OK, so this isn’t something you need to watch out for at the moment—dozens of Metro stations are closed and even if you’re using the underground rail, where are you going?

But when D.C. pulls itself back together, keep an eye out for potential thieves on the Metro when you’re riding to a basketball game or internship. The Washington Examiner reports that in the first 11 months of 2009, robberies on the Metro skyrocketed to 805 thefts from 538 over the same period in 2008.

And 2007, the same period saw only 397 thefts—which means that robberies on the Metro have essentially doubled in two years.

Driving the rise in theft, Chief of Police Jeff Delinski told the Examiner, are suspects who grab electronic devices like iPods and BlackBerries out of people’s hands.

“In many cases, a robber will grab an iPod or cell phone from a rider just before train doors close at a Metro station,” the article says. “The crime isn’t reported until the victim reaches the next station and by then, the robber has gotten away.”

In April, transit police began placing undercover agents on Metro cars to arrest criminals who snatched electronics (or committed other crimes) but they can’t be everywhere. So watch your iPhone.

Via DCist.

Photo from Flickr user WisDoc used under a Creative Commons license.

Bye bye blue bus?

It’s been a banner month for the Circulator: after the Wisconsin Avenue portion of the Georgetown-Union Station loop was saved from elimination in in the 11th hour by Mayor Adrian Fenty, plans are in the works to create a new line connecting Georgetown with Rosslyn.

According to the Washington Examiner, local officials are pushing for the creation of a new Circulator route that would replace the Georgetown Metro Connection “Blue Bus,” which is currently run by the Georgetown Business Improvement District.

The Blue Bus was conceived of as a way to demonstrate the demand in Georgetown for public bus service to a nearby Metro stop, and currently serves between 35,000 and 40,000 riders per month.  But the Blue Bus was only designed as a temporary solution, and the BID is hoping that the District Department of Transportation will take over the route.

Last week, D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), whose district includes Georgetown, introduced a bill to change the rule preventing the Circulator from running outside D.C. city limits.

Although the BID says D.C. leaders have pledged financial support and Rep. Jim Moran (D—Va.) secured federal money for new buses, DDOT spokesman John Lisle said they “have no plans for a new route at this time.”

On Monday at about 5 p.m. two Red Line trains crashed into each other near the Fort Totten station, resulting in the deadliest crash in Metro’s 33 year history.  Nine people died, including Jeanice McMillan, the operator of one of the trains, Ana Fernandez, a mother of six, and Retired Major General David Wherely, Jr. who led the D.C. National Guard and his wife Ann.  Although investigations are ongoing, it’s looking like the accident was probably caused by a malfunction of the computerized control system.

D.C.’s Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi announced that his office is projecting a $340 million budget shortfall over the next two years due to the recession.  In light of the dire news, Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) discretely ordered 40 government agencies—including the police department—to cut more than $35 million from their budgets.  It probably doesn’t help that the city can’t find thousands of dollars it collected in fines from misdemeanor cases..

On Thursday, June 18th, a gunman opened fire outside the Columbia Heights Metro station, shooting and injuring two.  This week it was revealed that the gunman was actually working as an intern for a D.C. Councilmember, Jim Graham (D—Ward 1).  Graham himself took the young man, Devyn Black, to the police station to turn himself in.

After the jump: taxi fare increases, how Twitter can help you get fired from your D.C. government job and more!
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Strange things are afoot with everyone’s favorite transportation system!

First off, in the face of budget problems, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority is considering allowing retail kiosks in Metro stations. While this would boost revenue for WMATA, it would also undermine the vaunted “no food, no drink” policy that’s made the Metro the one rat-free part of D.C. In fairness, though, the ban would stay in place, and vendors would be peddling food and beverages packaged in a way that would discourage immediate consumption (in the words of one Metro official, “The idea is not a sizzling kabob”). The WMATA board will decide later this month whether to solicit proposals for kiosks.

Secondly, in October, most cell phone users will be able to get service in the 20 busiest Metro stations. WMATA hashed out a deal with $40 million dollar deal with Sprint Nextel, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. By 2010 all 47 stations will be covered, and by 2012 you’ll be able to get a signal in the tunnels.

Finally, not a change, but while we’re on the subject of Metro, WMATA just released a survey detailing the differences between Metrorail and Metrobus riderships. The basic conclusion is that Metrorail serves a more affluent, less diverse population. Eighty percent of Metrorail riders have college degrees, compared to 59 percent of Metrobus riders. The median income for Metrorail passengers is $102,110, while for Metrobus passengers it’s $69,620. Minorities account for only a quarter of Metrorail ridership, but on Metrobus, more than half the patrons are minorities.

