Robert Thomson is The Washington Post’s “Dr. Gridlock.” He answers travelers’ questions, listens to their complaints and shares their pain on the roads, trains and buses in the Washington region. In addition to his twice-weekly newspaper column, he writes for a daily blog on The Post’s Web site, engages readers in online chats and presents features about transportation issues on The Post’s Sunday commuter page.

Thomson has been a reporter and editor for 30 years in New York and Washington. He joined The Post in 1988 and worked on the D.C., Maryland and Virginia desks. In 1999, he became The Post’s transportation editor. When Ron Shaffer, founder of “Dr. Gridlock,” retired from The Post in 2006, Thomson took over the column. He enjoys getting out of the office, even to drive at rush hour.