Early next year, Metro will institute various changes that include new directional signs and announcements and changes to the direction of escalators.
"We've see more than 30 percent growth in ridership over last nine years, so with more riders it has slowed down times trains stayed at station," said Metro Spokeswoman Candace Smith. "We want to try to speed up movement of people and make the trip smoother."
In November, Metro increased the number of announcements asking passengers to not block the doors and to move to the center of the car with the intention of moving passengers on and off cars easier, according to Metro's Web site.
Next year, Metro will also change the female voice giving announcements to a male voice.
"It's different, and we're trying to get people's attention to listen to what the message is," Smith said of the voice change.
Students, however, do not believe the voice change is warranted.
"I don't think the voice [change] makes a difference," said Brad Previdi, a senior in the School of Communication.
Changing the voice to male also raises questions of the reasons.
"Why change [the voice] from a woman to a man?" said Melissa DeCosmo, a freshman in SOC. "That's sexist."
Another change Metro plans to institute is directional signals on platforms and train doors directing passengers on and off cars more quickly, which would eliminate Metro bingo, a game that involves standing in front of what directional light where you believe a Metro door will stop.
Metro also hopes that this will decrease crowding around cars. The Union Station, Gallery Place-Chinatown and Metro Center stations will test these new signs.
AU students think that putting up new signs is unnecessary.
"I think its ridiculous to go through the trouble [of marking where the doors will open] so I don't have to walk six feet to go to the door," said Steven Piels, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. "It's a waste of energy. I think Metro should spend energy on making [riding the trains] cheaper."
Adam Cohen, a senior in the Kogod School of Business, agrees that the new system may create more problems than it solves.
"It's better if people guess [where the doors will open], otherwise people will all congregate around the same spot," he said.
The Metro will also change the direction of some escalators and add signs and announcements instructing riders to stand to the right.
"Standing to the right on escalators and leaving the left side open for walkers has been an unwritten rule for regular riders, but it's not common knowledge for tourists and other infrequent Metrorail passengers" a news article on wmata.com said. Changing the direction of escalators will hopefully reduce platform crowding, according to the Metro Web site.
"The signs on the escalators makes sense because a lot of the time people stand in the middle and don't let you get through if you are trying to make a Metro," said Elyse Greenberg, a freshman in CAS. "It will also put the tourists on equal footing."
Metro will also test newly designed cars with less seats and increased handrails, again with the goal of reducing the cluster of people, Smith said. In the spring about two dozen of these redesigned cars will be tested, according to the Metro Web site.