Photo from Flickr user fenterbme, used under a Creative Commons license.

Center for American Progress blogger Matt Yglesias noticed today that WMATA is refusing to provide information for Google Map’s new Transit feature. The free service allows users to plan trips using public transit schedules and actually see their routes, too.

But apparently, WMATA thinks they have a superior trip planner on their own site–which is not quite true. Search results on WMATA’s site are texty and confusing, and lacky the sexy mapping features of Google Transit. Plus, it’s hard for me to see how restricting information about Metro could benefit WMATA is any way.

But don’t despair just yet–GreatergreaterWashington has a petition you can sign here. Maybe the powers that be at WMATA will come to their senses.

At the conclusion of finals, some students’ travails will continue as they schlep their way to Dulles International Airport. If this describes what’s ahead for you, try take heart in the fact that your progeny will have it easier. Via The Loudoun Extra, The Washington Post reported that the Metro Silver Line, which will connect Dulles to D.C., is on its way:

“Federal regulators have approved a long-awaited extension of Metrorail to Tysons Corner and Dulles International Airport, virtually assuring construction of a $5.2 billion project that regional leaders say is crucial to ease congestion and spur economic growth in Northern Virginia.”

Of course, the project won’t see completion for quite some time. In a congratulatory editorial, The Washington Post hopes to see it happen by 2013, which is something like ten years from now in bureaucrat-speak.

What you can enjoy right now is D.C.-area commentators having a ‘here’s-some-perspective-for-you’ gala. In its editorial, Post tells its readers that one of the Silver Line’s greatest proponents, Gov. Tim Kaine, was only four years old when the fight for a train line to Dulles began. DCist recalls that this was before man landed on the moon. And as for us, this paper wasn’t even born yet.

Pity the poor National Zoo pandas. They’re diplomatic pawns between two great powers, not near as cute as they once were, and now not even their places on Metro cards are safe. That’s because Metro is producing commemorative Barack Obama SmarTrip cards for the inauguration. But you’ll have to be fast and loaded:

Currently, Metro plans to sell them for $10 per card, with no value added to the card at the time of initial purchase, which would make them $5 more expensive than regular SmarTrip cards. They may also be hard to come by, as Metro will only have an initial order of 35,000 on hand to begin with, though Taubenkibel said the agency hopes to have more available as time permits.

I just wish this change was permanent, because it’d be cool in an ominous, first-they-came-for-the-SmarTrips way.

A movie theater turned CVS in Brookland

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will discuss a proposal on Thursday night that would allow 187 DC CVS pharmacies to sell SmarTrip cards. The cards would run $10 each ($5 for the card itself, and $5 of Metro cash so you can ride right away without putting any more money on). WMATA’s General Counsel recommends approving the proposal, which releases CVS from liability for any problems, so it looks like it’ll pass.

Considering the ridiculous lines to buy a Metro card at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop after last night’s basketball game, plenty of Georgetown students haven’t managed to get their hands on a SmarTrip card yet. With three CVS locations within walking distance of campus, there will be even less of a reason not to buy.

Photo from Flickr user NCinDC used under a Creative Commons license

Now that Metro has decided to perform random bag checks, you need to know a way to get out of one to protect your civil liberties. Fortunately, there’s an easy to avoid being checked and protect your civil liberties: just saying no:

If you choose to walk through a random search area and are stopped, you may refuse to be searched. If police ask to search your belongings, remain calm and courteous. And don’t ever — under any circumstances — talk back or raise your voice to the police officer. You have nothing to gain — and everything to lose — by escalating the hostility level of the encounter.

Calmly and clearly say “Officer, I do not consent to any searches. I’m going to exit the station.” Then immediately exit the station — and do not return through the same entrance.

You don’t have to give the police your name or ID, either, and you can try to re-enter the Metro station through a difference entrance. It’s not clear if trying to re-enter will be considered suspicious behavior (and pretense for a search), but it’s worth a shot.

Via GW Patriot

Prepare to say goodbye to paper bus transfers–WMATA will be scrapping those on January 4th. “Bus drivers will no longer hand out paper transfers, and machines that dispense paper rail-to-bue transfers inside Metro stations will be removed,” DCist’s Sommer Mathis writes.

Cathy Asato, a spokesperson for WMATA, says this decision will save them about $350,000 a year and encourage WMATA users to purchase SmarTrip cards. DCist says to expect homeless advocates to raise clamor in the near future, but Asato insisted that WMATA isn’t penalizing anyone, especially when you consider that SmarTrip cards are cheaper.