Report: Some Metrorail operators are not equipped with needed skills

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — According to a report released Wednesday by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WMSC), not all Metrorail operators “have the skills that Metrorail requires of them,” saying some of those skills are needed to respond to an emergency.

“Our review found deficiencies and omissions in the train operator certification process,” the report read.

The report indicates that Metrorail “cannot validate that personnel who are operating trains can safely carry out their duties” and despite being told about it, Metrorail “has allowed personnel who were not properly certified to continue to operate trains.”

House passes bill to let DC redevelop RFK stadium

“Those things were not always done and yet people were still being designated as certified,” Max Smith, a WMSC spokesperson, told DC News Now.

Among the trainings, Smith indicated that some are not aware of how to shut down the environmental system, which he said is needed to make sure if the rail is in an area with smoke, that smoke won’t enter the railcar.

“Metro was not consistently carrying out these certification requirements accordance with its safety requirements and plans,” Smith said.

Included in the report is an order that Metrorail has to follow, to fix the problem in the short- and long-term.

Loudoun County Public Schools to use drug-sniffing dogs in high schools

Metrorail is required to:

• Identify employees within 30 days who have not been properly certified

• Conduct proper certifications of those employees within 90 days

• Develop corrective action plans to ensure that certification is consistently conducted in accordance with its safety requirements

In a statement shared with DC News Now on Wednesday, Metro said:

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.