Photo by Bekah Richards
From WMATA:
“Metro’s Board of Directors today approved improvements to Metrobus and Metrorail service and fares that will support the region’s recovery and encourage more customers to return to transit.
Rail service will be extended to midnight, seven days a week, in July, and other bus and rail service improvements and fare changes will start being implemented in the Fall, beginning Labor Day weekend, as many in the region prepare to go back to work and school.
“This package of service and fare changes makes it easier for riders to return to Metro and give transit a try,” said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “The Board today voted to provide more frequent trains and buses, addresses the historic transfer fee to promote connecting from bus to rail, and includes special weekend fares that will encourage visitors and area families to take transit as they start traveling again.”
Dates of key service changes and improvements will be detailed in future announcements. The improvements approved by the Board today include: Read More
If you missed our look back on commemorative smartrip cards, you can see them here.
Ed. Note: Info on iPhone and Apple Watch action here.
From WMATA:
“Metro today announced the launch of SmarTrip® on Google Pay, providing more options and more convenience to Android™ customers wherever they go on the Metro system. SmarTrip — the way to pay for Metro and all regional transit providers in the Washington, DC area — allows the ease to tap-and-go on any Android compatible phone using the Google Pay app.
As the region recovers from the pandemic and more riders return, customers will find managing their SmarTrip card even easier with Google Pay, with more functionality from the app. Customers can transfer an existing SmarTrip card or purchase a new one, and instantly add value or passes. Read More
From WMATA:
“Beginning Sunday, June 6, Metro customers who need to get to work or home late at night will have more options when Metrobus extends late-night service on dozens of bus lines throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia. Buses on 36 of Metro’s busiest routes will operate until 2 a.m., seven days a week, providing a vital link for those that depend on public transit. Read More
From WMATA:
“Metrobus customers will soon have more options, with expanded late-night service, additional routes restored and improved service on selected routes throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Beginning Sunday, June 6, late-night service will extend until 2 a.m. on 36 of the busiest routes throughout the region, providing customers who work or travel late at night a way to get to work and home. The changes are part of improvements to more than 60 Metrobus routes to provide more frequent, reliable service and restore routes.
In April, Metrobus ridership on weekdays averaged about 180,000 passenger trips each day, providing essential transportation for people to get around the region. The service changes will bring Metrobus service to 85 percent of pre-pandemic service levels with more buses, more often to accommodate the growing return of bus riders.
Service Information, effective June 6, 2021 Read More
Photo by Mr.TinDC
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced that, based on feedback from the community, a new proposed route has been selected for the return of DC Circulator service to Ward 7. The new 14.56-mile DC Circulator route, which will launch in 2023, will provide a unique east/west connection between Ward 6 and Ward 7, supplementing the existing WMATA Route 97 service, which only operates during peak hours. The route will serve Deanwood, Benning Road, Stadium Armory, and Union Station Metrorail stations. Read More
From WMATA:
“The Metro Board of Directors Finance and Capital Committee today approved a $4.7 billion operating and capital budget for fiscal year 2022 (beginning July 1, 2021) that maintains current service levels and enhancements, while continuing to accelerate Metro’s capital investment in safety-critical repairs and service reliability improvements. The full Board of Directors is expected to approve the Committee’s recommendation on April 22.
Under the approved $2.07 billion operating budget, Metro will maintain service at 80-85 percent of pre-pandemic levels to support expected ridership growth as the region resumes events, classroom learning, and businesses reopen with increased capacity. Read More
Photo by Tim Brown
From Mayor Bowser’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated the ongoing construction of the 16th Street NW bus lane, kicked off the 2021 paving season, and highlighted the upcoming Spring Cleanup. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is currently installing the long-awaited 16th Street bus lane, which will be completed by Spring 2022, to make the transit experience better and more efficient for the thousands of passengers, motorists, and cyclists who travel through the corridor each day. Read More
Photo by Victoria Pickering
From WMATA:
“Metro expects to avert service cuts and layoffs that had been proposed in its FY22 budget thanks to new federal relief approved by Congress.
“Congress has once again stepped up to address the needs of Metro and the regional transit systems that will be critical to our region’s economic recovery,” said Metro Board of Directors Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “While it will take more time to work out all the details, including Metro’s exact share of this funding, the $1.4 billion provided by the American Recovery Plan for our region’s transit agencies will allow us to avert the painful service reductions and layoffs that were on the table.”
Smedberg continued, “More than 18,000 individuals have provided Metro’s Board of Directors with feedback on our FY22 budget, and that feedback is enormously helpful as we plan for the future. We will continue the public comment period – including virtual public hearings – through March 16, and we expect to vote on a revised FY22 budget in April that takes into consideration this new federal relief.”
Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld said, “This relief is only possible thanks to the leadership of our entire congressional delegation, who fought tirelessly for transit workers and riders.”
also from WMATA:
“Beginning Sunday, March 14, Metrobus riders will see more service every day of the week as bus ridership continues to outpace rail during the pandemic’s recovery. Changes will be implemented on 59 Metrobus routes serving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, offering improved service, enhancing reliability, and helping to alleviate crowding. Read More
From DDOT:
“Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced plans to install on-bus automated enforcement cameras on two DC Circulator buses to gather data about how DC’s Car Free Lanes are being used. The pilot is scheduled to begin on February 16, 2021 and will continue through April 15, 2021.
“Under Mayor Bowser’s leadership, DDOT continues to prioritize improving the reliability and efficiency of bus travel in the District through the Car Free Lanes,” said Interim DDOT Director Everett Lott. “The data we collect through this pilot will be used to evaluate how we can make our current and future Car Free Lanes safer and operate more efficiently.” Read More
From WMATA:
“Metro today announced service adjustments for Metrorail and Metrobus to accommodate the expanded security perimeter that will be in effect for Inauguration beginning Friday, January 15 through Thursday, January 21.
Metro will close 13 stations inside the security perimeter, with 11 stations closing on Friday and two additional stations on Saturday and continuing through the end of service on Thursday. During this time trains will pass through the closed stations without stopping. Read More
