Bus Services

Figures 15 and 16 show Metrobus ridership on a daily and annual basis, respectively, for FY 2002 compared to FY 2001, by route.  For Metrobus, despite the effects of September 11, 2001, ridership in FY 2002 was greater than in FY 2001.  Figure 17 provides monthly comparisons of ridership.  Figure 18 shows annual historical comparisons, with the last four years providing a lofty platform to support future growth. 

Taking the Pentagon Multi-Modal Transit Center as an example, of Metrorail’s 36,000 daily riders at that station, 29,000 (80 percent) make a bus connection.  About 5,500 of the Pentagon’s employees use transit, with 1,571 daily bus arrivals and 84 bus routes at the 24 bus bays in service there.  Metrobus weekday boardings exceed 32,000.

 

Figure 15:  Northern Virginia Metrobus Average

Daily Passenger Trips, FY 01 - FY 02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

 

 

FY 01

FY 01

FY 01

FY 02

FY 02

FY 02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ballston Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1B,B/,C,D,E,F,F/,Z,Z/

           4,284

         2,179

         1,884

        4,137

         2,028

         1,386

 

2A,B,B/,C,G

           3,788

         1,848

         1,187

        3,435

         1,595

            777

 

10B,B/,C,D

           3,252

         2,726

         1,597

        3,040

         2,334

         1,567

 

22A,B,B/,F

           2,938

                -

                -

        2,822

                -

                -

 

23A,B,C,C/,T,T/

           3,868

         2,231

         1,467

        4,026

         2,356

         1,389

 

24M,P

              786

            255

                -

           754

            198

                -

 

25A,A/,F,F/,G,J,P,P/,R

           1,637

            301

           662

        1,633

            195

            606

 

25B

           1,582

            791

                -

        1,377

            662

                -

 

38B

           2,545

         1,255

           921

        2,574

         1,295

            750

 

Subtotal

         24,680

        11,586

         7,718

      23,797

        10,663

         6,475

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosslyn Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3A,B,C,E,F

           2,969

         1,230

           865

        2,966

         1,087

         1,070

 

4A,B,E,H,S

           2,415

            867

           618

        2,454

            641

            469

 

Subtotal

           5,384

         2,097

         1,483

        5,419

         1,728

         1,538

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentagon Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7A,A/,C,E,F,H,P,W,X

           4,836

         1,352

           920

        4,220

         1,576

            830

 

8S,W,X,Z

           1,532

                -

                -

        1,397

                -

                -

 

9A,B,C,C/,E

           4,501

         3,806

         2,029

        4,477

         3,460

         1,686

 

10A,A/,E

           2,827

         1,544

         1,033

        2,705

         1,522

            947

 

13A,B,F,G,M

           1,247

            456

           273

        1,237

            344

            379

 

16A,B,B/,C,D,E,F,G,J

           7,141

         4,056

         2,130

        8,946

         4,629

         2,460

 

16L

              218

                -

                -

           231

                -

                -

 

16S,U,W,X

           1,939

                -

                -

        1,777

                -

                -

 

17 Series

           2,206

                -

                -

        2,047

                -

                -

 

18 Series

           1,815

                -

                -

        1,783

                -

                -

 

21A,B,C,D,F

           1,068

                -

                -

           965

                -

                -

 

28F,G

              691

                -

                -

           720

                -

                -

 

29C,E,H,X

           1,697

                -

                -

        1,687

                -

                -

 

Subtotal

         31,718

        11,214

         6,385

      32,191

        11,531

         6,303

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2W

              171

                -

                -

           207

                -

                -

 

3W,Z

              315

                -

                -

           344

                -

                -

 

10P

                  -

                -

                -

           526

                -

                -

 

11P,P/

              125

                -

                -

           389

                -

                -

 

11Y

              335

                -

                -

           387

                -

                -

 

12 Series

           1,367

                -

                -

        1,497

                -

                -

 

15K,L

              661

                -

                -

           757

                -

                -

 

20 Series

              481

                -

                -

           401

                -

                -

 

24T

              199

                -

                -

           193

                -

                -

 

VA 80,81

              336

                -

                -

           584

                -

                -

 

VA 82

                  -

                -

                -

             90

                -

                -

 

VA 91

                  -

                -

                -

           381

                -

                -

 

28A,B,B/

           5,395

         3,185

         2,799

        4,762

         3,120

         2,497

 

28C

                  -

                -

                -

           377

                -

                -

 

29K,N,N/

           2,041

            994

                -

        2,374

         1,062

                -

 

Subtotal

         11,426

         4,179

         2,799

      13,269

         4,183

         2,799

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metrobus Total-Virginia

         73,208

        29,076

       18,385

      74,676

        28,105

        17,115

 

Figure 16:  Northern Virginia Metrobus Annual Passenger Trips, FY 01 - FY 02

 

 

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

 

 

