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Hoyer Attends Tour and Briefing at WMATA Command Center

August 17, 2012

HYATTSVILLE, MD – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) attended a tour and briefing at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Carmen Turner Command Center with General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles.

"The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority plays a significant role in our region, providing residents, commuters, and tourists with over one million
trips daily," stated Congressman Hoyer. "WMATA is critical to growing our local economy, keeping our nation safety and secure, ensuring our government can function, and making the District more accessible to all who visit it. However, in order to continue meeting the needs of our region, the Federal government must do its part to support WMATA, and I will continue working to ensure the system has the resources needed to provide safe and reliable service."  

This year, at the request of Congressman Hoyer and the Washington Metro area delegation, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations
bill included the fourth $150 million installment of the authorized $1.5 billion in dedicated federal funding for safety and capital improvements to WMATA over ten years.

WMATA operates the nation's second largest rail system and sixth largest bus system. The Carmen Turner Command Center houses the Bus Operations Control Center and the Rail Operations Control Center, which serve as ground control centers for bus and rail movements. The Command Center maintains an elevator and escalator lab to improve those important  components of the system, as well as a facility for emergency response training. It also houses an extensive complex for renovating and maintain Metro's bus fleet, which benefitted from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.