The Trump administration has replaced two Obama-era board members overseeing the Washington's Metro system, the Department of Transportation announced Monday.



Starting Monday, David Horner and Steve McMillin will replace Carol Carmody and David Strickland as the federal government’s choice to serve on Metro’s board of directors.



Strickland, a former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Carmody, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, were tapped by the Obama administration a little over a year ago to be voting representatives for the federal government.

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Their appointment was part of an effort to step up Metro’s focus on safety, as the beleaguered transit agency has been struggling with financial shortfalls, high-profile safety lapses and maintenance issues.



A third member, Robert Lauby, was also brought on at the same time last year, but he is expected to retain his position.



“During this critical time for [the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority], we are pleased that these two distinguished and experienced individuals, David Horner and Steve McMillin, have agreed to serve on behalf of the Federal government to help improve the performance and reliability of this vital transit system in the nation’s capital,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a statement.



Horner, a partner at Hunton & Williams law firm who focuses on public-private partnerships, was previously deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy at the Transportation Department. He also served as chief counsel at the Federal Transit Administration, where he is credited with developing the agency’s public-private partnership pilot program.



And McMillin, a partner at U.S. Policy Metrics, was deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget from 2006 to 2009 and has more than 20 years of extensive policy expertise.



Metro’s board is slated to meet Thursday in order to consider a major overhaul to its governance structure.



The panel is composed of eight voting and eight alternate directors, with Maryland, D.C., Virginia and the federal government each responsible for appointing two voting members and two alternates.