WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Washington-area subway system said Sunday nearly half of the system’s 500 rail operators have lapsed recertification and will remove some from service, a decision that will lead to a temporarily delay in some train lines.
The system known as the Metro that serves the District of Columbia and parts of nearby Virginia and Maryland will remove from service 72 train operators who went out of compliance before May 2021. That will result in a temporary reduction in Green and Yellow line service from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes.
A safety commission in October ordered the subway system to remove about 60% of its rail cars following inspections after the derailment of a train. The system has been operating on a reduced schedule as it works to resume the use of those train cars and add others.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
