Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 17, 2006

Riders’ Advisory Council to hold first meeting

Metro’s first-ever Riders’ Advisory Council will have its first public meeting tomorrow night.

The orientation will be held from 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. in the lobby meeting room of Metro headquarters at 600 5^th St. NW in Washington, D.C.

During the meeting, Council members will meet Metro Board members and managers. They are scheduled to review the group’s bylaws and other rules. Members also will be selected to serve staggered three-year terms. They also are expected to decide on a meeting schedule. The Council is required to hold public meetings at least once a month. The group will be able to report to the Metro Board at its weekly meetings.

The Council was created last fall and 21 members were named last month.

The group includes people with different riding patterns, people who use Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess; transit-dependent people; people with disabilities; people who travel short distances and others who travel long distances. They live in D.C., and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs served by Metro.

The Rider’s Advisory Council is part of a series of initiatives to improve communications with riders. Last year, Metro held three Town Hall meetings, provided e-mail contact for Board members, added a public comment period to Board meetings and posted Board presentations on the Web site.

News release issued on January 17, 2006.