The mission of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Commission (WMATC) is to help assure that the public is provided passenger transportation services by fit and responsible, privately owned, for-hire licensed carriers to service the metropolitan region. This budget reflects only the District of Columbia government appropriation to the agency.

The WMATC assumed its jurisdiction in March 1961. The commission administers the delegated powers of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact, Pub. L. No. 86-794, § 1, 74 Stat. 1031 (1960), as amended by Pub. L. No. 87-767, 76 Stat. 764 (1962), Pub. L. No. 101-505, § 1, 104 Stat. 1300 (1990), and Pub. L. No. 111-160, 124 Stat. 1124 (2010). The latest amended compact is codified at District of Columbia Official Code Section 9-1103.01.

A three-member Board of Commissioners directs the WMATC. One commissioner is appointed from a District of Columbia agency with oversight of matters relating to the Commission by the Mayor of the District of Columbia; one commissioner is appointed from the Maryland Public Service Commission by the Governor of Maryland; and one commissioner is appointed from the Department of Motor Vehicles of the Commonwealth of Virginia by the Governor of Virginia. Daily operations are directed by the Executive Director and carried out by WMATC staff. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit District (Metropolitan District) consists of the following jurisdictions:

• Arlington County, Virginia;
• City of Alexandria, Virginia;
• City of Falls Church, Virginia;
• District of Columbia;
• Fairfax County, Virginia;
• Montgomery County, Maryland;
• Prince George’s County, Maryland; and
• Washington-Dulles International Airport, Loudoun County, Virginia.