Why is FTA maintaining a WMATA CAP tracking table?

It is about transparency in FTA safety oversight activity of WMATA Metrorail and Metrobus, and providing a means for the public to track WMATA’s progress in implementing corrective actions to improve safety for passengers and employees.

How frequently does FTA update the CAP tracking table?

FTA updates the tracking table once a month during the first week of the month. Given the current and expected volume of corrective actions to be tracked, updating monthly is most feasible. There are currently 91 corrective actions posted, an additional 217 will be added in spring 2016 and more are expected as FTA continues its temporary and direct safety oversight activities of WMATA Metrorail.

What does “WMATA original estimate to request closure” mean?

The date shown for each corrective action refers to the “original estimated date” in the Corrective Action Plan WMATA submitted to FTA in September 2015.

What does “Closure request under review” mean?

For each corrective action, WMATA must submit a closure request to FTA. FTA then reviews the request, including a comprehensive verification process. A corrective action will be closed after FTA verifies that WMATA has demonstrated successful implementation.

Please explain the color status categories.

GREEN means the corrective action is closed which will occur only after FTA completes a comprehensive verification process.

YELLOW means the corrective action remains open -- either because the estimated original date WMATA said it would submit a closure request has not yet expired, or because a WMATA closure request is under review by FTA and undergoing a comprehensive verification process.

RED means WMATA has not submitted a closure request by their original estimated date or because FTA has rejected the closure request and sent it back to WMATA for additional action.

What is FTA’s time frame for reviewing CAP closure requests submitted by WMATA?

The time frame for FTA verification will vary depending on the corrective action under review and will result in either the item being closed or being sent back to WMATA for further action. The FTA verification process may take a few weeks, several months or multiple quarters.

I noticed that some dates changed during a few page updates. Why?

Initially, FTA posted the estimated dates by which WMATA said it would submit a closure request for each corrective action per the Corrective Action Plan it provided to FTA in September 2015. WMATA then changed their dates for a few of the corrective actions and FTA made those updates to the tracking table. In the interest of transparency and to more easily monitor WMATA progress, FTA has decided to only use the original estimated dates WMATA provided in September 2015 which is now reflected in the tracking table update in February 2016. When additional corrective actions are posted, the dates listed for those will be based on the Corrective Action Plan WMATA submits related to those specific items.