New Metro Budget Proposal Includes No Fare Hike, More Service

WASHINGTON, DC — WMATA announced major service improvements on Monday in an effort to win back riders amid widespread dissatisfaction over safety and performance issues that have plagued the system. The recommendations are part of General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld's FY 2020 budget — which will be considered by Metro's finance committee later this week.

The recommendations include reducing weekend fares to $2, expanding rush hour service to 10:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., lowering the cost of bus and rail passes, and making all trains eight cars long. Wiedefeld also recommends extending Yellow line service to Greenbelt and running all Red Line trains to Glenmont. Adding additional service to Glemont, according to Metro, will complement its plan to eliminate the "Grosvenor Turnback."

“The past year has been about demonstrating to customers that we are getting Metro ‘back to good,’” said Wiedefeld. “Now, we have to get better than good as we work to attract and retain customers. While there are a number of improvements such as pass discounts and automatic train operations that we can do within the new cap on subsidy growth, the service improvements I am including in this budget will need the region’s support and the Board’s approval.”

WMATA Board of Directors’ Finance Committee is set to discuss the proposal later this week. If these changes are approved, they will take effect on July 1, 2019.

More updates may follow.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
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