Upcoming Event: Future of WMATA Panel

I’ve been asked to participate in a panel that Pat Host and the National Press Club are putting together for later this month. I’ll be there in my capacity is a “mass transit enthusiast” and erstwhile commentator here and on Twitter. Our favorite local transit agency is definitely at a crossroads, and in serious need of both reinvestment and reform. How best to get there?

It’s a pretty exciting chance to ask and answer some questions in-person, without the usual filters in place. I’ll do my best to represent the riding public – we all seem to share a number of concerns that are rarely, if ever, addressed by Metro’s leadership or local elected officials.

It’s on-the-record and open to the public on Monday, March 23rd – see you there, maybe?

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2015—Major stakeholders of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA, or Metro) will discuss the future of the system in a panel discussion at the National Press Club in downtown Washington on Monday, March 23, from 10-11:30 a.m. EST.

The United States’ second busiest system by daily passengers is at a critical point in its history as it faces growing safety concerns and fares, declining ridership and a budget squeeze. In an on-the-record, moderated Q&A format, stakeholders will discuss operational, budgetary, governance and management issues.

Participants are:

• Pat Host, moderator
  National Press Club member and reporter for Defense Daily and Rotor & Wing.
• Tom Bulger
  WMATA Board Member, Alternate Director for the District of Columbia; board member since July 2011.
• Jackie Jeter
  President of WMATA union Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689.
• David Alpert
  Editor and Founder of transit news source Greater Greater Washington, available at greatergreaterwashington.org.
• Graham Jenkins
  WMATA rider, District resident, and mass transit enthusiast blogging at lowheadways.wordpress.com.

The event will start promptly at 10 am EST and will take place in the Zenger Room, located adjacent to the Fourth Estate Restaurant. The National Press Club is located at 529 14th St. NW (at F St.), on the 13th floor, and is accessible from Metrorail via McPherson Square (OR/BL/SV) and Metro Center (OR/BL/SV/RD) and multiple bus routes including the 52, 54 and 30s line.