Union Condemns WMATA GM Randy Clarke For Reversing Bus Operator Safety Policy In Place for Nearly A Decade and Increasing Risk of Assaults
Today, ATU Local 689 condemned the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Randy Clarke for his despicable and callous decision to force bus operators to quote the bus fare at all passengers, including fare evaders, reversing a long-standing policy that has drastically reduced bus operator assaults. In place since 2017, the current policy is supported by data and has been reinforced by WMATA’s ‘Safety Risk Reduction Plan’ from last year. Fare disputes are one of the largest causes of operator assaults, something that WMATA routinely acknowledges. Once again, Randy Clarke disregards the facts and turns a blind eye to the safety risks and workers' concerns.
Through the Joint Labor Management Safety Committee (JLMSC), the Union and WMATA have been partnering to develop specific action, including signage and pre-recorded messages to provide fare information. Instead of consulting with the Union through the JLMSC or meetings with leadership to discuss the possible policy change, WMATA under Randy Clarke has unilaterally imposed a policy that will immediately put bus operators and passengers in greater danger. Randy Clarke is even reversing his own publicly stated position.
While on the Politics Hour, hosted by Kojo Nnamdi on WAMU in October 2024, Randy Clarke replied to a question about the current policy of bus operators not quoting the fare by saying:
“..So bus operators and this would be industry standard. Bus operators do not engage people for fare evasion. It is not worth the potential physical harm that could come to one of my staff members. And that is the ultimate thing we care about is the safety of everyone on the system. So if someone is causing a big problem we will obviously quickly get a supervisor or transit police or local police depending on the severity to go intercede in that situation, but when it comes to fares we want to keep our employees safe and the rest of the people on the bus safe.”
A few days ago, WMATA provided the Union with a copy of the policy, which is slated to go into effect May 24, 2026, ahead of its distribution to workers. The Union fully intends to continue to protest the new outrageous and unsafe policy. ATU Local 689 will use all of its contractual rights to fight for workers’ safety and have already filed a grievance. Yesterday, the Union sent a letter to members of the WMATA Board of Directors urging them to stop the reckless policy decision.
Randy Clarke and WMATA must immediately withdraw the new policy and demonstrate that they actually care about worker safety. Our member’s safety is more important than attempting to collect $2.25 from a fare evader. Words are cheap - but actions are louder.
