Metro Refunds 17,000 Customers After Wednesday Debacle

It's been a little more than a month since the Metro Board approved the Rush Hour Promise, which grants a refund to Metro customers if their train is delayed by 15 minutes or more. On Wednesday, that promise cost WMATA big time after a huge mess on the Orange and Silver lines.

Metro will be issuing refunds to 17,098 customers whose trips took 15 minutes more than expected, which represented 2.8 percent of riders Wednesday. Problems on the Orange and Silver lines caused mass chaos, to the point that Metro was urging people to simply walk to their destinations.

Since the minimum Metro fare is around $2, the refunds will cost WMATA tens of thousands of dollars at least.

A total of 83.8 percent of rail customers were on time, and 92 percent arrived within 5 minutes, Metro added.

Not surprisingly, the gesture wasn't enough to soothe the anger of some customers.

"This number doesn't account for the people who entered stations and gave up, those who waited with hundreds of others for a shuttle bus, and never entered origin station, or those at bus stops whose normal route was packed with train riders and buses didn't stop for pick ups," wrote Twitter user KGSommers.

Added user panderings: "I tapped in at East Falls Church on 2/28 at 7:42. I see hundreds of people on the platform, then hear the announcement of delays and that shuttle buses are coming. I tap out. I tap in to the shuttle bus. Do I get refunded for the in-out of Metro stop and bus fare?"

Rush Hour Promise: On Wed, Feb 28, 83.8% of rail customers arrived on-time & 92% within 5 min. However, OR/SV was disrupted during AM rush w/significant delays. RHP credits being issued to 17,098 customers whose trips took >15 min more than expected (2.8% of customers). #wmata pic.twitter.com/8cMoNkkh6G
— Metro (@wmata) March 1, 2018