Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 30, 2003

Metrobus enhancement program proposed

Metrobus officials today recommended improving the efficiency of bus service and increasing bus ridership by taking several steps to enhance the service. If the plan is endorsed by the Metro Budget Committee at its November 13 meeting, bus customers could see improvements in things such as buses better adhering to schedules, additional route and schedule information, more reliable service through regional traffic corridors, and increased use of technology to give bus customers helpful information.

Metro’s market research, analysis of bus routes, and a recently completed regional bus study point to recommendations that could increase Metrobus ridership. Those recommendations include the following enhancements:

" Providing customers with the same level of real-time service and schedule information as provided to Metrorail customers;
" Improving bus stop locations to provide better access and safety;
" Introducing a " family of services" such as express, rail feeder, and circulator buses that match vehicles to meet service demand and proposes " running way" improvements in high priority corridors;
" Improving service reliability and vehicle speed in high priority corridors such as along Columbia Pike, K Street, H Street,and U.S. Route 1, Georgia Avenue, and University Boulevard--perhaps through efforts such as traffic signal prioritization, pedestrian access improvements, branded bus stops, buses, and shelters, and implementation of dedicated bus lanes.
" Implementing additional technology to provide real-time service information such as the Next Bus technology already used on route 38B in Arlington.

Once these initiatives were implemented, bus service would be easier to use from better passenger information; deployment of advanced technology would speed up bus service; bus stops, shelters and vehicles would be more attractive; and busconnections to rail would be seamless. The expected outcomes would be more frequent and reliable service, resulting in shorter travel times and increased bus ridership. Bus enhancements that are planned to roll out in the near future include the distribution of free regional Metrobus maps for customers beginning early 2004 and enhancements to the Metro web site mapping capabilities in spring 2004.

Metro’s recommended a phased, multi-year bus enhancement approach that would be coordinated with local jurisdictions. The first phase would increase and improve the availability of bus information through a series of low-cost actions to provide more bus information at Metrorail stations and at major bus stops; would evaluate route performance and initiate corridor planning and marketing efforts for high performing bus routes and high priority corridors; and would initiate systems engineering for a real-time passenger information system and a bus traffic signal priority system.

The second phase of the enhancement program would continue corridor development efforts; implement service enhancements and marketing efforts in high priority corridors; develop and implement a uniform system of bus stop standards and customer amenities into a Metro bus shelter program; implement a series of information, pedestrian access, technological improvements and traffic signal priority systems in high priority corridors; acquire vehicles that are compatible with the service to be provided; and create a regional bus stop database and inventory.

News release issued on October 30, 2003.