Per WMATA: Nobody likes to be ghosted, especially by a bus. So, it’s good news for Metrobus customers that “ghost buses” have been banished by recent technology upgrades at Metro. Today, Metrobus customers have more certainty that the location of a bus displayed on busETA is accurate. Previously, all scheduled buses were displayed on busETA regardless of whether a bus was in service or not, meaning that a bus taken out of service for a mechanical issue, operator availability, or other issue would be displayed on busETA but would not show up for an expecting customer.

“These upgrades to busETA are part of our commitment to listen to customer concerns and work as hard as possible to improve their experience using Metro,” said Metro Senior Vice President of Bus Services Leroy Jones. “Ghost buses are one of the biggest frustrations we hear about the Metrobus experience, and this change will help take the guesswork out of planning your trip.” Customers using busETA whether on their desktop computer or mobile web application will already notice the improvements. Customers that rely on displays at bus stops will see similar improvements in the coming weeks.