The Daily Herald reports that the added positions are a direct result of recent fare increases on 10-ride passes. “As we indicated when we did the 10-ride increase or fare adjustment — part of that will be used for providing cleaner coaches,” Metra CEO Alex Clifford says. After surveying riders, “we got feedback from customers that showed our coaches could be cleaner. Although we received an 83 percent satisfaction rate on cleanliness, we wanted to be aware of what some of our customers were telling us … we think we can do better.”
A total 269 coach cleaners currently sweep up the 1,000 coaches used on Metra’s 700 daily trains. The railroad plans to divide the new hires among trains operating over Union Pacific, BNSF, Milwaukee, Electric and Rock Island districts. The additional employees are expected to cost the commuter railroad $1.9 million in 2013 and as much as $2.5 million in 2014.
