Momentum Builds Toward New Regional Coordination on Transit

At the DMVMoves Task Force meeting, area officials took another step forward in their effort to create a unified vision and sustainable funding model for the region's transit network.

The task force, jointly organized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), reviewed initial recommendations presented by two advisory groups that have been working since June on the initiative's vision, goals, and proposed actions for stronger coordination among the region's 14 different transit systems.

Several actions focus on improving customer experience across all transit systems, such as integrating and aligning fare policies for the first time regionwide and implementing bus priority strategies to get the best value from high-frequency routes. In addition, officials are considering opportunities to combine functions and identify and pursue potential savings through cooperative purchasing and making training and certification for transit personnel more consistent across the region. Action plans to implement these recommendations will be provided in November for Task Force consideration and adoption.

In addition, the Task Force reviewed funding needs for the regional transit network, including Metro, MARC, VRE, and local bus systems, and began discussing scenarios and potential new public revenues to close projected funding gaps both to support service at existing levels as well as enhanced service options, such as starting implementation of the Better Bus Visionary Network, MARC and MTA commuter bus improvements, and increased Metrorail and local bus service. The Task Force will discuss scenarios for funding maximized service options and expansion at a future meeting.

The DMVMoves Task Force, co-chaired by COG Board Chair and District of Columbia Councilmember Charles Allen and WMATA Board Vice Chair Paul C. Smedberg, is made up of 23 elected and appointed officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and the federal government. The Task Force is being advised by two groups - a Government Partners Advisory Group representing area jurisdictions and transit service providers as well as a Community Partners Advisory Group representing business, labor, and community organizations.

The DMVMoves initiative was launched at an historic convening of the COG and WMATA Boards of Directors in May and has undertaken an ambitious work plan to develop policy recommendations and final plan by May 2025. The next Task Force meeting will be held in November.

MORE: To view the archived livestream of the discussion and presentation to the Task Force, visit the DMVMoves event page.