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We are the independent entity responsible for direct safety oversight and enforcement on WMATA's Metrorail system in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. More at WMSC.gov
WMSC will continue to monitor each of these findings and the associated corrective action plans to completion and further evaluate their effectiveness in future inspections and audits.
Each finding is fully outlined in the Audit Findings section of this report. WMATA is required to propose corrective action plans to address each finding no later than 30 days after the issuance of this report.
The Roadway Worker Protection Program audit can be viewed here: https://wmsc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026.02.26-Audit-of-Metrorails-Track-Structures-and-Roadway-Worker-Protection-Program-%E2%80%93-Part-B-%E2%80%93-Roadway-Worker-Protection-Final-Report-Protected.pdf
The Roadway Worker Protection Program audit’s scope included the annual audit of Roadway Worker Protection guided by Title 49 CFR section 671.25(c) as the annual audit of the Metrorail’s compliance with its RWP program, including all required RWP program elements.
The track portion of the audit focused on maintenance, including running rails, fasteners, ballast, ties, floating slab, grout pads, yard switches, equipment used to maintain track (but excluding roadway maintenance machines), and third rail.
The Track and Structures audit included tunnels as well as structure-related capital projects. https://ow.ly/3AIo50YmqZb
WMSC issues audits of Metrorail’s Track and Structures (part A) and Roadway Worker Protection programs (part B). https://wmsc.gov/oversight/audits/
Take a look at the latest issue of The Rail Safety Report, to learn about the WMSC's activities and oversight work conducted in January 2026.
That concludes today’s meeting. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
The Finance and Operations Committee provided oversight of this independent audit and recommends adoption of the report.
This annual audit is required by the WMSC Compact, and, upon adoption, will be transmitted by staff as required by the Compact.
The auditors concluded that the financial statements present the financial position of the WMSC fairly in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles.
WMSC Secretary-Treasurer Chris Conklin: We’re very proud of our staff and our commissioners for this audit that includes an unmodified, or “clean” opinion on the WMSC’s financial statements through the fiscal year that ended June 2025.
The Finance and Operations Committee received a briefing from the independent auditors earlier this month, and all Commissioners met with the auditors earlier today.
WMSC Secretary-Treasurer Chris Conklin: As noted, the Finance and Operations Committee has engaged with the independent financial auditors.
Chair Hart: We are proud of our staff for carrying out their work in such a professional and efficient manner, and for another “clean” audit.
Chair Hart: Today, we are considering the annual independent financial audit for WMSC Fiscal Year 2025. That fiscal year covered July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
The reports of each investigation adopted today will be available on our website at https://wmsc.gov/oversight/reports/
Investigation W-0413 relates to an evacuation for life safety reasons that occurred on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
Investigation W-0412 involves an improper rail vehicle movement that occurred on Sunday, February 23, 2025.
Investigation W-0411 involves a red signal overrun that occurred on Friday, February 14, 2025.
Next up: Safety Event Investigations
Oversight will continue through applicable safety certification activities and post-implementation operations. Until Metrorail has completed its safety certification work, and the WMSC has done its final verification steps, the AWIS cannot be used in revenue applications.
As AWIS continues to evolve from a reactive mitigation tool into a broader monitoring and alerting system, the WMSC’s oversight will focus on how alerts are generated, how quickly safety-significant conditions are escalated, and how information flows support safety oversight.
WMSC staff have received training on this system to understand how data is collected, how out-of-tolerance conditions are identified, and how alerts are generated and dispositioned.
These alerts are intended to support timely maintenance intervention and risk mitigation, rather than relying solely on periodic manual inspections. WMATA employs a centralized data collection and analytics tool to manage AWIS information, review trends, and generate alerts.
A key aspect of this expanded use is the system’s ability to analyze collected data and generate automated alerts when measurements exceed defined tolerances or indicate a potential safety concern.
AWIS can also identify undercar equipment concerns, such as loose or mispositioned components, and abnormal thermal conditions that could indicate friction or mechanical binding.
The system can detect wheel wear and profile irregularities, early indicators of bearing or rotating-component issues, and abnormal truck or suspension behavior that may signal developing mechanical problems.
Beyond measuring back-to-back wheel spacing, AWIS supports broader, automated monitoring of rail vehicle condition as trains operate in service.