Here’s an eye-popping op-ed in the local section of today’s Washington Post:

By Nancy L. Cohen Takoma Park
Regarding the Oct. 14 article on Metro’s safety and security problems [“Metro audit finds numerous safety lapses,” Metro]:
At about 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 14, I left the Takoma Station elevator on the platform level to take the Red Line downtown. A Metro employee was attempting to fix a Farecard machine. At the same time, a woman who had just gotten off the Red Line approached the elevator pushing a dolly supporting a large blue tub. A sign on the tub indicated it contained toxic medical waste. I brought this to the attention of the Metro employee, who indicated by his behavior that he would prefer to work on the Farecard machine than dispel my concern or query the woman with the toxic medical waste. She got on the elevator, and the Metro employee walked away.
When I got to my destination, I went to the Metro kiosk and got the phone number for the Transit Police. I called that number, described the incident and was told to call a second number. At that number, I spoke with a sergeant who had the audacity to tell me that I should have reported my concern at the Metro stop. When I said that I had tried to do so and gave her the employee’s name, she reframed the incident as a personnel matter and gave me the number for customer service.
It was a nonworking number. I called her back and got a second number. Upon reaching that number, I got a recording that said my call could not be processed.
Metro repeatedly broadcasts recordings urging riders to report troubling observations. It appears that Metro personnel have yet to be trained or given the backbone to take action when they receive a report. Can we afford either? Unfortunately, I would not be surprised if this situation represents the norm and not the exception.
Hey, Metro, do you want the names of those employees?

Heckuva job.