Metro News Release
For immediate release: December 3, 2010
Metro enhances bus service in Virginia
New, "one-seat" trip into the District of Columbia highlights service improvements
Virginia customers will benefit from several adjustments to Metrobus service starting on Dec. 19, including the addition of two new, direct routes from Virginia into the District of Columbia that will cost commuters less money and spare them the hassle of transferring to another bus or to rail. These "one-seat" rides, which were approved by the Metro Board of Directors in late September, are part of Metro’s on-going efforts to enhance service reliability and increase ridership by maximizing available resources.
The new 7Y route (an extension of the current 7E route) and the 16F route will take customers from the Pentagon without making service stops before reaching the District of Columbia. Route 7Y will provide service through the Pentagon and across the Memorial Bridge to Federal Triangle Metrorail station, by way of Constitution Avenue. An extended 16F will originate in Culmore, travel along Columbia Pike to the Pentagon and continue across the 14th Street Bridge to Federal Triangle Metrorail station, by way of Independence Avenue.
Customers who choose to get downtown via the 7Y and 16F "one-seat" rides will only have to pay the $1.50 SmarTrip bus fare instead of having to pay for both a bus fare and rail fare, making the trips more affordable.
Among other service adjustments in Virginia are a new weekday early morning, northbound trip on the 7A, leaving Lincolnia Road and Quantrell Avenue at 4:45 a.m. and arriving at the Pentagon at 5:17 a.m., two additional morning trips on the 28F, and the conversion of 16W trips to 16H routing, with the 16H being extended to Skyline City via George Mason Drive and Leesburg Pike. For more details about route adjustments in Virginia, click here. Also see Virginia upcoming timetables.
The service changes all aim to meet current and future demands for service, reduce redundancy, streamline travel paths and implement new services consistent with regional planning efforts. Metro staff relied on feedback from customers, bus operators and managers, local agency staff, formal studies and public hearings to prepare the service plans.
Metro was able to develop the service enhancements with no additional cost to customers by modifying service during times and on routes that are underused, and redirecting service to times and areas requiring additional resources, meeting the agency’s goal of using every resource wisely.
Metro is alerting bus customers of the changes through the distribution of informational brochures, postings on bus windows, interior bus ads, audio bus announcements, metroopensdoors.com website, tweets, news releases, customer call center messages, and installation of signs at select bus stops. Click here to view an electronic copy of the bus sign.
For timetables of all bus routes, go to www.wmata.com/bus/timetables. There, customers can download route information, including maps, to their computer or personal digital assistant.
News release issued at 10:44 am, December 3, 2010.