part of its first ever safety audit, a review of Commission staff and experts have also been out Metrorail’s Track and Structures program. To on the system vigilantly looking for all types of reach that point, the Commission’s subject matter safety concerns since certification (and before, with experts and staff prepared extensively to be sure FTA supervision). The work includes inspecting each step would go smoothly. They conducted track and structures, signaling equipment, traction significant, in-depth interviews with Metrorail staff, power equipment, rail cars, rail yards, elevators documented the review process and oversaw and escalators and the Rail Operations Control multiple inspections of track and other assets. Center. Several dozen risk-based inspections have

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 11 taken place since certification. The Commission grant from the FTA. In addition, the Council of has monitored Metrorail’s capabilities and Governments worked with the FTA to permit preparedness to respond to emergencies and the Commission to apply for remaining funds observed three full scale emergency drills which from prior federal fiscal years. The Commission Metrorail conducted in coordination with local, submitted a single consolidated grant application state and federal first responder agencies in the for all outstanding grants, placing the organization Metrorail service area. on the fast track to financial independence.

The Commission has directed special The grants, along with funding from the investigations and incident reports, worked with governments of Maryland, Virginia and the District Metrorail on plans to develop, implement and of Columbia, have enabled full operations for improve Corrective Action Plans to address safety the first budget year of the Commission’s fiscal risks, and has monitored safety certification plans. independence. The Commission is meeting all budgetary requirements, and managing finances Financial independence responsibly. The first fiscal year of completely

As a new entity, the Commission also had to independent operations ends Jun. 30, 2020 (see transfer all seven vendor contracts from the Appendix A for approved FY20 budget). Regular Council of Governments to the Commission annual financial audits are planned in accordance to fulfill the requirement of being completely with all applicable standards, and the Commission independent financially. In the summer, the is in a good financial position heading into fiscal staff submitted the first direct application for a year 2021.

12 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report Continuing education, training the technical team had Transportation Safety and and awareness Security Plan (TSSP) certification. The Certificate of Completion indicates that the individual has a Safety is a fluid area involving constant learning broad-based knowledge of the safety and security and the embrace of any new information that principles applicable to transit system safety, brings even incremental improvements to an operations and management. organization’s safety performance. The Commission staff also attended courses The staff members of the Commission are offered through the National Transportation Safety meeting all requirements to demonstrate that Board (NTSB) training center, as well as courses in they are qualified to perform their functions the conduct of rail transit audits, and oversight of based on appropriate training, including rail major capital projects. substantial progress toward or completion of the Public Transportation Safety Certification Major investigations Training Program. Over the course of 2019, the The first major incident on Metrorail under the technical staff made significant progress toward Commission‘s direct oversight came in the early completing all remaining training credentials hours of October 7, 2019 when two eastbound that are mandated by the FTA regulation. At the trains on the Blue, Orange and Silver Line tracks in conclusion of 2019, the Chief Executive Officer, the District of Columbia collided between Foggy the Chief Operating officer and seventy percent of

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 13 Bottom and Farragut West Stations. The six-car less than 15 MPH until speed commands become striking train collided with a six-car stationary train visible again on the train operator’s console. at about eleven miles per hour. Although neither Metrorail has had a Corrective Action Plan train was carrying passengers, this was the first (CAP) relating to movement under zero speed significant train collision in the Metrorail system commands since 2016, a CAP the Commission since the tragic 2009 Fort Totten train collision prioritized since taking over safety oversight and that killed nine people. one that remains an On October 7, 2019, Metrorail and the Commission are important priority. the operator of the committed to advancing safety for Less than ten days striking train received a all Metrorail riders, employees, after the accident, the zero speed command, Commission held an but decided to move contractors and others. engineering summit the train, contrary to with Metrorail focused on activities completed and governing rules, without underway and their application to limit the risk of informing and getting the necessary permissions similar incidents under zero speed commands in from the Rail Operations Control Center (ROCC). the future. When trains receive zero speed commands, the train operator is required to stop the train and stay While there were fortunately no serious injuries in in place. However, operators can still move the this incident despite significant railcar damage and train at a slower speed, which is only allowed if the service disruptions, it is precisely to ensure that train operator communicates with the ROCC and future injuries are avoided that the Commission receives explicit permission to move the train at takes such accidents so seriously. The Commission

14 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report is always looking for ways to improve the safety committed to advancing safety for all Metrorail environment at Metrorail, so any safety event riders, employees, contractors and others. or any near miss is a cause for concern and an opportunity to learn. Having completed our first year as the independent state safety oversight agency for This accident spoke to the Commission’s Metrorail, we look forward to many more. The core values of transparency, cooperation Commission is here to enhance the safety of and integrity. In the hours and days after the everyone who depends on Metrorail by ensuring accident, the Commission shared information continuous improvement for years to come. with the public as quickly as it was received. There were numerous updates and photos on the Commission web site and Twitter account so that interested stakeholders and members of the public could track the progress of the investigation. The Commission is committed to maintaining transparency in all future efforts.

Our mission depends on Metrorail cooperation and the integrity of the information available. Given our joint desire to enhance Metrorail safety, a collaborative dynamic is essential. The Commission’s staff and the staff of Metrorail continue to cement this framework of respect and cooperation. Both organizations are

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report 15 16 Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report APPENDICES

FY20 BUDGET DOCUMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE—SUBTOTAL: $3,850,000 Staff compensation (salaries, available at Metropolitan Washington Council of benefits)—$3,300,000 Governments (COG)). Cost estimate is $10,000. Cost reflects salaries and benefits for eleven Cost also reflects catering of $7,000, transcription (11) full-time employees along with a benefits services of $6,000 and meeting materials of factor of 33 percent and annual performance $3,000. and market adjustments to ensure retention of core staff. Staff numbers reflect personnel Office equipment (furniture, and organizational manpower necessary to supplies)—$200,000 ensure the Commission can carry out its mission Cost reflects furniture rental or purchase of ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTORS and maintain $50,000, purchase of office level of effort equipment (e.g., laptops, $425,000 required by FTA’s $3,300,000 peripherals,$500,000 certification. Cost $100,000 SSOA monitors/screens Legal Commission Staffing estimate is Services Meetings for viewing Support $2,500,000. Cost Staff Compensation technical drawing, also reflects flexibility $200,000 Office Equipment plotters, and to bring onboard printers) of $70,000, IT Organizational $100,000 additional engineering Support Management Office Space Lease office collaboration specialists, administrative Services equipment of support professionals, $150,000 $375,000 $150,000 $10,000, office program support Insurance supplies of $10,000, and professional and other Subtotal: $3,850,000 Subtotal: $1,450,000 miscellaneous of $60,000. commission support professionals as needed. Office space lease—$100,000 Cost estimate is $800,000. Cost reflects annual lease of office space Commission meetings (stipends, expenses, (approximately $85,000), annual four percent catering)—$100,000 escalation, and estimated cost of move to new Cost reflects stipends and travel expensesTRAVEL AND TRAININGoffice space should the Commission require EQUIPMENT (statutorily-obligated $200 per diem and $150 additional space. $10,000 $8,000 travel costs) for nine (9) Commission members $25,000 Manuals, holding approximately 12-24 compensable Local StaffInsurance—$150,000 Publications, Travel for Professional Personal meetings (e.g., public meetings, trainings, Field WorkCost reflects annual premium of approximately Licenses Protective conferences and attendant travel) annually. Cost $110,000 for liability, acts and omissions Equipment estimate is $75,000. Cost reflects fees for use of policy and approximately $40,000 reserved for Tools and space such as conference rooms (if space is not cybersecurity and other matters. IT Instruments Training Equipment

$125,000 $7,000

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report$25,000 i

Subtotal: $150,000 Subtotal: $50,000 CONTRACTORS—SUBTOTAL: $1,450,000 Legal Services—$425,000 IT support services—$150,000 Cost reflects annual monthly legal services bill of Cost reflects support for general corporate IT services, approximately $35,000. Legal services are necessary to including establishing unique interfaces for information address voluminous issues related to standing up new utilization of extensive Metrorail-owned databases, ensuring cyber protocols are maintained and that ADMINISTRATIVEoversight agency: from day-to-day start-up businessCONTRACTORS services like website maintenance are performed. As concerns to complicated questions of with organizational management, agency’s enforcement powers. $425,000 $3,300,000 $500,000 IT staff is being contracted out to

$100,000 SSOA ensure efficiencies and save costs. Legal OrganizationalCommission management (HR, Staffing Services Meetings SupportADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTORS Staff accounting)—$375,000 Compensation State Safety Oversight Agencies Cost reflects$200,000 outside contract support (SSOA) staffing support—$500,000 $425,000 Office Equipment for human resources, accounting, $3,300,000 Cost reflects additional contracted$500,000 IT Organizational $100,000 $100,000 SSOA procurement, financial management, Support Management Legal Commissionstaffing support for non-permanent Staffing Office Space Lease Services Services Meetings Support and employee benefits management Staff personnel necessary to provide Compensation support. Cost reflects the need to $150,000 $375,000 specialized, uniquely focused $150,000 $200,000 haveInsurance outside support as the WMSC Office Equipmenttechnical expertise ($150,000), Subtotal: $3,850,000 Subtotal: $1,450,000 staffing augmentation when IT Organizational is the only state safety oversight $100,000 resignations and retirements Support Management agency not housed in another state Office Space Lease Services occur ($150,000), and staffing agency, and, as such, human resources, accounting $150,000 $375,000 augmentation$150,000 for special large-scale audits and high- and other functions must be contracted out to ensure Insurance profile investigations ($200,000). efficiencies and save cost of hiring full-time personnel.Subtotal: $3,850,000 Subtotal: $1,450,000

