WASHINGTON, D.C. — The inspector general for the Department of Transportation (DOT) released an audit on Friday saying the FTA’s oversight of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) may be falling short because its performance criteria are limited and its safety standards are voluntary, The Hill reports.

After a string of high-profile safety lapses at WMATA, the FTA temporarily assumed safety oversight of the transit agency last fall until the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia establish an adequate oversight body. Some critics have worried that the FTA lacks the teeth to effectively oversee the nation's second largest public transit system, even though Congress granted the agency new powers to withhold funds from WMATA over safety concerns.

The latest inspector general report found that even though the FTA has established safety performance criteria and set safety standards for WMATA, they are limited and unenforceable, which is hindering the agency’s ability to maximize its safety oversight. For the full story, click here.