Metra Stands for Transit

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Metra’s Monthly Commuter Newsletter May 2015 Metra stands for transit Metra joined its fellow Chicago area transit agencies and a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers last month to highlight the need for consistent, long-term federal funding for the nation’s transportation and public transit systems. The Stand Up 4 Transporta- tion event was part of a national initiative sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association. A press conference at Chicago Union Station focused on the Move Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which expires on May 31, and the Highway Trust Fund, which will start teetering on insolvency this summer. The Metra Chairman Martin Oberman speaks at the Stand Up 4 Transportation event last month at Union Station. Behind region’s transit agencies, like him are (left to right) state Rep. Al Riley (D-Olympia Fields); U.S. Rep. Bob Dold (R-Kenilworth); Joe Szabo, senior others around the country, rely fellow at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Amtrak Board Member Tom Carper; U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski on federal funds to keep their (D-Western Springs); CTA President Forrest Claypool; Metra Board Member Norman Carlson; and Metra Executive systems in working order. Director/CEO Don Orseno. Present at the event were ski (D-Western Springs), Mike nation, as a state and as a region, too long. We can’t afford to put it representatives of Metra, RTA, Quigley (D-Chicago), Bill Foster we can’t afford to pay for our in- off any longer.” CTA, Pace and Amtrak, along (D-Naperville) and Bob Dold frastructure,” said Metra Chair- The region’s transit system with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D- (R-Kenilworth). man Martin Oberman. “But the has been severely underfunded Ill.) and U.S. Reps. Dan Lipin- “It’s tempting to say that as a reality is, we’ve put it off for far (Continued on Page 2) Metra launching new effort to improve safety Representatives of Metra designed to proactively address committing to implementing the Don Orseno. “We are particular- management and transportation safety issues and create a more voluntary system. ly pleased with the enthusiastic unions joined offi cials from the positive safety culture. “Safety is Metra’s highest cooperation of our labor unions, Federal Railroad Administra- At a ceremony at Metra priority, and this new program who have demonstrated their tion last month to announce the headquarters, labor, manage- is a major and exciting enhance- commitment to making Metra creation of a “Confi dential Close ment and FRA offi cials signed a ment to our safety efforts,” said the safest possible railroad.” Call Reporting System,” which is memorandum of understanding Metra Executive Director/CEO (Continued on Page 2)

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that could lead to the identifi ca- culture and labor-management tion of the employee. NASA cooperation. Safety will compile the data and then The adoption of the Confi den- (Continued from Page 1) forward it for analysis by a peer tial Close Call Reporting System On the Bi-Level According to the FRA, which review team of labor, Metra will bolster Metra’s numerous Published by Metra’s Media has promoted the adoption of the management and FRA represen- existing safety programs and re- Relations Department. Send system by a handful of railroads tatives, which will recommend inforce safety as Metra’s highest letters, questions or feedback to so far, the system complements corrective action. NASA also will priority. Those programs include On the Bi-Level, Metra, 547 W. Jackson, Chicago IL, 60661- existing safety programs, builds monitor trends across railroads our annual Safety Poster and 5717. Or e-mail onthebilevel@ a positive safety culture, creates and share results. Essay Contest, nearly a thou- metrarr.com. an early warning system, focuses A close call is defi ned by the sand annual Operation Lifesaver We can’t guarantee all letters on problems instead of people, FRA as “a situation in which an safety presentations and frequent will be printed or answered. Please keep letters to less than provides an incentive for learn- ongoing sequence of events was safety blitzes conducted at Metra 200 words and include your fi rst ing from errors and targets the stopped from developing further, stations throughout the six-coun- name, hometown and what line root cause of an issue, not the preventing the occurrence of ty Chicago region. you ride. (Names are not re- symptom. potentially serious safety-related Signees of the memorandum quired but strongly encouraged.) We reserve the right to edit letter Under the new system, em- consequences.” Examples of included Orseno; Pete Zwolfer, for length and grammar. ployees will be able to confi den- close calls would be trains travel- Metra Deputy Executive Direc- tially report “close calls” – such ing at excessive speed, workers tor for Operations; Marty Ryan, Board of Directors as safety concerns or violations nearly struck by trains, trains Metra Chief Transportation Martin J. Oberman of operating rules – without fac- running through a switch or a Offi cer; Hilary Konczal, Metra Chairman ing sanctions from Metra or the passenger door opened on the Director of Safety; Robert Lauby, Chicago FRA. The goal is to collect data wrong side of the train. Personal FRA Associate Administrator for Jack E. Partelow about close calls that otherwise injuries, serious train accidents Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Of- Vice Chairman would have gone unreported or and alcohol or drug use would fi cer; Ron Wesolowski, General Will County underreported, and to use that not be considered a close call. Chairman of the American Train data to identify safety hazards Results from railroads that Dispatchers Association; An- John Plante Treasurer and take steps to correct them have adopted such systems are thony Siriano, National Repre- Suburban Cook County before an accident occurs. Those encouraging. According to the sentative of the Transportation corrective steps could include FRA, a Confi dential Close Call Communications Union; Pete Rodney S. Craig new or better training, physical Reporting System resulted in a Semenek, Clay Craddock and J.J. Secretary Suburban Cook County changes, changes to safety rules 31 percent increase in the number Balonek, General Chairmen of or changes to operating rules. of cars moved between minor the Brotherhood of Locomotive Manuel Barbosa To maintain confi dentiality, derailments and a 90 percent Engineers and Trainmen; John Director the close calls will be reported drop in disciplinary cases at one England, Vice President of the Kane County to a third party, the National railroad. Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Trans- Romayne C. Brown Aeronautics and Space Adminis- That railroad, which was not portation Workers (SMART); and Director tration, which would remove any identifi ed, also reported sig- Barry Abbott, General Chairman Cook County information about the incidents nifi cant improvements in safety of SMART.

