Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 3, 2008

Elderly and Disabled Transportation Advisory Committee seeks new members

Metro is looking for riders with disabilities and seniors to fill six available positions on its volunteer Elderly and Disabled Transportation Advisory Committee. Committee positions are available for representatives from Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the City of Alexandria and District of Columbia.

The 18-member committee consists of six individuals each from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. The committee advises Metro on ways to improve Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess services. The committee’s efforts have resulted in numerous service upgrades, including the installation of gap reducers, which make it easier for riders who use wheelchairs to board Metrorail trains. Gap reducers narrow the space between the train doors and the platform edge.

Metro is looking for seniors and people with disabilities who ride bus, rail and/or MetroAccess and are not Metro employees, contractors or elected officials to fill the vacancies. All positions are unpaid. Metro’s General Manager will make the final selection of candidates.

Individuals on the committee will represent a cross section of the entire region. The committee includes people with different riding patterns, people who use Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess, transit-dependent people, people who travel short distances and others who travel long distances.

Applications can be found at http://www.wmata.com/accessibility/edApplication/. Applications are also available at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Friday, June 20.

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News release issued at 1:01 pm, June 3, 2008.