THE TROUBLE with Maryland Transit Administration bus wheels most likely will be reparable. That is the finite way of mechanical matters: The parts, the tools and the human hand can be fallible alone or in concert, but with proper attention, the fleet can again be made road-worthy.
Far more difficult to repair will be the public's trust. It has been damaged by officials' initially inadequate response to the series of accidents since August in which wheels have fallen off buses, endangering passengers, passersby and bus drivers.
There can be no trust without rigorous accountability at all levels, particularly at the top. Virginia White, acting MTA administrator for the past year, has failed badly in that regard -- especially given her background in operations.
According to reports by Sun reporter Marcia Myers, managers responsible for the public's safety failed to see a dangerous pattern in what is now 17 breakdowns and 20 injury claims; launched an internal review but thwarted efforts by the department safety office to do its job; and did not notify superiors or manufacturers of the scope and seriousness of the problem.
That, in effect, delayed the full-scale independent and internal investigation needed to get to the bottom of the problem. Instead of welcoming scrutiny and aggressively protecting the welfare of the bus riders, pedestrians and motorists who share the road with behemoth buses, it appears there were efforts to defend turf.
Technical failures are a shame but are understandable; failures of conscience that endanger lives are unforgivable. "What is not acceptable is less than full disclosure or any systemic attempt to hide a problem," Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari said in an interview yesterday.
He has called in outside transportation auditors and investigators, pulled buses out of service and ordered regular safety checks of the fleet to try to prevent another incident. He has safety officers talking to front-line mechanics in hopes of determining how procedures, tools and parts interacted with such dangerous results. There are multiple theories now as to cause, including the use of tools that overstress bolts holding the wheels, and a certain kind of bolt.
Mr. Porcari says he has identified a number of areas needing improvement, including communication among the multiple MTA maintenance garages, so that reports of equipment failures and safety solutions are shared quickly among the people who put MTA's 800 buses on the road.
But streamlining the department and its communications will be only a beginning. When day-to-day safety is ensured, Mr. Porcari must return his attention to the vacancy at the top of his defective department. Perhaps he should present this case study in poor middle management as a test to candidates for MTA administrator, as now more than ever he must choose a leader with the vision and mettle to cut through the bureaucracy and restore public faith in the system's efficiency and safety.