Remove John B. Catoe, Jr. as Metro General Manager

We, the undersigned, call upon the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors to immediately remove John B. Catoe, Jr. from the position of General Manager.

In the wake of the horrific June 22, 2009 crash on Metro's Red Line, it has become alarming clear that the current management is unable to safely administer the Metrorail and Metrobus systems.

Time and time again Metro has been warned by outside safety experts, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board, regarding the failure to establish and maintain a culture of safety. This failure has resulted in numerous accidents, resulting in the injuries and deaths of both employees and customers.

John B. Catoe, Jr. is the public face of Metro. Ultimately, the responsibility to operate a safe system falls on Catoe's shoulders. He has failed to maintain a safe system, and he has also failed to be forthcoming and transparent about the current state of the system.

We, as riders of the Metro system, demand that the WMATA Board of Directors immediately remove John B. Catoe, Jr. and begin a search for a manager who has the proper experience managing complex, safety-oriented, organizations.

WMATA Board of Directors:

Principal Directors

Jim Graham
Chairman, District of Columbia

Peter Benjamin
First Vice Chairman, Maryland

Catherine Hudgins
Second Vice Chairman, Virginia

Neil Albert
District of Columbia

Elizabeth M. Hewlett
Maryland

Christopher Zimmerman
Virginia

Alternate Directors

Michael Brown
District of Columbia

Gordon Linton
Maryland

Jeffrey C. McKay
Virginia

Anthony R. Giancola, P.E.
District of Columbia

Marcell Solomon
Maryland

William D. Euille
Virginia

Swift action is needed to ensure that our city has a safe and reliable transit system. Responsibility must be taken for the failures that have plagued Metro. If John B. Catoe, Jr. refuses to accept that responsibility, we must place that burden on the Board of Directors.