Jay Wilder former head of MTA in NY was at Harvard Kennedy School yesterday.
What was clear from listening to him is how difficult it is to innovate and transform the transit system when unions are involved.
Improved technology and effiecenty are irrelavent as long as a union jobs and wages are preserved.
The Paris Metro is introducing the first subway line that will not have a driver of their trains. The same technology is available for US cities and yes the transit unions will not allow it as if will reduce the number of jobs.
Management of these larger organizations is hard enough but when unions block innovation, it makes running them under budget and with superior service that much harder.
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I believe the DC Metro has automated power, but there is still a crew member in the front to take over in the event of an emergency. Yes, especially in this economy I think there is something to be said for hanging on to jobs in principle as well.