Norman Carlson Director Lake County “The RTA is proud to stand this capital shortfall on their own, unifi ed with the CTA, Metra and issuing bonds, pursuing other Don A. De Graff Stand Pace in recognizing the need fi nancing tools, implementing Director Suburban Cook County (Continued from Page 1) for Congress to pass a sensible, fare increases and instituting by federal and state resources for long-term surface transportation operational effi ciencies. While Marc J. Munaretto many years. The system cov- bill that fully funds our region’s these actions have offered some Director ers six counties, representing 70 and nation’s public transit needs,” support, the magnitude of the McHenry County percent of the state’s population, said RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard. challenge makes it impossible for Brian K. Reaves and is the second-largest transit “The residents of northeastern these actions alone to suffi ciently Director operation in the country by pas- Illinois deserve reliable and af- address the problem. Suburban Cook County senger miles traveled, behind only fordable public transit options Riders and residents are urged to get them to work, school, the to visit rtachicago.org to learn John P. Zediker New York. Director Without federal assistance, doctor’s offi ce, and everywhere more about the region’s capital DuPage County the region may not be able to in between. We cannot do more funding needs and how best to make the capital investments that with less.” encourage their federal legislators The RTA, CTA, Metra and to support public transportation Don Orseno are required to meet its growing Executive Director/CEO transit needs. Pace have taken action to address funding.

