WMATA – an introduction
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is a tri- jurisdictional government organization that operates transit services in Washington metropolitan area. It is also known as Wahington Metro. It is an authority of the public-private partnership which operates the DC circulator bus system. Its headquarter is in Washington D.C. It provides services for Metrorail, Metrobus, and metro access. The General Manager is the chief executive officer of WMATA. Currently, Paul J. Wiedefeld is working on this position and he is retiring on 30th June this year. Paul is serving the Washington Metro Authority since 2015 i.e. he worked with WMATA for 6 years. Randy Clarke, president, and CEO of Austin, Texas’ Capital Metro system is appointed as the new general manager and CEO of WMATA. He will take his position in the late summer.
Randy Clarke- New General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of WMATA- Washinton Metro
WMATA board authority announced that Randy Clarke will assume the position in the month of July. Clarke is serving as president and CEO of CapMetro for the last 4 years i.e from March 2018. He led the multibillion-dollar expansion of the Austin Public transport system. He came to Washinton when it was a challenging time for the metro as it was facing a decline in ridership during the pandemic. He also served as vice president of operations and member services at the American Public Transport Association. The chief safety officer, director of security and emergency management, and deputy chief operating officer are some of the positions in which he served. All these achievements and experience to deal with challenges in this field make Clarke eligible for this job role.
Clarke in a statement said that I am honored to be selected as the next general manager/CEO of Metro and want to thank the WMATA board for their confidence and faith in me to help lead this amazing organization through a critical time in its future. He also added that As a fellow transit customer I will be focused on delivering the safe, reliable, and customer-centric transit service that this region deserves. I look forward to meeting with staff, customers, stakeholders, and community members to learn more about how we can collectively build a bright future together.
After facing many challenges during the pandemic, the Transit agency has launched new initiatives to increase safety and community engagement. Many cameras have been installed in buses, trains, and stations to identify and arrest the one who commits a crime. Partnerships with community groups will be developed to address the essential service needs of those who are homeless or in a mental health crisis. Anti-harassment camping was also started to fight harassment in the metro and to raise awareness about it.