Pressure mounts for federal oversight of Metro

WASHINGTON -- The pressure is mounting for more federal oversight of Metro. It comes in the wake of the horrific summer collision on the Red Line that killed nine people, and after a number of incidents where Metro employees have been killed on the job.

Speaking at the National Press Club Monday, Debbie Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said tougher federal safety standards need to be adopted when it comes to transit systems such as Metro.

"It doesn't make any sense, to stand out where we were on the Fort Totten accident, and you've got two Metro tracks on the inside, and they are surrounded on both sides by freight rail tracks. Those freight rail tracks are carrying MARC commuter trains, Amtrak trains and freight cars. Those (outside) cars have federal standards for crash-worthiness. But (the Metro tracks) right next to them, carrying the same kinds of commuters, have no standards," said Hersman.

The transportation safety chief also said that the same type of federal regulations that apply to airlines, now have to be considered for transit systems.

"The framework that's set up now for transit is not very robust. It is not funded, it is not supported, and it is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction."

Metro is the second busiest subway system in the country. More than 700,000 trips are taken every day on the subway system.

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