WAMU-FM, American University Public Radio, 4/21:
Wiedefeld’s New Role: Chief Lobbyist
With his plan to bring in billions to restore Metro’s sprawling rail and bus systems, Paul Wiedefeld is assuming an unusual role for the transit authority’s chief executive.
He is now becoming Metro’s chief lobbyist.
From the day he was hired 17 months ago, Wiedefeld insisted on staying out of politics and public policy debates, focusing instead on getting the trains to run on time at an agency struggling to recover from a string of safety mishaps. But with the release of his proposals to create a new business model for WMATA by reducing labor costs while spending billions to maintain the 41-year-old system, Wiedefeld is effectively calling on the region’s elected officials to act and asking Metro’s largest labor union to make major concessions.
His audience already knows what is at stake, Wiedefeld said during an appearance on The Kojo Nnami Show on WAMU on Thursday.
“What I’ve heard from all stakeholders, the business community, elected officials, riders, is that we have to start to address these issues. We cannot continue this path,” the general manager said.
Continue here w/audio report.