WASHINGTON – Metro has hired a Virginia firm to run a “mystery shopper” program on its bus and rail lines starting early next year.

The effort is to get insight into what into what works well, and what needs to be improved.

Metro hired Synovate, a Falls Church company, to run the program. The program will be for one year, with two additional one-year options.

A Metro spokesperson tells the Washington Examiner they want “customer service to be consistent.”

Metro says about 40,000 complaints are lodged each year, and riders have started several blogs and twitter feeds devoted solely to Metro complaints, but this program is seen as a more objective measure.

A similar program was dropped in 2009 because of budget constraints.

The mystery rider program will start in February.

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