WASHINGTON — Metro is seeking community feedback on its draft of a multi-year strategic transformation plan. Called Your Metro, The Way Forward, the plan was developed to guide Metro's actions over the next five years to address the evolving needs of customers and employees.
"Your Metro, The Way Forward provides the long-term strategy for us to reach our vision of becoming the region's trusted way to move people safely and sustainably. It'll also direct our day-to-day decision-making over the next five-plus years," Metro's website says.
The plan focuses on four goals:
- Service excellence: Deliver safe, reliable, convenient, accessible, equitable, and enjoyable services for all customers
- Talented teams: Attract, develop, and retain top talent where individuals feel valued, supported, and proud of their contributions
- Regional opportunity and partnership: Design transit service to serve more people and equitably connect a growing region
- Sustainability: Manage resources responsibly to achieve a sustainable operating, capital, and environmental model
A public in-person hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. Here's how to participate:
- In-person at:
Northern Virginia Transportation Commission
2300 Wilson Blvd., First Floor Conference Room
Arlington, VA
Nearest Metro station: Court House (Orange and Silver lines)
If you wish to provide testimony in person, we encourage you to pre-register by emailing speak@wmata.com or calling (202) 962-2511 by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Please submit only one speaker’s name per request. Metro staff will be on-site at 6 p.m. to answer questions before the public hearing.
- By video: To participate via video, advance registration is required. You may pre-register by emailing speak@wmata.com by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
- By phone: To participate by phone: call 855-925-2801 during the public hearing, enter meeting code 4773, and press *3 to be placed into the speaker queue. No advance registration is available for those participating by phone.
The public comment period comes after a number of violent incidents on public transit.
Just over a week ago, a 64-year-old Metro employee was shot and killed in a shooting at the Potomac Avenue Metro station on Feb. 1. Civilians tackled the shooting suspect and he was taken into custody.
The deadly shooting brought calls for improved safety measures aboard Metro transit.
Metro General Manager and CEO said it was not a Metro issue, but an overall gun violence problem. He added that Metro is doing everything it can to improve safety on Metro, including increasing police patrols by 30%.
“This is not a Metro safety issue, this is a gun violence issue," Clarke said following the shooting. "The system I believe is a safe system."
According to data from Metro Transit Police, overall crime on Metro transit jumped about 19% in 2022 compared to the year before.