Tag Archives: Frank Wilson

Can we share these lanes?

Posted on August 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Metro is rethinking how the light rail lines run in parts of downtown. Traffic woes and collisions along the newest light-rail lines in downtown have Metro leaders toying with the idea of backpedaling on their promise not to close parts … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Here comes the fully extended Green Line

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah. Oh what a rocky ride it’s been. Political opposition. A Buy America violation. Construction delays. Contaminated soil that sank an underpass. Overweight and badly-manufactured railcars. More construction delays. When trains finally start rolling along the new Green Line into … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Treating all fares the same

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good idea. A six-month test starting in February will gauge the effects of letting cash-paying rail riders switch to buses for free. The vast majority of riders use a Q card, day pass or some other form of Metro payment. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Treating all fares the same

I got those “can’t get my rail cars built on time” blues

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Actually, I don’t, but Metro does. The company building 39 new Metro railcars has yet to deliver an acceptable vehicle almost six months after the original due date, potentially delaying full service for rail lines scheduled to open later this … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on I got those “can’t get my rail cars built on time” blues

Greanias to step down from Metro

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. George Greanias, appointed to lead the Metropolitan Transit Authority in September 2010 after political squabbling and inefficiencies led to widespread criticism of the bus and train system, is resigning, a Metro spokeswoman confirmed Friday. Greanias has stated his intent … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metro officially back on track with the FTA

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The “Buy America” nightmare is now history for Metro. In September 2010, the FTA announced that the process Metro had used to award a rail car contract to CAF USA, the U.S. subsidiary of a Spanish company, violated federal law … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro officially back on track with the FTA

Metro settles with Higgins

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And the last bit of “old Metro” business gets put to rest. The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s board [Thursday] agreed to settle a lawsuit by the agency’s former chief counsel in which she accused Metro of firing her for trying to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro settles with Higgins

Bye-bye, intermodal center

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In the process of writing off some bad assets in what one hopes is the last ritual cleansing of the Frank Wilson era, Metro says good-bye to something we hadn’t heard of in awhile. Metro has given up on what … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bye-bye, intermodal center

Metro reaches settlement with CAF

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Fresh from the inbox: The Metropolitan Transit Authority announced today that it has reached a settlement with CAF USA, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Spanish Firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.) over two disputed contracts for the construction of … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Moving on at Metro

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Frank Wilson is gone at Metro, and others are following him out the door. “A number of the senior appointees that Frank Wilson brought in are no longer here,” said George Greanias, Wilson’s successor, but he did not describe it … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Feds reject CAF’s review request

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I smell a lawsuit coming. Federal officials on Friday rejected a Metro contractor’s bid to preserve its $330 million deal to supply rail cars, setting the stage for possible litigation over the soon-to-be-canceled contract. Dorval R. Carter Jr., the chief … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Feds reject CAF’s review request

How Metro nearly cost itself $900 million

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an impressive feat, for some sense of the word. In the first months of the procurement process, documents show, [former Metro CEO Frank] Wilson intended to use local rather than federal funds to buy the light-rail vehicles, possibly in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

FTA gives Metro a second chance

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is a bullet whizzing past Metro’s ear Metro violated federal laws in making a deal with a Spanish company to purchase 103 rail cars, and must re-bid the purchase in order to qualify for a $900 … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Metro settlement agreement

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I presume we’ll get some more details in the morning, but for now I wanted to highlight one aspect of the story of Metro’s settlement agreement with Lloyd Kelley. The suit accused Metro and several of its top officials, including … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Metro settlement agreement

Grand jury hears Metro document shredding evidence

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Obviously, the District Attorney’s office is farther along in their investigation than I thought. A courthouse appearance today by Frank J. Wilson, the former Metropolitan Transit Authority president accused of destroying public documents, provided the first indication that prosecutors are … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

One Metro lawsuit pulled from court docket

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Looks promising. Metro expects to reach a settlement soon in an open-records lawsuit that triggered a series of accusations and investigations that gripped the transit agency for months, board chairman Gilbert Garcia said. The trial of the lawsuit by attorney … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on One Metro lawsuit pulled from court docket

Meet George Greanias

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, former City Controller and member of Mayor Parker’s transition team George Greanias has taken over, at least on an interim basis, as the CEO of Metro. Houston Tomorrow has a brief intro to Greanias, including a pointer … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Meet George Greanias

Wilson resigns

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

He’s out. Frank J. Wilson relinquished the leadership of the Metropolitan Transit Authority on Friday, leaving Metro’s reconstituted board and an acting chief executive with the task of completing the light rail system Wilson was hired to build six years … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Wilson resigns

Was it worth it for two prototypes?

