Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 29, 2004

Regional Metro system route maps will be available next Monday, April 5

Maps include bus and commuter rail services operated by local governments

As part of Metro’s comprehensive bus enhancement program to improve the efficiency of bus service and to increase bus ridership, free regional Metro System Route Maps will be available on Monday, April 5, at all Metrorail stations and Metro regional sales offices. The new free regional maps will be available in two versions. One map is for the District of Columbia and Maryland and the other map is for the District of Columbia and Virginia. These maps depict all Metrobus and Metrorail service, and bus services operated by the local jurisdictions. Connections to the Virginia Railway Express, MARC, and Amtrak are also shown.Later this year, Metro plans to expand its distribution of Metrobus system maps, making the maps available regionally. The new maps will also be available at its regional transit stores, all six bus divisions where SmarTrip cards are sold, and SmarTrip retailers including all Giant and Safeway grocery stores. Metro will continue to mail free Metro System Route Maps to customers upon request. To have one mailed, call 202-637-7000. To help reduce associated costs with distributing free Metro System Route Maps, Metro secured outside advertising to help underwrite production and distribution costs. The new maps include advertising from Avalon Communities."We recognize that Metro has a responsibility to provide and distribute information on all of its services through a variety of means," said Jane Taylor, Metro’s Director of Marketing. "Today’s efforts are a first step in ensuring that critical information is always available to our customers each and everyday, and these measures are designed with the idea of putting the customer first."Last fall, Metro recommended a phased, multi-year bus enhancement approach to be coordinated with local jurisdictions. The first phase increases and improves 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; evaluates route performance and initiate corridor planning and marketing efforts for high performing bus routes and high priority corridors; and initiates systems engineering for a real-time passenger information system and a bus traffic signal priority system.The second phase of the enhancement program will 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 March 29, 2004.