About Us

Mission Statement
MetroRiders.Org:

—will press for dependable, quality Metro service levels and additional rail and bus capacity to meet Metro's growth;

—will educate the public to the problems faced by users of mass transit services in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, primarily the 1.2 million daily riders on the Metrorail and Metrobus systems operated by WMATA;  

—will study, analyze, investigate and make recommendations, and undertake programs that will encourage sensible mass transit policies by government officials and transit operating agencies; and

—will encourage coordination among state and local governments to expand access to interconnecting public transportation systems throughout the region.

Guiding Principles
Affordable, accessible, high-quality transit is critical to the social, economic and environmental health of the Washington, D.C., region.

• State and local officials must be accountable for providing adequate funding and  governance systems for the delivery of mass transit services.

• Mass transit operating agencies must be held accountable for providing safe, efficient, user-friendly, well-managed and cost-effective transit services.

• Some transit riders have needs or disadvantages requiring special attention within mass transit systems; including low-income people, children/students, senior citizens, those with limited proficiency in English, people with physical disabilities, and visitors to the region.

• Mass transit is interdependent with other forms of transportation as well as land use patterns and environmental quality. Wise, strategic planning decisions must be taken to maximize the benefits of mass transit and the quality of life for those living and working within the region.

Incorporation and Organization
MetroRiders.Org (MRO) is a relatively new transit riders group serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.  This area was the largest in the nation with a major public rail and bus transit system but with no organized voice for the transit rider.  MRO is internet and web-based with no established office and no paid staff.  Part-time volunteers run the organization primarily via computer communications.

MetroRiders.Org was incorporated in Fall 2004 under State of Maryland law as a non-profit organization for public education about transportation matters jointly by Kevin Moore, a long-time D.C. resident, marketing consultant and civic activist, and Jack Corbett, an attorney from Maryland who practices aviation law with a D.C.-based law firm.  They can be contacted through emails: Kevin Moore (kevin.moore@metroriders.org) and Jack Corbett (jack.corbett@metroriders.org).

The organization seeks to be recognized as a section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity under Internal Revenue Code guidelines.  As such,  MetroRiders.Org solicits donations and contributions from individuals and organizations that are deductible by the contributors and not taxable to the organization.  To date, very few individuals have made financial contributions to MetroRiders.Org;  support from private foundations is being investigated.

MetroRiders.Org sponsors an active web site (www.metroriders.org) that offers area transit riders discussion forums on a wide variety of topics and that enlists volunteers to work on MetroRiders.Org projects.  Approximately 1500 people have signed up to receive informational emails and to participate in discussion groups.  Some 200+ riders have volunteered to serve on various MetroRiders.Org committees.

MetroRiders.Org Policy Committee
A MetroRiders.Org Policy Committee, comprised of rail and bus rider volunteers from Virginia, Maryland and the District and an expert in paratransit operations, develops policy positions for the organization through periodic meetings and exchanges of emails.  Policies are formed after reviewing the results of polls conducted on the MetroRiders.Org website and with knowledge of the transit user views being posted within the Forum section of the website.  Riders interested in serving on the MetroRiders.Org Policy Committee should read the text under Volunteer and contact us at mail@metroriders.org.

MetroRiders.Org Policy Committee Membership (June 2006)

BURYK, PETER– Maryland resident, Metrorail and Metrobus rider, graduate of Georgetown Public Policy Institute in transportation and planning; U.S. Navy (active service).

CHRZCZONOWSKI, DANIEL – District resident; Metrorail and Metrobus rider; structural engineer in the District of Columbia.

CORBETT, JACK – Maryland resident; Metrorail rider; attorney in private practice in the District of Columbia.

GREENBERG, ALLEN– District resident, Metrorail and Metrobus rider; transportation policy professional.

HOLLAND, SUSAN – Maryland resident, Metrorail rider; member, WMATA Elderly and Disabled Advisory Committee; member, WMATA Rider's Advisory Council.

MOORE, KEVIN – District resident, Metrorail and Metrobus rider; marketing consultant; member, WMATA Rider's Advisory Council.

ROSS, PRISCILLA – District resident, Metrorail and Metrobus rider; Federal employee.

CUNNINGHAM, TRISTAN – Virginia resident, Metrorail and Metrobus rider; public transit employee.