Regular weekday Metrobus service to return February 7

Metro today announced that Metrobus will return to regular weekday service on Monday, February 7. Metrobus has been operating on a modified Saturday schedule, offering approximately 75 percent of normal weekday service, since January 10 due to covid-related staffing shortages.

While Metro is still experiencing above-average absenteeism, case rates are declining and employees are returning to work following their quarantine requirements.

“I want to thank our customers for their patience as we took swift action to protect the health and safety of riders and employees in the face of the unprecedented covid surge, which has impacted about 10 percent of our workforce since the holidays,” said CEO/GM Paul J. Wiedefeld.

“We look forward to providing more service to help the region recover from a particularly challenging period of this pandemic.” “Our members are eager to resume full bus service to our communities,” said ATU L689 President Ray Jackson. “We will continue to do all that we can to protect workers, our families, and our passengers through this pandemic, while keeping the region moving.”

While Metro works to restore regular service on Metrobus, it will strategically deploy additional buses when possible to help increase capacity on busy lines.

Metro is working to identify exact staffing levels at each bus division to schedule shifts and re-mobilize the bus fleet. Once regular Metrobus service has resumed, some trips may need to be adjusted based on employee availability each day.

Metro will update customers about service changes through MetroAlerts text and email messages, on the Status and Alerts page at wmata.com, and through @MetrobusInfo and @MetrorailInfo on Twitter. Customers are encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts to receive the latest service information.