Metro services gradually returning
Here's what still isn't working as of mid-afternoon:
-- You can't buy fares with debit cards.
-- The NextBus system is out.
-- SmartBenefits transactions are not functioning.
--The e-alert system is not sending out messages.
Metro says that the communications services knocked out early this morning began returning at 8:30 a.m.
--First, the Metro Web site came back online.
-- Metro's Customer Call Center began to receive calls by about 9 a.m., the transit authority said.
-- Reservation and dispatch systems for MetroAccess returned at about 10 a.m, as did the MetroAccess call center and online reservation system.
-- Vehicle radios came back into service at about 10 a.m.
-- The public address system in rail stations returned at 10:30 a.m.
Metrobus fareboxes were functioning, but some bus operators had difficulty logging onto them this morning. In those cases, riders could board for free. Metro said there weren't many cases of this.
The trains and buses kept running throughout the day. The problem was an outage affecting an internal power distribution unit at Metro headquarters, which occurred at 2:45 a.m. That took a data center computer out of commission temporarily and also took down many of Metro's customer communications services.
By
Robert Thomson
|
November 4, 2009; 2:56 PM ET
Share This: E-Mail | Technorati
| Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble
Previous: Plenty of road work coming to DC's eastern side
Next: Montgomery traffic signals still out of sync
I wonder what Metro will do if this problems comes up after January 1st when your SmartBenefits are on their central computer? Free Subway rides?
Posted by: GlenBurnie | November 4, 2009 3:45 PM | Report abuse
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.