The Math That Explains the Struggles of Local Buses

The D.C. Circulator is struggling with maintenance costs and system performance. The balkanization of local bus systems in the region might be to blame.

1 minute read

July 9, 2017, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Washington D.C. Bus

F Delventhal / Flickr

Dan Malouf explains the effects of the balkanization, or fragmentation, of bus systems in the Washington, D.C. region.

So, there are "more than 20 separate bus providers in the Washington area. WMATA is the largest and covers the most territory, but most counties and large cities have their own," according to Malouf. "DC has Circulator, Montgomery has Ride On, Arlington has ART, etceteras."

It's the financial woes of the D.C. Circulator, reported by Martin Di Caro in May, that inspires Malouf's explanation. In fact, writes Malouf, the "situation suggests some of the thinking behind balkanization of the Washington region's bus network may be faulty."

The bulk of Malouf's analysis drills down on the inadequacies of how local bus operators measure the costs of operation. While the WMATA's Metrobus costs $142 per hour to operate, Fairfax County Connector runs at $104 an hour, ART runs at $72 an hour, and the DC Circulator runs at $83 an hour. However, as Malouf notes in detail, if the math looks too good to be true, it probably is. 

Wednesday, July 5, 2017 in Greater Greater Washington

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Flat modern glass office tower with "County of Santa Clara" sign.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing

The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

May 23 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

May 23 - Governing

Pale yellow Sears kit house with red tile roof in Sylva, North Carolina.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing

Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

May 23 - The Daily Yonder