Metrobus (WMATA)
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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority recently purchased BRT buses that are painted in the new Local and Express paint schemes.
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| Parent | WMATA |
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| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Locale | Washington Metropolitan Area |
| Service area | Washington Metropolitan Area |
| Service type | Local, Express, Limited Stop & Bus Rapid Transit |
| Routes | 320 |
| Fleet | 1,548 |
| Daily ridership | 424,100 (Q2 2016) |
| Annual ridership | 130,807,300 (2015) |
| Fuel type | Diesel, Diesel-electric Hybrid, CNG |
| Operator | WMATA |
| General manager | Paul Wiedefeld |
| Website | www.wmata.com |
Metrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km2) in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. There are more than 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009 Metrobus provided more than 133 million trips. On a typical weekday, it provides more than 424,000 trips.
Metro stopped issuing and accepting paper bus transfers as of January 4, 2009; bus and rail riders must use a SmarTrip card to receive the transfer discount.
As of June 29, 2014, the Metrobus fare structure is as follows:
Discounts may be available for senior citizens, people with disabilities and DC students.(*must have valid ID)
Up to two children, per paying adult, under 5 years of age ride for free. Children at least 5 years of age pay adult fare.
Express routes: J7, J9, P17, P19, W13, W19, 11Y, 17A, 17B, 17G, 17H, 17K, 17L, 17M, 18E, 18G, 18H, 18P and 29W.
All Metrobuses have SmarTrip card readers which automatically deduct the correct fare from a rider's SmarTrip card (including transfer credit). Formerly, Metrobus issued paper transfers which gave the rider free transfers to any regular bus for two hours. Effective January 4, 2009, when a rider uses a SmarTrip card, they will automatically receive rail-to-bus transfer credit and bus-to-bus free transfer time for regular buses is increased to three hours. Express routes have different requirements. This section discusses the transfer policy to and from Metrobus and other regional bus operators. The routes can be Metrobus routes or routes of other regional operators. Note that as of January 4, 2009, transfer credit is issued on a SmarTrip card, riders using cash payment cannot obtain a paper transfer and must pay full fare upon boarding the bus. On June 27, 2010, the transfer window was reduced from 3 hours to 2 hours.
NOTES:
Metro has currently awarded a five-year contract with NABI (now New Flyer) for the procurement of up to 654 new buses. The first batch of 85 NABI diesel-electric hybrid 42-foot buses is already on order, with delivery expected within a year. The new buses will replace some of Metro’s older Orion V buses, which were delivered in 1997 and 2000. Going forward, the contract gives Metro the option to order up to 498 additional 42-foot buses and up to 71 60-foot buses over the five-year period. Red/Silver painted buses will be used on local routes and Blue/Silver buses will be used on Express routes. These buses will have either "Local" or "MetroExtra" on the top of each side of the bus for easy identification. The numbering represents its region of operation. To differ the regions numbering system, most Maryland letters is "prefix" to the route number and Virginia letters is "suffix" to the "number" of the route. For example: C22 (Maryland) and 15L (Virginia). WMATA is adding a total of 533 hybrid buses to replace its diesel bus fleet. Each new "New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40" bus costs $571,737 and is expected to break down less frequently as well as offer greater fuel economy. With the latest purchase of 152 hybrid buses for $89.3 million from New Flyer of America, WMATA's Metrobus fleet will consist of 297 diesel buses, 800 hybrid buses and 458 natural gas fueled buses.
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