In response to requests for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to make improvements for specific safety deficiencies found in the Metrorail and Metrobus, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has hired staff and developed a Corrective Action Plan.
While the WMATA still has the main responsibility of improving the safety of the Metrorail and Metrobus, the FTA first took on temporary direct safety oversight in October. The officials also developed a Corrective Action Plan that includes a tracking chart, enabling the agency to better evaluate the progress that the WMATA is making in solving safety concerns.
Furthermore, the FTA is currently running inspections on the ground to guarantee that the corrective actions, safety procedures and protocols are being adhered to.
This is the first time that the federal government has enforced its direct safety supervision on a public transit system.
Due to this unprecedented action, the FTA is taking steps to ensure that the rail transit industry, WMATA passengers and WMATA employees are fully informed about its actions.
