WMATA

Metro’s Cinder Bed Road Bus Division is transitioning to support an electric fleet, with the $104 million grant award from the Federal Transit Administration announced today. The funding will help Metro achieve its accelerated timeline to transition all nine bus garages and nearly 1600 buses to zero-emission by 2042.

“We appreciate the Federal Transit Administration’s leadership in the transition to zero-emission bus technology that will help reduce air pollution and improve quality of life across the region,” said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “We also appreciate the support of Senators Kaine and Warner, Congressman Connolly and Congresswoman Holmes Norton, Mayor Bowser, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and other state and local leaders in securing this critical funding.”

Metro customers will see more trains, more buses, and simpler fares next week as Metro rolls out its tenth service improvement since last summer. Metro has adapted to post-pandemic travel patterns to provide safe, frequent and reliable service at all times of the day, all days of the week to serve all types of customers connecting our amazing region to all its possibilities.

Beginning Monday, June 26, Orange Line trains will operate every 10 minutes from opening until 9:30 p.m., and every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m., seven days a week, an improvement on the current 12-minute weekday frequency during peak hours and 15 minutes weekday frequencies during off-peak hours. Orange Line customers are reminded of ongoing summer construction work through July 16. Visit wmata.com/2023majorconstructionfor more information.

Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience. These “courtesy stops” put customer safety first during times of day when it is darkest outside.

Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. If the bus operator determines it is safe to do so, the bus will pull over to the curb and allow the customer to exit. In some cases, it may not be safe to exit, such as along busy highways, at or approaching intersections, or locations without a curb or place of safety. When exiting, customers should use the front door of the bus.

Per WMATA: Metro crews are nearing the finish line to reopen two stations and restore normal Silver Line service following construction to lay down miles of new rail and fiber-optic cables. Beginning Monday, June 26, trains will resume service to the East Falls Church and West Falls Church stations.

This is the first of a two-phase rail replacement project on the Orange and Silver lines. The second phase continues on the Orange Line only through July 16, with the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations remaining closed.

Per WMATA: Metro is making it more affordable for tens of thousands of Metro customers across the region. Today, customers can begin enrollment in Metro Lift, an income-qualified reduced fare program approved by Metro’s Board of Directors in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

The program’s launch, announced earlier this month, will provide a 50 percent discount on Metrorail and Metrobus fares for customers who qualify. The discount will reduce the cost of a bus trip to just $1 and rail fare to as little as $1 and no more than $3 depending on how far you travel.

Per WMATA: In observance of the Juneteenth federal holiday, Metrorail trains will run on a Saturday schedule from 5 a.m. – midnight and Metrobus will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule. All routes that normally operate on Saturday will operate in addition to supplemental service on selected routes. MetroAccess customers may make a separate reservation to travel on the holiday; however, all pre-scheduled subscription trips will be canceled.

Customers traveling over the Juneteenth holiday can connect via Metro to Amtrak, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. This is expected to be one of the busiest travel weekends since the pandemic, so give yourself extra time to catch your train or flight.

Red Line customers will enjoy more frequent weekday service beginning Monday, June 12, and that’s just the start of improvements rolling out for rail and bus customers throughout the month of June.  Beginning Monday, Red Line trains will operate every 6 minutes until 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, an improvement from every 8 minutes during off-peak daytime hours. On weekends, Red Line trains will continue operating every 8 minutes all day, and every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.

“Ridership is bouncing back, and Your Metro continues to deliver service improvements to meet the travel demands of the region,” said Metro General Manger and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “Ridership continues to set records on rail and bus, and we’re excited to deliver service improvements that will save our customers time and money at all times, every day of the week.”

For the first time, Metro will begin offering reduced fares to assist low-income customers. The new income-qualified reduced fare program, ‘Metro Lift’ launches Tuesday, June 20. Customers in DC, Maryland and Virginia who qualify for the US Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) are eligible to enroll.