CHARLOTTE — Deltrin Harris, who had been chief of rail operations for the troubled Charlotte Area Transit System, has been fired, WFAE Radio reports.
The station reports Harris’ termination letter says he was fired for unsatisfactory performance and a “lack of confidence in his leadership ability.”
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Observer reports CATS violated overtime policy to fulfill a state directive on staffing for its light rail control center.
WCNC-TV reports Harris had been suspended from his job in May and placed on administrative leave. The agency has been under scrutiny for a series of issues including a light-rail derailment and maintenance issues and failure to conduct required inspections [see “Bearing issue leads to speed restriction …,” Trains News Wire, March 14, 2023, and “Charlotte commission votes for investigation …,” News Wire, March 23, 2023].
Harris joined CATS in December 2020 after 18 years with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. That same month, an independent investigation was released on an earlier reportof a “toxic culture” at DC Metro’s Rail Operations Control Center, with then-General Manager Paul J. Wiedefield saying Harris was among those “whose reputations were unfairly tarnished.”
Gary Lee, who has worked with CATS for 20 years, will replace Harris on an interim basis, according to interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle.
Overtime violations at control center
Some employees worked more than 12-hour shifts or more than a 60-hour work week to fully staff the light rail control center, Cagle said. While at least three of the violations involved workers clocking in several minutes before or after their scheduled shift, “the rules are the rules,” Cagle said, according to the Observer.
CATS will be more strict about following those rules after receiving a letter from the North Carolina Department of Transportation about the violation on May 15, Cagle said.
NCDOT had told the the transit agency in April that it had to staff its light rail control center with at least two employees or suspend light rail operations after an unannounced inspection found the facility operating with just one worker [see “Charlotte transit agency told to fully staff light rail control center …,” News Wire, April 4, 2023].
Both points below, understood, but one item bothers me. “Meanwhile, the Charlotte Observer reports CATS violated overtime policy to fulfill a state directive on staffing for its light rail control center.” Sounds like an UNFUNDED mandate, and since rules are rules, SOMEBODY has to pay. Note: There probably are many more details not mentioned. Like poor vetting on the part of the board in hiring an unsound choice. endmrw0609231620
So he comes from a troubled agency and the new agency then becomes a troubled one. Says enough.
So… maybe it wasn’t unfairly tarnished.