The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors recently adopted an updated Strategic Transformation Plan and received the proposed FY26–27 budget, both aimed at strengthening service, improving customer experience, and ensuring long-term sustainability.

According to a release, the refreshed transformation plan sharpens the agency’s focus on Service Excellence, Talented Teams, and Financial and Organizational Efficiency, supported by stronger regional collaboration and long-range transit planning.

Developed through extensive engagement, including interviews, town halls, public hearings, and 379 written comments, the plan reaffirms WMATA’s mission and commitment to safety, reliability, workforce development, and organizational efficiency.

“This updated Strategic Transformation Plan creates a clear path forward, aligns our teams and resources, and reflects the input we heard from employees, customers, and regional partners,” said General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke.

Implementation begins immediately, with regular public reporting.

FY26–27 Budget Proposal: More Service, No Fare Increase

The proposed operating and capital budget for July 2026 through June 2027 expands rail and bus service without increasing fares. Key improvements include:

Rail

• Orange, Silver, Blue Lines: every 10 minutes on weekdays

• Red Line after 9:30 p.m.: every 7–8 minutes

• Core service: 3–6 minutes during weekdays

• Overall, 6% more weekday train trips

Bus

• Shorter waits on nine high-ridership routes

• Enhancements on five routes

• Longer hours on four routes

• Potential for two new limited-stop routes in Northern Virginia

The proposal also introduces a multi-year service forecast and outlines two capital scenarios: a constrained plan assuming no new investment, and a DMVMoves-supported scenario that adds $460 million for modernization and safety improvements.

Public hearings will be held Feb. 3–5, 2026, with details available at wmata.com/budget. The board will adopt the final budget in April 2026, with the new fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.