Breakfast links: Metro train operator appeared to be falling asleep during August Metro safety incident
A Metrorail operator control panel by Ben Schumin licensed under Creative Commons.
Asleep at the rail
A report by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission found that during an August incident where a Blue Line train ran a red signal and headed onto the wrong tracks, the train operator appeared to fall asleep at the controls more than once. (Tom Roussey / ABC7)
Digital DC driver’s licenses clear their first hurdle
The DC Council passed a bill this week approving digital driver’s licenses and IDs that could eventually be accepted by police, businesses, and TSA. There isn’t a timeline yet on when the digital licenses might roll out. (Jordan Pascale / DCist)
Communication failures during Pentagon Station emergency
An investigation into the Aug 3 stabbing at the Pentagon Transit Center found that Metrorail did not communicate effectively with Pentagon Station personnel or establish an on-scene command center during the incident. These actions caused a 13-minute delay between the reporting of the incident and the evacuation of the Pentagon Station platform. (Michael O’Connell / Patch)
More equitable transit service restores ridership
A study by the American Public Transportation Association found that transit agencies that made services more equitable — by reducing fares or expanding service to low-income communities, for instance — better recouped ridership lost during the pandemic. (Sandy Smith / Next City)
Our Lady of Fatima statue vandalized
Police are investigating vandalism at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Security footage shows that a man took a hammer, knocked off the Our Lady of Fatima statue’s hands, and smashed its face. (Kristi King / WTOP)
Why is US infrastructure so expensive?
The $1.3 trillion investment in infrastructure from the Biden Administration likely won’t fund nearly as much transportation as it would in other countries. Studies show that the US spends more on public transit per mile than all but five other countries, and more than any country on roads. (Laura Bliss / City Lab)
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