TRAVEL AND TRAININGTRAVEL AND TRAINING—SUBTOTAL:EQUIPMENT $150,000 Training (e.g., Transportation Safety Institute, certification, etc. Cost estimate is $45,000. Cost reflects $10,000 $8,000 industry$25,000 workshops, conferences)—$125,000 travel for non-local training (accommodations, per Manuals, Local Staff Cost reflects training for commissioners and staff toPublications, diem, travel costs) of $50,000. Cost reflects registration Travel for Professional feesPersonal of $30,000. Field Work obtain transit safety and security certification, trainingLicenses TRAVEL ANDProtective TRAINING EQUIPMENT on oversight of drug and alcohol requirements, Equipment Local staff travel for field training on fatigue and human factors $10,000 $8,000 Tools and $25,000 in transportation, training on accident IT Instruments work (inspections and Manuals, Training Equipment Local Staff meetings)—$25,000 Publications, investigations, training on oversight of Travel for Professional $7,000 Personal $125,000 Field Work Licenses major capital projects, training on Note, cost excludes purchase of several Protective investigation interview techniques, vehicles, which, with maintenance, Equipment $25,000 training through DOT, FTA and could be approximately $90,000 or Tools and IT Instruments Subtotal: $150,000 other entities. Cost reflects travel Subtotal:Training $50,000 more. Cost reflects reimbursement forEquipment expenses, accommodations and $125,000 travel associated with field work in the $7,000 per diem per General Services National Capital Region throughout Administration publications and Northern Virginia, the District$25,000 of schedules. Cost reflects education Columbia and Montgomery and and certifications in Transit Safety Subtotal: $150,000 Prince George’s Counties using Subtotal: $50,000 and Security Program (TSSP), the GSA schedule of mileage auditing, quality control, Six Sigma management reimbursement rates. Cost reflects an average monthly techniques, Project Management Professional local travel cost of $200/per staff member.

ii Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACTORS

$425,000 $3,300,000 $500,000

$100,000 SSOA Legal Commission Staffing Services Meetings Support Staff Compensation $200,000 Office Equipment

IT Organizational $100,000 Support Management Office Space Lease Services

$150,000 $375,000 $150,000 Insurance

Subtotal: $3,850,000 Subtotal: $1,450,000

EQUIPMENT—SUBTOTAL: $50,000 IT equipment—$25,000 Personal protective equipment—$8,000 TRAVEL AND TRAINING Cost reflects acquisition and maintenance ofEQUIPMENT Cost reflects purchase of equipment to support weather-related personal the Commission’s IT $10,000 $8,000 $25,000 protective equipment infrastructure, the Manuals, Local Staff Publications, for most staff, including Travel for Professional acquisition of mission- Personal Field Work Licenses special equipment for specific software, and Protective Equipment the acquisition of work in proximity to certain licenses and Tools and high voltage. IT Instruments Training technical support. Equipment $125,000 $7,000 Tools and Manuals, publications, instruments—$7,000 $25,000 professional Cost reflects acquisition licenses—$10,000 Subtotal: $150,000 Subtotal: $50,000 and testing of radios, Cost reflects maintaining speed monitoring professional licenses, equipment, track measuring purchase of various industry technical equipment, cameras, and other electronic devices manuals, maintaining professional memberships and industry organization memberships, and fees for automatic train control and traction power for services and organizations that provide access monitoring that are needed to conduct field to industry information. inspection activities.

TOTAL FY2020 BUDGET

$1,450,000 $3,850,000 Contractors

Staff, office space and related costs FY20 Funding Sources: $150,000 District of Columbia: $834,386.67 Maryland: $834,386.67 Travel and Virginia: $834,386.67 Training

Remainder supported by federal $50,000 grants matched at 20% by those Equipment local contributions, carryover, and other sources

Total Budget: $5,500,000

Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report iii CURRENT STAFF LIST

David Mayer Chief Executive Officer

Sharmila Samarasinghe Chief Operating Officer

Bruce Walker SME: Operations

Kemmery Kendrick SME: Signals and Train Control

JeMayne Walker SME: Track & Structures

Tanmaya “Tino” Sahoo SME: Traction Power

Manuel Lopez SME: Vehicles

Christopher DiFatta Manager, Compliance & Oversight

Lahiru Karunaratne Business Process Specialist

Richard David Program Specialist

Adam Quigley Program Specialist

Andrea Hogan Business Manager/Office Manager

Avery Powell Administrative Assistant

Max Smith Communications Director

Brackett Smith Attorney Advisor

iv Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Annual Operations Report Written by Denise Tyrrell Designed by Harlan West, HWDS 750 First St. NE • Ste. 900 • Washington, D.C. 20002 • 202-384-1520 www.wmsc.gov