WWW.METRARAIL.COM MAY 2015 3 SOUND OFF Triply agreeable least it’s something! If you don’t have a tissue, pull your shirt I would like to address Ira’s up over your mouth and nose comment in the April issue. I or sneeze (and cough for that AGREE 100 percent. No. 1, in matter) into your elbow. Perhaps addition to the sneezing, add the posting signs in your existing coughing. People who cough sign-holders reminding people in the air think it’s okay. It can of how we can avoid spreading spread germs, which makes it germs will suffi ce. Or, would NOT okay. Cover your mouth you consider putting hand sani- when coughing, sneezing and tizers on cars? eating. I don’t agree with Ira’s No. 2 Seat hogs: I agree with recommendation for charging Ira on this as well. Charge an passengers an additional fare extra fee for the people who need Carman Bryant Howse replaces a window in a car being rehabbed at for occupying a seat with their Metra’s 49th St. Shop along the Rock Island Line. to put their bags on the seat next personal belongings (by the way, to them. I have a backpack that I can see clearly now my belongings are not crap). I I use daily and it sits on my lap do hear announcements by the fi ne. There are people who sit in For many years in the 1980s and 1990s, I commuted down- UPNW conductors reminding the last seat “sleeping” with their town on Metra. I didn’t like being on the upper level because the passengers that seats are for bags on the seat next to them. windows were always dirty, smeared and nearly opaque. And people, not bags. I think conduc- Considerate people don’t want to one of the nice things about the upper level should be the view. tors would face a lot of hostility wake them in order to move their Yesterday, riding home to Lake Forest where we now live I rode if they had to charge passengers bags, but I say WAKE THEM. on the upper level and thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the view. another fare. We can’t expect They are not sleeping and are not Windows were very clean and you could see many things you conductors to control everything considerate to you! miss when driving. and everyone’s behavior. As a No. 3: I again agree with Ira I don’t know when these kinds of changes were made but a paying customer, I have no prob- that those who stand in the aisle clean car and clean windows make the trip enjoyable. Thanks. lem asking a fellow passenger for waiting to exit the train are wait- Davey a seat occupied by their belong- ing in the aisle for a reason, so ings and I have no problem with let them go. Those sitting should Thanks for noticing. There’s a bit of a back story here related passengers who do the same to wait until the aisle clears, then to our funding shortfalls. Normally we would replace our 36,000 me. If a train isn’t packed wall- exit. You had a seat the entire windows when cars go through the recommended 14-year rehab to-wall, I will occasionally have ride (and probably got a window cycle. Well, since money was tight, that cycle got extended. my bag on a seat. But when the seat), so wait your turn and quit The result was a lot of windows that some riders complained train even starts to get crowded cutting in on everyone else. were dirty but were basically just old – sunlight, cleaning fl uid I move my bag to the fl oor or a A Rider and normal wear and tear take their toll and they start to get rack/shelf. Doubly agreeable opaque no matter how clean they are. So a couple of years ago I know not everyone behaves we started to be more aggressive about replacing the windows the same. Some are just more I am in complete agree- even though the cars weren’t undergoing major rehab. (We are, ment with the April writer who considerate and inconsiderate of of course, also replacing them in our in-house rehab program, others. suggested charging double to which is ongoing.) those who take up an extra seat Mandy with their bags. This would be We understand the sentiment a perfectly fair thing to do. You weather, the wheels just dirty up Singly agreeable to double charge, but for the want to use two seats, you pay the seat. And unless someone is reasons Mandy states, it would for two seats. A perfect example: bold enough to make her move I agree about sneezing; it’s be diffi cult on our crews. We’ll I normally ride the weekday the bag (not all that often), she is extremely gross when people continue to remind people to 7:35 a.m. inbound train from clueless when there are no more don’t cover their mouths when think of others as the train gets Elmhurst. A woman often gets seats and folks have to stand. sneezing and I don’t mean with crowded and refrain from taking on with her roll bag, sits on the So YES! Double charging (or a hand that they’ll then use to up more than one seat. And don’t window seat and plops her bag the threat to) will begin to put a touch everything else on their be afraid to politely ask others to next to her. She is completely stop to this thoughtless practice. way off the train. But I am OK move their cra – er, belongings clueless or couldn’t care less Do it! with people who cover their so you can sit down. that with snow and other bad Paul sneezes with a newspaper – at

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Gospel Music Festival coming to Chicago Tune in to Metra Board meetings Gospel music enthusiasts will be in for a treat with a weekend of Did you know you can now watch Metra Board meetings live? inspirational music in the gospel tradition at Chicago’s 30th Gos- Beginning in January, months before a deadline set by Springfi eld, pel Music Festival, May 29-31, 2015. Scheduled artists this year Metra started webcasting its monthly Board of Directors meetings. include Chicago’s very own Ricky Dillard, Anita Wilson and Israel Just go to www.metrarail.com, click on “About Metra” in the blue bar Houghton and many more local, international and national artists. All across the top and then click on “Webcast Events” on the left-hand performances are free and will be at Millennium Park. Go to Chica- side. The agenda for board meetings and supporting documents are gogospelmusicfestival.us for more information on guest artists and posted two days in advance of the meetings, and prior meetings are times. And don’t forget to take Metra downtown. Riders of the Metra archived there. We’re confi dent viewers will fi nd these meetings to be Electric Line can take the train directly to Millennium Station, just informative and provide a better understanding of our organization. under the park. Metra’s $8 Weekend Pass gives you unlimited rides on Saturday and Sunday, and on weekends up to three children aged 11 Taking the show on the road or younger can ride for free with each fare-paying adult. This month the Metra Board will be taking its meeting on the road to McHenry County. The May Board meeting will be held at Learn to save a life in 60 seconds! 10:30 a.m. on May 14 in Conference Room C on the second fl oor Metra, Northwestern Medicine® and the American Heart Associa- of the McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, tion are teaming up to provide lifesaving demonstrations at all down- Woodstock. town Chicago stations as well as several other stations on Thursday, June 4, 2015, from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Metra customers will get a quick education on administering the new hands-only CPR method Contact Metra and a brief demonstration of an automated external defi brillator If you have a complaint, compliment, service issue or any other (AED) machine. These demonstrations are being offered in recogni- issue, we want to hear from you. You can call a Passenger tion of National CPR and AED Awareness Week, June 1-7, when the Service RepresentaƟ ve at (312) 322-6777 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. public is encouraged to learn how to save a life. weekdays) or send email to [email protected]. High Energy Bills? Drafty Rooms? Learn how thousands of Illinois homeowners are improving the comfort and value of their homes through Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Access utility rebates and highly qualified contractors.

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