Belinda Barrett

The meeting commenced with a safety update regarding Fire Prevention Month initiatives. The Finance and Capital Committee resumed discussion on the updated fare policy principles, which are intended to guide fare policy changes for the 2023 budget and beyond, focusing on being customer-focused, simple, convenient, equitable, seamless, and designed to drive ridership. A substitute motion was passed to amend the principles to specifically maximize ridership and generate revenue for stability. The committee also reviewed an information item concerning the 2023 ridership and revenue forecast, which presented two scenarios (gradual and conservative recovery) based on lingering COVID-19 impacts, projecting significant revenue drops compared to pre-COVID levels. The forecast indicated a funding gap for fiscal year 2023 under both scenarios, expected to be closed by federal relief funding. The process for the General Manager's proposed budget, due the following month, was also reviewed.

The initial session covered committee business, including the approval of the agenda and minutes from previous meetings. The Elections Committee proceeded to nominate board officers for Fiscal Year 2021, which were subsequently approved. The Finance and Capital Committee meeting featured an informational update on the Platform Improvement Program. This program addresses structural issues at 20 outdoor stations, aiming to improve safety and enable level boarding. The update detailed completed work on six stations south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Phase One) and progress on four Orange Line stations west of Boston (Phase Two), with a projected reopening by Labor Day weekend. Future phases planned for 2021 and 2022 involve work on the Blue and Green Lines (Platform 3) and the Eastern Orange Line plus Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Platform 4). Discussions also covered incorporating station modernization, replacing structural decks, and coordinating work with external entities. Questions raised concerned the exclusion of Red Line stations, specifically noting existing work at Shady Grove and Rhode Island stations and plans to combine future work with the Red Line tunnel ventilation project, as well as addressing structural concerns regarding the Rockville station canopy scheduled for 2022 or 2023.

The meeting addressed two primary topics. The first involved a presentation and discussion regarding the Metro Rail service order, where three options were presented for creating a logical and consistent order for displaying service lines across physical, digital, and merchandising products. Feedback was solicited from the council members, with a general preference indicated for Option B, which mimics the physical station infrastructure. The second item involved revisiting the design and accessibility considerations for the permanent bus stop flag project, aiming to create the most accessible flag in North America. The presenters detailed extensive research, prototyping, and consultation with various internal teams and external advisory groups regarding features and stakeholder needs, including bus operator feedback on flag strikes and customer input via the Transit App.

Discussions centered on the operations and compliance of the Inspector General's (IG) office, noting that work products and approved plans continue, and the IG's office has been provided dedicated space, legal counsel, and a doubled budget, maintaining compliance with hiring processes. A significant portion of the discussion addressed fare evasion on bus services, outlining targeted enforcement strategies, such as stationing officers to monitor fare payment, although full elimination of evasion is recognized as impractical due to the high volume of daily bus trips. Financial matters were also reviewed, comparing farebox recovery to other public service funding models and defending the $2 flat fare structure for promoting equitable access and encouraging off-peak ridership, citing increased ridership and high customer satisfaction metrics on the rail system as evidence of success despite funding challenges. The role of high frequency service in driving ridership and the positive impact of new initiatives on regional vitality were emphasized.

The public hearing convened by the Metro Board of Directors was held to gather public comment on two dockets concerning the proposed FY 2025 budget: Docket B24-1 regarding the Capital Improvement Program and federal grant applications, and Docket B24-02 concerning the operating budget, associated fare, and service proposals. A presentation detailed an initial proposal addressing a $750 million budget deficit through severe service and administrative cuts, fare increases, and reductions in capital funding, which would drastically alter Metro's service levels. A revised proposal, based on preliminary jurisdictional funding commitments, aims to maintain FY 2024 expense levels through internal efficiencies, including salary freezes, administrative savings, and targeted service cuts, while moderating fare increases to 12.5%. Specific concerns were raised by advocates regarding proposed bus service elimination (67 of 135 lines) and service reductions, rail service changes including 10 PM closures and line turnbacks, and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable citizens relying on Metro Access. Another key discussion point focused on uncollected fares due to non-functional fare boxes and gates, with a speaker advocating for addressing fare evasion instead of only proposing service cuts and fare increases.