Photo by Julian Ortiz.

In what may have been their final meeting, members of Metro’s Rider Advisory Council say their voices are invaluable and will fight the Metro board’s anticipated decision to eliminate the volunteer group.

Six of eight Metro board members want to end the rider group and instead use the transit agency’s online forum, called Amplify, to gather rider feedback. The board is set to vote on Oct. 25.

The Rider Advisory Council was established in 2005, but has had varying levels of involvement with Metro policy over its 13 years of existence. The group has weighed in on a variety of issues, including Metro’s late-night service cuts, Blue Line crowding, and fare increases.

At the moment, the council is made up of 21 members — six people each from Maryland, Virginia and D.C., two at-large members, and the head of the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Nine other spots available on the council are vacant.

Metro started an “operational review” of the council earlier this year to decide how best to use the group, considering the ways public participation in government has changed rapidly with the increased use of smartphones.

Some Metro board members say the group provides little value because of spotty attendance and an undefined role. RAC members, in contrast, say Amplify won’t reach riders without easy access to the internet.

Rider council member Deb MacKenzie of Arlington says online surveys can’t replace the dialogue that happens at the monthly two-hour meetings.

“When you go to the internet, you don’t have that face to face accountability,” MacKenzie said. “You can’t look somebody in the eye and talk to them the same way.”

Rebekah Mason, a RAC member from Montgomery County, said the decision could send a “really horrible signal” that the board doesn’t care about riders while the agency is still under scrutiny from the public.

Metro board member Christian Dorsey said during the meeting that he supports using both the council and Amplify. He said Amplify won’t get a representative sample of riders.

“I think it has value to have a body of people who are able to provide deliberative and considerate advice from a rider perspective,” Dorsey told the group via phone.

But Dorsey needs three more votes from the main board to keep the group alive.

At Wednesday’s meeting, all nine RAC members in attendance and four members of the general public spoke in favor of keeping the group.