FY 01

FY 01

FY 01

FY 02

FY 02

FY 02

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ballston Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1B,B/,C,D,E,F,F/,Z,Z/

     1,113,840

      115,487

       97,968

     1,075,490

      105,469

       73,476

 

2A,B,B/,C,G

        984,880

       97,944

       61,724

        893,187

       82,949

       41,172

 

10B,B/,C,D

        845,520

      144,478

       83,044

        790,292

      121,359

       83,047

 

22A,B,B/,F

        763,880

                -

                -

        733,828

                -

                -

 

23A,B,C,C/,T,T/

     1,005,680

      118,243

       76,284

     1,046,652

      122,490

       73,595

 

24M,P

        204,360

       13,515

                -

        195,975

       10,270

                -

 

25A,A/,F,F/,G,J,P,P/,R

        425,620

       15,953

       34,424

        424,450

       10,153

       32,122

 

25B

        411,320

       41,923

                -

        358,085

       34,402

                -

 

38B

        661,700

       66,515

       47,892

        669,132

       67,362

       39,754

 

Subtotal

    6,416,800

    614,058

    401,336

    6,187,090

    554,454

    343,166

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosslyn Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3A,B,C,E,F

        771,940

       65,190

       44,980

        771,117

       56,515

       56,697

 

4A,B,E,H,S

        627,900

       45,951

       32,136

        637,932

       33,345

       24,839

 

Subtotal

    1,399,840

    111,141

      77,116

    1,409,048

      89,860

      81,536

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pentagon Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7A,A/,C,E,F,H,P,W,X

     1,257,360

       71,656

       47,840

     1,097,113

       81,969

       44,008

 

8S,W,X,Z

        398,320

                -

                -

        363,177

                -

                -

 

9A,B,C,C/,E

     1,170,260

      201,718

      105,508

     1,164,085

      179,920

       89,367

 

10A,A/,E

        735,020

       81,832

       53,716

        703,387

       79,127

       50,200

 

13A,B,F,G,M

        324,220

       24,168

       14,196

        321,555

       17,884

       20,109

 

16A,B,B/,C,D,E,F,G,J

     1,856,660

      214,968

      110,760

     2,325,873

      240,725

      130,384

 

16L

          56,680

                -

                -

          59,952

                -

                -

 

16S,U,W,X

        504,140

                -

                -

        461,998

                -

                -

 

17 Series

        573,560

                -

                -

        532,285

                -

                -

 

18 Series

        471,900

                -

                -

        463,515

                -

                -

 

21A,B,C,D,F

        277,680

                -

                -

        250,922

                -

                -

 

28F,G

        179,660

                -

                -

        187,157

                -

                -

 

29C,E,H,X

        441,220

                -

                -

        438,512

                -

                -

 

Subtotal

    8,246,680

    594,342

    332,020

    8,369,530

    599,625

    334,068

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Terminal Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2W

          44,460

                -

                -

          53,820

                -

                -

 

3W,Z

          81,900

                -

                -

          89,418

                -

                -

 

10P

                   -

                -

                -

        136,695

                -

                -

 

11P,P/

          32,500

                -

                -

        101,183

                -

                -

 

11Y

          87,100

                -

                -

        100,728

                -

                -

 

12 Series

        355,420

                -

                -

        389,307

                -

                -

 

15K,L

        171,860

                -

                -

        196,798

                -

                -

 

20 Series

        125,060

                -

                -

        104,195

                -

                -

 

24T

          51,740

                -

                -

          50,137

                -

                -

 

VA 80,81

          87,360

                -

                -

        151,840

                -

                -

 

VA 82

                   -

                -

                -

          23,422

                -

                -

 

VA 91

                   -

                -

                -

          99,038

                -

                -

 

28A,B,B/

     1,402,700

      168,805

      145,548

     1,238,098

      162,262

      132,319

 

28C

                   -

                -

                -

          98,085

                -

                -

 

29K,N,N/

        530,660

       52,682

                -

        617,240

       55,246

                -

 

Subtotal

    2,970,760

    221,487

        2,799

    3,450,005

    217,507

        2,799

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metrobus Total-Virginia

  19,034,080

 1,541,028

    813,271

  19,415,673

 1,461,447

    761,569

 

 

A survey performed for NVTC in 2000 by MCV, Inc. showed that two-thirds of Northern Virginia’s local bus customers transfer at least once (and 13 percent transfer three or more times).  Forty-two percent of the bus trips lasted an hour or more.  This explains NVTC’s emphasis on integration of the fares, routes and customer services of the region’s transit systems, since so many customers rely on convenient connections.  Figure 19 shows that each of Northern Virginia’s bus systems will soon be equipped with fareboxes that accommodate WMATA’s SmarTrip cards.

