Equity In Transit
Metro is committed to providing equitable transportation because the communities we serve are stronger when everyone has access to reliable and affordable transportation. Public transportation connects people to jobs, health care, schools, grocery stores, housing, and more, and we’re always striving to eliminate barriers to transit.
Metro works closely with the Federal Transit Administration to meet its Title VI program requirements which help ensure our public transportation service is provided in a nondiscriminatory manner; promote full participation in decision-making without regard to race, color, or national origin, and ensure meaningful access by persons with limited English proficiency.
Metro has also renewed its focus on advancing transit and social equity across our business. Five key policy areas that represent extraordinary opportunities to advance Metro’s mission to provide more equitable service are shown below.
Commitment to civil rights (Title VI)
Metro is committed to ensuring that no person is denied the benefits of our services on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Metro Transit Police Investigation Review Panel
The Panel is an independent advisory body that can recommend changes to training and policies. The panel is one of the first actions taken as part of the Board's authority-wide review of equity matters.
DBE/MBE Programs
Our Disadvantaged & Minority Business Enterprise programs aim to increase the share of minority and women owned businesses that compete and participate in business opportunities with Metro.
Bus Transformation Project
Fast, frequent, reliable, affordable buses on our streets and roadways are critical to our region’s prosperity. The Bus Transformation Project is a plan to transform bus in the Washington region and improve service and customer experience, creating a more cohesive system that works for riders.
Sustainability is our priority
A sustainable transit system is designed, constructed, and operated in a way that fosters environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and social well-being across the region.
Additional measures we're taking
- The Metro Public Participation Plan (PPP) is an FTA-required and Board-approved document that lays out Metro’s strategies to engage minority and Limited English Proficient populations with inclusive and responsive public outreach. Metro exceeds federal requirements by applying outreach requirements to all planned projects and Board policies related to fares and service.
- In order to increase the visibility of our service changes and impacts to the communities, Metro executes a number of public outreach tactics to help inform our riders. These tactics include pop-ups at Metrorail stations & Metrobus ride alongs; outreach events so customers without internet access can participate in customer surveys; and the deployment of multi-lingual outreach teams to connect with residents who speak one of the 26 languages in our region.
- Customer research remains an integral part of its decision making to ensure demographic representation across our Metrorail & Metrobus ridership. Metro offers its surveys online, by phone and through standard mail with incentives to ensure representative participation.
- Metro connects with local, state and federal stakeholders regularly to share information, actions and research related to emerging national issues with a local impact.
- Facilitated discussion with Metro employees of different backgrounds about how we can increase our awareness of racial injustice, become allies for equality, and create change moving forward. Listen to our Metrovoices podcast episode: "Racing Towards Change: Thoughts on Injustice"