Metro tells local newspapers to clean up their act

August 1, 2008 - 7:12am

Adam Tuss, WTOP Radio

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Metro riders often have to brush aside newspapers left behind on trains and buses, but it has become such an issue that the transit agency took the case straight to the newspapers themselves.

Specifically, Metro says stacks of Washington Examiner and Washington Express newspapers were being dropped too close to station entrances and on top of escalators. In addition, some newspaper vendors were blocking the flow of Metro customers into and out of stations.

Metro regulations require newspapers and publications to be placed at least 15 feet away from station entrances.

The transit agency says the result was more littering of newspapers in the transit system. Metro says it cleaned up nearly 2,400 tons of newspapers from stations last year.

Newspapers blowing around stations is a serious problem for Metro. In the past, newspapers have caused track fires, and the transit agency says papers on the ground can lead to customers tripping. Metro says it also has to hire more custodians to clean up newspapers when they are on the ground.

Metro has held a number of meetings with the Washington Examiner and Washington Express about the violations. The transit agency says it has gotten cooperation from both -- the Express has even offered to buy more recycling bins inside stations for newspapers. However, Metro says there are still instances of complaints.

If problems continue to persist, Metro says it can remove vendors from transit agency property completely.

The Washington Examiner has faced complaints in the past about its home delivery. Some customers say they had asked that the paper stop being delivered to their home, but the newspaper kept on being delivered.

The Examiner recently scaled back its home delivery, now only delivering to homes on Thursday and Sunday. The paper has instead beefed up its editions in newsracks and with street vendors.