 

Figure 19: SmarTrip Compatible Fareboxes to be
Installed in Northern Virginia

 

System

Number of Fareboxes

Metrobus

571

Arlington County ART

8

Alexandria DASH Transit System

57

City of Fairfax CUE Bus

13

Fairfax Connector

181

Loudoun County Transit

19

PRTC

87

City of Falls Church GEORGE

4


Historic annual ridership since as early as FY 1993 for each of the other Northern Virginia transit systems is shown in Figures 20 through 27. Most systems are showing sharp growth due to expanded routes and bus fleets (i.e. ART, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County, PRTC OmniRide and OmniLink).  DASH’s growth has been solid and steady.  Only CUE showed a slight reduction in ridership in FY 2002 compared to FY 2001.

 The GEORGE Bus began serving the city of Falls Church in revenue service on January 13, 2003.  GEORGE provides feeder service between the East and West Falls Church Metrorail stations seven days a week, for a fare of 25 cents.  The 26E route begins and ends at the East Falls Church Metrorail station, operating on 25-minute headways.  The 26W route begins and ends at the West Falls Church Metrorail station, and operates on a 25-minute headway.  There is a common transfer point at Virginia Avenue for the two peak routes. 

 In addition to utilizing innovative low-floor design, stop-annunciator technologies, and the latest SmarTrip compatible fareboxes, the fleet of three GEORGE buses that is in service (a fourth bus is available as a spare) employs a state-of-the-art low pressure exhaust gas recirculation system and particulate filter that substantially reduces emissions.  Each of the buses will provide approximately 24,000 miles of revenue service annually.  Figure 28 summarizes the annual environmental benefits of the low-pressure EGR system.

 

 

Figure 28:  City of Falls Church GEORGE Bus,

Environmental Benefits of Clean Diesel Buses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Nitrogen Oxide Emissions (pounds)

Annual Particulate Matter Emissions (pounds)

Annual Carbon Monoxide Emissions (pounds)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Standard Diesel Buses

2,867

29

1,176

 

 

 

 

3 GEORGE Clean Diesel Buses

1,433

3

235

 

 

 

 

Annual Emissions Reduction from Clean Diesel Technology

1,433

26

941

he NVTC bus survey also showed several characteristics of Northern Virginia’s local bus system customers (excluding Metrobus).  For example, they displayed a wide range of incomes (26 percent less than $20,000 annually and 13 percent greater than $100,000).  About 28 percent would not have made a trip if the bus were not available.  By contrast, VRE surveys show 51 percent of riders have household incomes above $100,000.  This illustrates the fact that transit competes successfully in many commuting markets and serves customers with disparate demographics.  Transit does not serve only “transit dependent” persons who may lack access to private automobiles.

 
Figure 29 provides contact information for each of these bus systems.

Figure 29: Description and Contact Information for
Northern Virginia Public Bus Systems 

 

Local Bus Service

     Service Description

Contact for Route Planning/ Performance

Phone/Email

Metrobus

Provides bus service in Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia

Fred Simms

 

(202) 962-2059            fsimms@wmata.com

Fairfax Connector

Service primarily within Fairfax County with connections to Metrorail/Metrobus/VRE/DASH/CUE/OMNI.

Tom Black

(703) 324-1197

Tom.Black@FairfaxCounty.gov

Arlington Transit System (ART)

Operates along a loop in Crystal City serving  Metrorail and VRE stations.

Eric Smith

(703) 228-3692

esmith@co.arlington.va.us

Alexandria DASH

Provides service throughout Alexandria, to five Metrorail stations and the King St. VRE station.

Al Himes

(703) 370-3274

al.himes@ci.alexandria.va.us

City of Fairfax CUE

Serves points in the city, George Mason University, and the Vienna/Fairfax/GMU Metrorail station.

Alex Verzosa

(703) 385-7889

averzosa@ci.fairfax.va.us

City of Falls Church GEORGE

Serves points in the city of Falls Church, Arlington County, and Fairfax County, providing feeder service between East and West Falls Church Metrorail Stations.

Samer S. Beidas

(703) 248-5114

sbeidas@ci.falls-church.va.us

Virginia Regional Transit Authority

Operates both fixed route and door-to-door service covering most of the county. (Loudoun Transit).

Mark McGregor

(540) 338-1610

vrtaceo@aol.com

Loudoun County Transit

Eleven peak period buses provide service from Loudoun County to the Rosslyn, Pentagon and downtown Washington locations.

Sharon Affinito

(703) 771-5251

SAFFINIT@loudoun.gov

PRTC OmniLink

Provides local flex-route service in the Woodbridge/Lake Ridge, Dale City, Dumfries, Quantico, Manassas Park and Manassas areas.

Tim Roseboom

(703) 583-7782

Troseboom@omniride.com

PRTC OmniRide

Sponsored by PRTC, OmniRide provides peak period service from Prince William County and Manassas to Vienna and Franconia/Springfield Metro stations as well as the Pentagon, Crystal City, downtown Washington, and the Washington Navy Yard.

Eric Marx or

Tim Roseboom

(703) 583-7782

Troseboom@omniride.com