DC Transit Authority

The District of Columbia Transit Authority (DCTA) was a municipal agency managing the Washington, D.C. metro system before the Great War.

Background
The agency and its regulatory committee oversaw Columbia Commonwealth's famed mode of transportation before the Great War. Widely advertised as an alternative to the congested streets of the nation's capital, the metro was considered important enough to provide its employees with military-grade laser weapons for defense against an expected communist insurgency. In fact, it was an integral part of the DCTA Employee Handbook issued to the few human employees that remained on the payroll by 2077, as the DCTA was heavily reliant on automation as the war effort depleted the nation's manpower, replacing human workers with metro Protectrons equipped with scanners that would automatically detect metro tickets and detain fare evaders on the spot. Repairs and maintenance on the fleet were outsourced to Darren's Discount Electronics, a local business operating just north of the city.

The DCTA was not wiped out in the initial exchange during the Great War and survived long enough to aid in recovery attempts. Metro stations were closed off with chain link fences and warnings to keep out. However, the agency's efforts were in vain and eventually it dispersed, leaving behind only artifacts of its existence.

By 2277 the stations and tunnels are derelict, overrun by raiders, super mutants, and feral ghouls. Metro tickets can be found and will be recognized as valid by surviving Protectrons, while downloadable DCTA Metro maps give a glimpse into the grand splendor of DC's grand metro network. More importantly, large sections of the metro remain powered and lit even 200 years after the War, a testament to DCTA's judgement when it came to selecting contractors.

Appearances
The District of Columbia Transit Authority (DCTA) appears only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes
The real-world counterpart of the DCTA is Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.