7 Transformational Ideas for D.C. Bus Service

David Alpert and DW Rowlands of Greater Greater Washington share their hopes for a planned review of D.C.'s bus system.

1 minute read

September 11, 2018, 9:00 AM PDT

By Elana Eden


Metrobus

Glynnis Jones / Shutterstock

WMATA is launching a holistic study aimed at broadly rethinking the agency's approach to bus service. Led by AECOM, Boston Consulting Group, and Foursquare ITP, the "Bus Transformation Project" marks a reorientation within the agency from rehabilitating a troubled rail system to improving and expanding its bus network, say Greater Greater Washington's David Alpert and DW Rowlands.

In the first post of a new series on the subject, Alpert and Rowlands offer seven priorities to guide the year-long study—including system integration, fare restructuring, and adoption of new technology. They also urge WMATA not to cut services, but to find cost-savings and revenue generation opportunities elsewhere.

"Buses represent the biggest opportunity to improve transit for more people, cost-effectively," they write. "Plus …  [m]aking bus service much more than an afterthought can help close the gap in mobility options available to lower-income residents."

Monday, September 10, 2018 in Greater Greater Washington

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