National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee to discuss the final report and safety recommendations from the NTSB's investigation into the fatal June 2009 collision of two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) trains on the Red Line in Washington, D.C.

Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Chairman Hersman summarized the key findings from the final accident investigation report and the safety recommendations adopted by the NTSB on July 27th of this year.

The chairman also reported on the August 9, 2010, meeting between the five NTSB Board Members and the entire WMATA Board of Directors to discuss the NTSB report and the steps WMATA needs to take to address and fully implement the safety recommendations.

"The Board will continue to monitor WMATA's efforts to create and promote a strong and effective safety culture and implement the additional safety recommendations," said Chairman Hersman. "If WMATA rededicates its efforts to focus on safety, it can regain the trust of its ridership and re-emerge as a leader in the public transportation industry.

The full text of Chairman Hersman's testimony can be found on the NTSB's website under Speeches and Testimony.