Another DC Metro operator fired for running red signal

A train operator for Washington’s Metrorail system has been fired for running a red light signal last month, the city’s transit agency said Wednesday, the second such incident in a four-week period.

{mosads}The violation occurred on July 27, when a Yellow Line train pulled into the Reagan National Airport station during morning rush hour.

Safety officials determined the violation was caused by operator error and are continuing to investigate the incident.

“For reasons related to the individual’s personnel history, the operator’s employment has been terminated,” said Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld, according to a statement obtained by NBC Washington.

“I know these cases of rules violations are exceptions, but please see them as I do — not just as a reminder of what it means to be accountable, but also of the importance of maintaining situational awareness, rules compliance, and avoiding bad habits that can creep into repetitive work.”

The move follows the firing last month of another subway operator who ran a red signal and nearly hit an oncoming train and two track workers.

In that incident, Metro safety officials said the train operator was in a rush to take his lunch break, didn’t have his radio turned on and ignored a series of protocols before running the red signal.

There have been 66 red signal violations on Metrorail since 2012, with 10 occurring so far this year. A study was commissioned last year to come up with recommendations for how to prevent them.