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really at a loss to understand how the previous Metro board could have put $900 million at risk to make it easier for their manufacturer to build two prototype light rail cars. Eight days after federal officials rejected the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

More on Wilson’s departure

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

More evidence that Metro CEO Frank Wilson is about to be history: The Metro board has a replacement in mind. The board is expected to name George Greanias, a former city councilman and controller who co-chaired Mayor Annise Parker’s Metro … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Is this the end for Frank Wilson?

Posted on May 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Could be. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board is working toward president and chief executive officer Frank Wilson’s “amicable” departure from the agency as soon as Friday, sources said today. A plan under discussion involves naming George Greanias, the former city … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

It’s always something

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good news for Metro. The “forensic accounting review” by UHY Advisors examined all business expense reports submitted to Metro by its chief executive, Frank Wilson, and chief of staff, Joanne Wright. Both joined Metro in May 2004; Wilson previously was … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pauline Higgins sues Metro

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Pauline Higgins, the former chief counsel for Metro who was fired in the wake of the document shredding scandal, has now sued the agency for wrongful termination. “This case involves cut-throat politics and cronyism at Metro,” Pauline Higgins said in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Firing Frank

Posted on April 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Annise Parker has said she wants the new Metro board to fire Frank Wilson, the agency’s CEO. So why hasn’t that happened yet? There are a couple of complicating factors. Among them are uncertainty about the outcome of two … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metro and the FTA

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t see this KHOU story, in which a regular Metro critic claims that the agency deliberately gave outdated sales tax revenue information to the Federal Transit Administration in order to get $900 million in federal money for the North … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro and the FTA

The question not asked

Posted on March 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg has a chat with Lloyd Kelley. Kelley, the attorney whose lawsuit against the county unearthed embarrassing e-mails that brought down former District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal a couple of years ago, is at it again, with his latest public … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The question not asked

Parker reaffirms commitment to light rail

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is what I want to see. [Mayor Annise] Parker’s letter regarding this week’s Metro board meeting was sent on the eve of her trip to Washington, where she said she would reassure U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that her … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Parker reaffirms commitment to light rail

Metro asks consultant to investigate Wilson allegations

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if there’s anything to the hype. A consultant with expertise in identifying business fraud will investigate allegations that Metro’s chief executive used public funds in an inappropriate relationship with his assistant, the agency announced today. David Wolff, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro asks consultant to investigate Wilson allegations

More on Metro’s finances

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a closer look at Metro’s finances and the recently expressed doubts about their ability to pay for the University and Uptown lines. Mayor Annise Parker said last week that she wasn’t convinced the Metropolitan Transit Authority would … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Metro’s finances

Got evidence?

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If you saw Wednesday night’s rather sensational coverage of the allegations that Metro CEO Frank Wilson had an “improper” relationship with an employee, you would have come away with the impression that things were about to go all Chuck Rosenthal … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Metro CEO accused of inappropriate relationship with employee

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least we now have some idea of what Lloyd Kelley has been looking for. The president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority was accused in open court Wednesday of having an improper relationship with a female employee … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro CEO accused of inappropriate relationship with employee

Criminal probe of Metro document shredding begins

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t wait to see how this turns out. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has begun a criminal investigation into allegations that the Metropolitan Transit Authority improperly destroyed public documents, a prosecutor confirmed Friday. The statement by Terese Buess, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Please don’t shred the documents

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t good. At a crucial moment in the development of its light rail system, Metro confronted accusations Wednesday that it shredded documents sought in an open-records request, then fired two attorneys who objected to its handling of the request. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Bonding Metro

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It wouldn’t be Metro if there weren’t drama. Metro has not obtained performance or payment bonds to cover all the planned construction of four new light rail lines, and some officials say that could put taxpayer dollars at risk. Metro … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment