From WMATA:
“Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience. These “courtesy stops” put customer safety first during times of day when it is darkest outside.
Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. If the bus operator determines it is safe to do so, the bus will pull over to the curb and allow the customer to exit. In some cases, it may not be safe to exit, such as along busy highways, at or approaching intersections, or locations without a curb or place of safety. When exiting, customers should use the front door of the bus.
“The safety of every customer is important to us and for those traveling alone at night, having the option of a courtesy stop will provide an additional sense of security,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “It’s a small but meaningful measure, along with the added value that comes with your peace of mind.”
Metro’s program is modeled after best practices from transit agencies across the country that already allow courtesy stops, including those in Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and Austin, TX.
If you wish to make a courtesy stop, you should make a request to the bus operator, who will let you know if they can accommodate your request and if not why. Courtesy stops will be allowed on all regular route Metrobuses during the designated nighttime hours; however, courtesy stops cannot be accommodated on Limited-Stop and Express Metrobus routes.
The courtesy stop program is one element of Metro’s Better Bus Initiative to make #YourMetro better with new bus facilities, zero-emission buses, more dedicated bus lanes, improved communications, and additional customer improvements.”