Washington Post, Oct. 3, 2018:

A pro-transit coalition that backed Metro’s effort to secure $500 million a year dedicated funding from the region is calling out Metro leaders for their perceived inaction on the system’s lagging ridership.

In a lengthy missive Tuesday, the Coalition for Smarter Growth singled out the Metro board for its “failure” to commit to additional service, despite analysts and transit experts’ contention that ridership is largely responsive to train frequency. A story in Sunday’s Washington Post detailed how board members were not convinced that adding service was the best course for the system, which faces falling revenue and rising wages, along with a stated need for cutbacks to address decades of deferred maintenance.

“In Sunday’s Post story, the elected and appointed officials charged with the stewardship of our region’s rail and bus system refused to say that they would unite as a body to run more trains, more often, in order to increase ridership,” the Coalition wrote. “Such a move would follow the demands of riders, the recommendations of consultants, and well-known industry best practices.”

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