WMATA Responded to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy

By: Miriam Edelman

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority replied to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. DCNOW’s blog post, entitled “U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Wrote Three Letters to D.C. Leaders,” discussed Duffy’s letters to WMATA and others.

Duffy wrote WMATA on March 6, 2025. As the Department of Transportation wrote in its press release about the letters:

“In the letter to WMATA CEO Randy Clarke, Secretary Duffy highlighted the need to address fare evasion and reduce crime on the Washington Metro system to protect the safety and security of riders and workers. The letter directs the agency to provide information about practices, expenditures, and initiatives related to safety and security to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Secretary Duffy also asked CEO Clarke to provide specific information on safety and security programs and strategies and how they are funded. Federal law allows transit recipients to use both formula funds and capital grants for projects to combat crime and improve safety and security.”

Duffy wrote that he wanted information about fare evasion, security, safety, and non-FTA funds by March 19^th.

On March 19^th, Randy Clarke, General Manager & Chief Executive Officer of WMATA, wrote a response to Duffy. Clarke’s third paragraph discussed WMATA’ recent successes:

“We work tirelessly to ensure safe, frequent, and reliable service for our customers, and over the last two years we have made great progress. In 2023, crime within WMATA’s system was 8.03 crimes per million compared to 2.9 crimes per million year-to-date, a 64% reduction in crime, the lowest in seven years. At the same time, ridership is up by 35%, and customer satisfaction levels are higher than they have ever been, at 92% on Metrorail and 83% on Metrobus. WMATA has led the country in ridership recovery with 47 consecutive months of year-over-year ridership growth.”

Clarke provided information that Duffy had requested. He ended with:

“We appreciate your interest in the safety and security of our customers and employees and look forward to working with you on our shared goal that America’s Metro system remains the top transit system in the nation.”

Let’s hope that the federal government focuses on more important issues that only it can handle.