Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 30, 2009

Next Bus to re-launch July 1

Metro to take the guesswork out of bus arrival times

Next Bus FAQs    Next Bus Brochure

Metro is re-launching Next Bus, a service which provides real-time information for when the next Metrobus arrives at a bus stop.

“This will be a major improvement for Metrobus riders across the Washington area,” said Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham. “They will no longer have to guess when the next bus will arrive.”

The service starts July 1.

“With a cell phone or an Internet connection, now you can find out when your bus is coming -- at any of Metro's 12,000 bus stops," said Metro Board Member Christopher Zimmerman of Arlington.

Metro is re-launching the service after making upgrades to computer hardware and software, and bus route and stop information. The transit agency launched the service about two years ago as part of a test on 32 routes. Testing revealed the accuracy of the bus arrival times was only about 80 percent, and Metro paused the pilot program in October 2007.

“The substantial upgrades we’ve made will result in improved accuracy of the predicted bus arrival times,” said Chief Information Officer Suzanne Peck. “We’ve expanded the program to all of Metro’s 335 bus routes. More than 1,500 buses have been outfitted with the technology, and customers will know if their bus is running late.”

Next Bus uses global positioning satellites and advanced computer modeling to track the location of buses on their routes every two minutes. Taking into account the actual position of the buses, their intended stops and typical traffic patterns, the system estimates bus arrival times. The estimated arrival times of a bus at a particular stop are sent to the customer via mobile devices, like cell phones, Metro’s Web site and electronic signs at select bus stops. In general, the predicted information will be accurate to within a couple of minutes as buses are subject to unpredictable field conditions such as traffic and weather.
Additionally, Next Bus information will not be accurate when there are weather conditions that impact regular bus service, such as major snowstorms or when there are road closures or detours in place on certain routes, such as on July 4.

“Another benefit is that managers monitoring bus service on the streets will have access to the same real-time information,” said Milo Victoria, Assistant General Manager of Metrobus. “They will be able to troubleshoot when buses are falling behind schedule, arrive too early or when multiple buses arrive at the same stop, at the same time.”

Real-time arrival information is accessible via 38 electronic signs installed in the bus shelters at the Pentagon, Anacostia and Friendship Heights Metrorail stations, and the Ballston/Rosslyn corridor. Speakers also have been installed at Anacostia and Pentagon Metrorail stations that announce the route and arrival times of the next buses for the visually impaired.

Customers can obtain information about when their next bus will arrive by visiting Metro’s Web site (www.metroopensdoors.com) and clicking on the link to the Next Bus page. Enter the bus stop identification number found on the new, round, red, white and blue signs posted at Metrobus stops or specify the desired bus route, direction of travel and the bus stop location. Bus arrival times will appear for one or more routes serving the stop. Delay information for particular routes also will be posted online, and the information will be available by phone later this summer. The information on bus arrival times is automatically displayed and updated every minute. Visitors to the Website also can see a map that displays a particular route and arrival times of the buses at particular stops.

Riders can also call 202-637-7000 and follow the prompts or say “Next Bus” to get arrival time information by phone. Riders can enter the bus stop identification number posted at the bus stop and state the bus route number on the phone and the service will provide the estimated time of arrival for their bus.


Media contact for this news release: Candace Smith or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.

News release issued at 1:26 pm, June 30, 2009.