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Frank Wilson says safety is and has always been a top concern at Metro but there have been some incidents in other cities that have caught the attention of federal officials:
“Like the use of cell phones and texting. Those kinds of things have to be attacked in a little different way because they’re new. These are new causes for accidents and I think the federal government is wise and we support any effort to increase safety no matter how good our safety record is.”
Wilson says he hopes that if there are real safety concerns that need oversight that the government doesn’t dawdle.
“Once you specify that safety is a paramount concern then you have an obligation to move rather rapidly on it and drag it out and it that sense entertain the opportunity for more incidents before a solution arrives.”
The big concern about federal oversight would be unfunded mandates. Wilson says he hopes that transit agencies will have ample time to meet expensive safety solutions before any penalties are levied.