The federal Department of Transportation is giving WMATA $2 million for wearable technology to keep Metro workers safe. WMATA won the grant from the Federal Transit Administration for its plan to give track workers wearable wrist bands to alert them to oncoming trains with enough warning to get to safety.
Trains hitting Metro workers is a very real concern. Two WMATA track inspectors were almost run over by a train in October near National Airport when a train operator misunderstood a radio announcement of where the inspectors were working. Though they were thankfully unharmed, there's a clear need for a better way to keep workers safe while the trains are running during track maintenance.
Virginia senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced the award on Tuesday, reflecting how the incident took place in Virginia. Both senators are also known as vocal proponents of the use of new technology to improve how the government functions.
"Improving safety on Metro will require a sustained focus from transit, local, and federal officials," the senators said in a joint statement. "First and foremost, that means establishing a culture of safety across the system, and, where possible, deploying leading-edge technology to bring the decades-old system into the 21st century."
Safety is an ongoing critical issue for Metro. The huge SafeTrack program to inspect and improve the overall safety of the Metro system has been a key part of that, but critics are still concerned about whether riders and workers will be safe from the accidents. While positive news, wristbands warning about trains doesn't solve all of Metro's safety issues, something the senators acknowledge.
"Today’s grant announcement is a relatively small step," the senators stated. "[B]ut one that represents a continued investment and commitment to addressing Metro’s safety issues."
