On November 15th, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the IIJA made historic investments in our nation’s public transportation infrastructure meant to shape our future for decades. For FY2023, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) was authorized $847.2 million through federal formula grants and a Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) grant.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) process of rail car cannibalization: removal of parts from one rail car to install them on a second. This evaluation stems from concerns raised by the previous Chief Mechanical Officer (CMO) regarding the merits of cannibalizing two 7000-Series rail cars for approximately four years as part of an overall maintenance strategy.