D.C. Bus Priority Plan To Expand Bus Lanes and Improve Service

A Bus Priority Plan released by the Washington D.C. District Department of Transportation (DDOT) "lays out an interactive map and high-level plan for delivering 51 bus priority projects for the District, in a nod to DC’s ongoing bid to become the 51st state." According to reporting by Caitlin Rogger, the agency says the plan could improve service for 110,000 riders each day by expanding the District's network of dedicated bus lanes. "DDOT’s Acting Director Everett Lott said the bus priority plan will make it easier for DC residents and workers to access jobs and services without a car."

Aside from dedicated lanes, transit agencies can improve bus service by prioritizing buses through signal priority, reviewing bus stop locations, and implementing all-door boarding to make boarding faster and more efficient. Meanwhile, other tools such as congestion pricing can help shift mode share from private vehicles to buses(or biking or walking).

"More reliable and efficient bus trips can be great for equity, as more than half of Metrobus riders live in low-income households, and 81% identify as people of color. Whereas historically rail systems, including ours, have favored the needs of wealthier, whiter commuters, focusing on buses sends a different message."