>much of what they do doesn't get disseminated around.

I get this sense too as a customer. WMATA is a massive tri-jurisdiction system, and folks in administration* don't seem to have much of an idea of what workers and customers do day to day in the system.

Having a cool acronym for Better Bus Service (BBS) or Improved Lighting Initiative (ILI) or "increasing cleanliness by 85% systemwide" doesn't mean jack to customers who wait 15 minutes instead of 20 for the next bus, or see burnt out bulbs all over the system, or dirty elevators every day.

* The one exception to admin issues would be Randy Clarke and one of the Commissioners (I don't recall her name) who seem to actually be using and in the system every day.

I worked at Wal-Mart and as horrible as that company is department managers were out in the store every day if only for an early-morning walk-through. How many admins can say they are in or use the system every day?