It’s been in the works for years, but next month, Metro is rolling out its systemwide “Better Bus” overhaul.
As part of the streamlined, consolidated service, WMATA is eliminating 527 bus stops — about 5% of the stops across the system that services D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
According to the Better Bus website, Metrobus focused on stops that were bunched close together, had low ridership or posed safety issues given traffic and roadway conditions. In cases where stops were eliminated, officials are highlighting nearby alternative stops and routes.
Other changes include how the routes are being identified. Those in Prince George’s County would have the letter “P” as part of the route identification; those in Fairfax would have “F”; and D.C. routes would also have the letter “D” in the route name, for example.
Additionally, in the District, crosstown buses would include a “C” in their name, while buses going north and south would have a “D” for Downtown in their route name.
In a briefing with reporters, Metrobus officials said the signs at bus stops have been streamlined and feature a larger, easier-to-read font. The old style, small-print bus schedules that appear in small, boxy frames attached to signs at bus stops are being done away with.
Instead, officials said riders can go online, find their preferred route and print out the schedule at home or their local library.
The website is also going to be getting an update in the next year but, in the meantime, officials are including updated bus information on the current Trip Planner site.
In preparation for the changes, officials said they’re working with transit services that link with Metrobus, such as the Ride-On bus service, to provide guidance on upcoming changes. There will also be a social media campaign, including “Mythbusters,” a way to set the record straight on what officials said is misinformation about upcoming changes.
Metrobus officials say they’ve been working to come up with changes that have riders in mind.
WTOP talked to some riders at the Friendship Heights Metro station about their thoughts on the bus changes.
Heather Roselle, who was waiting for her bus at the bus bay said it can be a “hassle” trying to navigate the system so that she’s not late for work or appointments.
“It’s always like a guessing game,” she said. “I’m going to get to the bus stop an hour before I should or need to, just in case the first three don’t come.”
While Roselle said the 33 bus route, which runs from Friendship Heights to Union Station, is “one of the more reliable” routes, “It’s sort of like a toss-up as far as whether or not it’s going to show up.”
Depending on the time of day, getting a seat on the bus isn’t guaranteed.
Officials with Metrobus said, with the consolidation and streamlining of service, riders will see less “deadheading,” or empty buses crisscrossing routes with their “Not in Service” signs lit up.
Speaking of the upcoming changes coming to Metrobus in its 50th year, one official told reporters, “not everything is going to be perfect” when the changes go into effect June 29, and that there will be an “all-hands on deck” approach to working out the changes.
While there have been some tough choices, one official told reporters, “We do believe that we’ve built a bus network that takes into account our resourcing and a majority of our customers.”
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