D.C. Metro to Layoff 500 Employees

More bad news for the beleaguered transit agency of our nation's capital, as declining ridership and prolonged service disruptions have now given way to large-scale layoffs throughout the organization.

1 minute read

June 27, 2016, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Empty Subway

Orhan Cam / Shutterstock

Paul Duggan reports: "Metro announced a major workforce reduction Monday, saying it will eliminate 500 jobs in coming months that “are no longer deemed critical” to the beleaguered transit agency, which is struggling to deal with declining ridership and revenue woes."

According to Duggan, the layoffs are expected to cut through the ranks of the agency, and include some union employees. According to According to a statement from General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld, the layoffs are necessary "to operate in a businesslike manner and achieve cost savings…." Wiedefeld came onboard as Metro’s general manager and chief executive in late November, vowing to streamline the organization.

The layoffs take place in context of the launch of the SafeTrack maintenance program, which is causing disruptions in service on lines throughout the Metrorail system. 

Monday, June 27, 2016 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

5 seconds ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

1 hour ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA