WMATA Washington

[DCTransitFilms]

59 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

Any idea as to who will get those 14 electric buses ( well really I guess 12 40ft electric buses)? I know that the artics are for SP, but could the 40fters all be assigned to Western too along with #1001?

When we getting 12 electric buses?

[JAX Transit 2000]

On 12/18/2020 at 7:17 PM, DCTransitFilms said:

DC, MD, and VA Governors are asking the Biden-Harris administration to be a 4th partner to help fund WMATA due to its large budget gap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3YkfR7gumU

What about US President Racist Donald J Trump?  Is Donald J Trump  and his administration getting more funding for WMATA  large budget gap by the US Congress before he leaves The White House for Inauguration Day on January 20th, 2021 before Joe Biden takes over the Office and will Trump go to jail? 

[DCTransitFilms]

17 hours ago, JAX Transit 2000 said:

What about US President Racist Donald J Trump?  Is Donald J Trump  and his administration getting more funding for WMATA  large budget gap by the US Congress before he leaves The White House for Inauguration Day on January 20th, 2021 before Joe Biden takes over the Office and will Trump go to jail? 

[Chris.A]

21 hours ago, JAX Transit 2000 said:

What about US President Racist Donald J Trump?  Is Donald J Trump  and his administration getting more funding for WMATA  large budget gap by the US Congress before he leaves The White House for Inauguration Day on January 20th, 2021 before Joe Biden takes over the Office and will Trump go to jail? 

Don't be dense, that POS Creepy Joe stole the election from Trump. Point blank, no if, ands, or buts. Why is the criminal black mailed media trying (and failing) so hard to hide the proof of fraud and tampering from the public??

 

Anyway, back on topic, what's the story with the Blue line? I keep seeing subway shuttle buses.

[DCTransitFilms]

4 hours ago, Chris.A said:

Anyway, back on topic, what's the story with the Blue line? I keep seeing subway shuttle buses.

Franconia and Van Dorn street stations are closed rn due to WMATA modernizing the signal system at Alexandria Rail Yard

[DCTransitFilms]

On 12/11/2020 at 10:24 AM, RailBus63 said:

WMATA isn't going anywhere and those draconian cuts will not go through as threatened.  All of this is a necessary act to wake up Congress, elected officials, community leaders and citizens to fight for public transit, same as is being done in other cities. I suspect that there will be cuts and that they will be the worst ones we've seen in a while, but nothing like 30-minute Metrorail headways and other scary headlines. 

Looks like they did just that to finally get Mitch McConnell to wake up. WMATA will be receiving stimulus funding to save off the major cuts

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/transportation/metro-to-receive-stimulus-funding-stave-off-drastic-cuts/2523305/?fbclid=IwAR2ijI55s3R4-enyJh7GP4OesStVu-caULmFZrydN-AeHZOt2bj0hHEJVfw

[Rob S]

The S80 route has finally been eliminated.   It’s replaced by Fairfax Connector 350 and 351.  They won’t show up in bustracker until the end of the month.   I’m guessing they transferred some 30 ft Orion’s to the Huntington Division for those routes.   Also the Connector is having hearings on replacing the 3A, 3T, 15K, 29C, and 29W.  

[DCTransitFilms]

4 hours ago, Rob S said:

The S80 route has finally been eliminated.   It’s replaced by Fairfax Connector 350 and 351.  They won’t show up in bustracker until the end of the month.   I’m guessing they transferred some 30 ft Orion’s to the Huntington Division for those routes.   Also the Connector is having hearings on replacing the 3A, 3T, 15K, 29C, and 29W.  

Any links for the proposals?

[Rob S]

Here it is:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/sites/connector/files/assets/july 2021 service changes.pdf

[DCTransitFilms]

3 hours ago, Rob S said:

Here it is:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/sites/connector/files/assets/july 2021 service changes.pdf

might as well throw in the 26A as well tbh

[Rob S]

Never thought I would see the day Fairfax Connector goes to Seven Corners!

The 26A always seemed to have low ridership.  It paralleled several other lines too. 

[Chris.A]

20 hours ago, Rob S said:

The S80 route has finally been eliminated.   It’s replaced by Fairfax Connector 350 and 351.  They won’t show up in bustracker until the end of the month.   I’m guessing they transferred some 30 ft Orion’s to the Huntington Division for those routes.   Also the Connector is having hearings on replacing the 3A, 3T, 15K, 29C, and 29W.  

Actually no, it seems that WMATA had either loaned their 2012 Orion VII 3G hybrids #3082-3087 to Fairfax Connector or they were sold to them (possibly the latter, since they no longer have D.C. plates, but VA ones now instead). If so, these would be Fairfax's first hybrid buses! The WMATA Decals were also removed, but the TAGS scheme is still on the buses.

11 hours ago, Rob S said:

Never thought I would see the day Fairfax Connector goes to Seven Corners!

The 26A always seemed to have low ridership.  It paralleled several other lines too. 

 

20 hours ago, Rob S said:

The S80 route has finally been eliminated.   It’s replaced by Fairfax Connector 350 and 351.  They won’t show up in bustracker until the end of the month.   I’m guessing they transferred some 30 ft Orion’s to the Huntington Division for those routes.   Also the Connector is having hearings on replacing the 3A, 3T, 15K, 29C, and 29W.  

FFC taken over the 3A? I don't see it. Perhaps split that line into two segments and have the Arlington county side taken over by ART bus and the Fairfax side by the Connector. Can't see a FFC bus in Rosslyn. lol 

 

Is Fairfax Connector considering getting Artic buses?
 

 

[DCTransitFilms]

5 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

Actually no, it seems that WMATA had either loaned their 2012 Orion VII 3G hybrids #3082-3087 to Fairfax Connector or they were sold to them (possibly the latter, since they no longer have D.C. plates, but VA ones now instead). If so, these would be Fairfax's first hybrid buses! The WMATA Decals were also removed, but the TAGS scheme is still on the buses.

 

FFC taken over the 3A? I don't see it. Perhaps split that line into to segments and have the Arlington county side taken over by ART bus and the Fairfax side by the Connector. Can't see a FFC bus in Rosslyn. lol 

Wait so 3082-3087 are being transferred to Fairfax Connector? 

[Chris.A]

2 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Wait so 3082-3087 are being transferred to Fairfax Connector? 

I saw two of them myself yesterday on my way to work and it would appear to be the case. Wouldn't be the first time WMATA sold buses to another area bus system. Remember the 1999 baby Orion Vs (#3900-3950)?

[Border City Transit]

2 hours ago, Chris.A said:

FFC taken over the 3A? I don't see it. Perhaps split that line into two segments and have the Arlington county side taken over by ART bus and the Fairfax side by the Connector. Can't see a FFC bus in Rosslyn.

That already happened!

The "old" 3 line (3A-3B-3E) was cut to the current Metrobus 3A... operating only between East Falls Church M/Seven Corners and Annandale.

Then, the inner part in Arlington became the ART 55.

The current 3A barely serves Arlington at all -- it doesn't come close to Rosslyn. This happened some time in the last five years or so.

I didn't understand the change at first: why break one continuous route into two segments? It forces a transfer to continue.

Then I realized, the Lee Hwy segment in Arlington is much busier than the Annandale Rd segment. So, if this is what it takes to run 10-15 minute service where demand is high and hourly service where demand is low, I suppose it makes sense.

 

 

 

[Chris.A]

6 minutes ago, Border City Transit said:

That already happened!

The "old" 3 line (3A-3B-3E) was cut to the current Metrobus 3A... operating only between East Falls Church M/Seven Corners and Annandale.

Then, the inner part in Arlington became the ART 55.

The current 3A barely serves Arlington at all -- it doesn't come close to Rosslyn. This happened some time in the last five years or so.

I didn't understand the change at first: why break one continuous route into two segments? It forces a transfer to continue.

Then I realized, the Lee Hwy segment in Arlington is much busier than the Annandale Rd segment. So, if this is what it takes to run 10-15 minute service where demand is high and hourly service where demand is low, I suppose it makes sense.

 

Oh my bad. Didn't realize the 3A was cutback from Rosslyn. I was probably thinking of the 4A/4B. In any case, it seems as if Metrobus over all is having a smaller and smaller presence in Northern VA. I brought this up before, but could it be possible that one day in the future, Metrobus still simply stop running in VA entirely and just be in D.C. and or Maryland? Because they had cut so many routes just in the last 5 years (2015) alone, even before Covid!

 

 

Just now, Chris.A said:

 

Oh my bad. Didn't realize the 3A was cutback from Rosslyn. I was probably thinking of the 4A/4B. In any case, it seems as if Metrobus over all is having a smaller and smaller presence in Northern VA. I brought this up before, but could it be possible that one day in the future, Metrobus still simply stop running in VA entirely and just be in D.C. and or Maryland? Because they had cut so many routes just in the last 5 years (2015) alone, even before Covid became a thing!

[Border City Transit]

2 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

but could it be possible that one day in the future, Metrobus still simply stop running in VA entirely and just be in D.C. and or Maryland?

Maybe? But unlikely.

The highest ridership bus routes in NoVA all cross jurisdictional boundaries. I'm thinking the 7, 10, 16, 23, 28 lines mostly. To some extent the 1 and 2 also.

Those are long, frequent, complex, resource-intensive lines. Operationally and geographically, they're not a good fit for the smaller local providers. They're also (generally) growing routes that will require more service in coming years.

Also, pre-Covid, most of the growth in NoVA came from bus routes that went directly into DC (3Y, 7Y, 11Y, 16Y, 38B, etc). Crossing into DC adds a dimension that I don't think local providers want to deal with.

I can see WMATA shunting a few more low ridership, infrequent routes to ART, FFX, DASH, etc. But the total amount of service will remain the same. Fewer Metrobus routes, but more service on each one.

[Chris.A]

12 minutes ago, Border City Transit said:

Maybe? But unlikely.

The highest ridership bus routes in NoVA all cross jurisdictional boundaries. I'm thinking the 7, 10, 16, 23, 28 lines mostly. To some extent the 1 and 2 also.

Those are long, frequent, complex, resource-intensive lines. Operationally and geographically, they're not a good fit for the smaller local providers. They're also (generally) growing routes that will require more service in coming years.

Also, pre-Covid, most of the growth in NoVA came from bus routes that went directly into DC (3Y, 7Y, 11Y, 16Y, 38B, etc). Crossing into DC adds a dimension that I don't think local providers want to deal with.

I can see WMATA shunting a few more low ridership, infrequent routes to ART, FFX, DASH, etc. But the total amount of service will remain the same. Fewer Metrobus routes, but more service on each one.

I can see lines like the 22F going to DASH bus maybe.

15 minutes ago, Border City Transit said:

Maybe? But unlikely.

The highest ridership bus routes in NoVA all cross jurisdictional boundaries. I'm thinking the 7, 10, 16, 23, 28 lines mostly. To some extent the 1 and 2 also.

Those are long, frequent, complex, resource-intensive lines. Operationally and geographically, they're not a good fit for the smaller local providers. They're also (generally) growing routes that will require more service in coming years.

Also, pre-Covid, most of the growth in NoVA came from bus routes that went directly into DC (3Y, 7Y, 11Y, 16Y, 38B, etc). Crossing into DC adds a dimension that I don't think local providers want to deal with.

I can see WMATA shunting a few more low ridership, infrequent routes to ART, FFX, DASH, etc. But the total amount of service will remain the same. Fewer Metrobus routes, but more service on each one.

Any new plans for PRTC?

[DCTransitFilms]

2 hours ago, Border City Transit said:

Maybe? But unlikely.

The highest ridership bus routes in NoVA all cross jurisdictional boundaries. I'm thinking the 7, 10, 16, 23, 28 lines mostly. To some extent the 1 and 2 also.

Those are long, frequent, complex, resource-intensive lines. Operationally and geographically, they're not a good fit for the smaller local providers. They're also (generally) growing routes that will require more service in coming years.

Also, pre-Covid, most of the growth in NoVA came from bus routes that went directly into DC (3Y, 7Y, 11Y, 16Y, 38B, etc). Crossing into DC adds a dimension that I don't think local providers want to deal with.

I can see WMATA shunting a few more low ridership, infrequent routes to ART, FFX, DASH, etc. But the total amount of service will remain the same. Fewer Metrobus routes, but more service on each one.

In the Maryland side of low ridership routes, I can see RTA take over the 87, 89/89M, TheBus take over the C11/C12/C13/C14, F12, H11/H12/H13, and V12, and Ride On gets the L8 and T2 full time.

3 hours ago, Border City Transit said:

That already happened!

The "old" 3 line (3A-3B-3E) was cut to the current Metrobus 3A... operating only between East Falls Church M/Seven Corners and Annandale.

Then, the inner part in Arlington became the ART 55.

The current 3A barely serves Arlington at all -- it doesn't come close to Rosslyn. This happened some time in the last five years or so.

I didn't understand the change at first: why break one continuous route into two segments? It forces a transfer to continue.

Then I realized, the Lee Hwy segment in Arlington is much busier than the Annandale Rd segment. So, if this is what it takes to run 10-15 minute service where demand is high and hourly service where demand is low, I suppose it makes sense.

 

 

 

ART 55 is basically the full day 3E right? And it made sense to cut the 3A back to Seven Corners since of the lower ridership along Lee Highway. 

 

3 hours ago, Chris.A said:

I saw two of them myself yesterday on my way to work and it would appear to be the case. Wouldn't be the first time WMATA sold buses to another area bus system. Remember the 1999 baby Orion Vs (#3900-3950)?

So that means 3082-3087 are with FFC? None of Cinder Bed former Orion VIIs are currently tracking rn (3059-3062, 3082-3087). And yeah the 1999 Baby Orion Vs were sold to Ride On since those Cutaways decided to get lit literally.

 

 

[Chris.A]

6 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

In the Maryland side of low ridership routes, I can see RTA take over the 87, 89/89M, TheBus take over the C11/C12/C13/C14, F12, H11/H12/H13, and V12, and Ride On gets the L8 and T2 full time.

ART 55 is basically the full day 3E right? And it made sense to cut the 3A back to Seven Corners since of the lower ridership along Lee Highway. 

 

So that means 3082-3087 are with FFC? None of Cinder Bed former Orion VIIs are currently tracking rn (3059-3062, 3082-3087). And yeah the 1999 Baby Orion Vs were sold to Ride On since those Cutaways decided to get lit literally.

 

 

Yup and they also gave away some #5100's and #9400's Metro Bs to Ride On and The Bus respectively too. 

On 12/25/2020 at 3:28 PM, DCTransitFilms said:

When we getting 12 electric buses?

Supposedly this year. BTW, Any word on that BAE XDE40 that got shipped to Long Island?

[DCTransitFilms]

16 hours ago, Chris.A said:

Yup and they also gave away some #5100's and #9400's Metro Bs to Ride On and The Bus respectively too. 

Not sure if they did I would need to check it out if I ever went to Franconia. And TheBus actually got the 9600s Orion Vs I don't recall any 5100s going there

 

Also there is still no update on when the XD60s will enter service. As ik, 5500 and 5503 are at Blade, 5504 and 5507 are at Montgomery, and not sure the rest.

[DCTransitFilms]

Due to chaos going on in DC because of the protests and DC new curfew rule until 6 am tomorrow, Metro will close at 8:00 PM and all bus service will end at 9:00 PM. Kinda expected tho

 

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Early-closure.cfm

[Chris.A]

8 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Not sure if they did I would need to check it out if I ever went to Franconia. And TheBus actually got the 9600s Orion Vs I don't recall any 5100s going there

 

Also there is still no update on when the XD60s will enter service. As ik, 5500 and 5503 are at Blade, 5504 and 5507 are at Montgomery, and not sure the rest.

Those The Bus Orion Vs were actually ex-FFC Orion Vs #8033-8036.

[DCTransitFilms]

11 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

Those The Bus Orion Vs were actually ex-FFC Orion Vs #8033-8036.

Fr? Its under WMATA though

[Chris.A]

6 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Fr? Its under WMATA though

Yes, they didn't even have front destination signs. They were 1997 buses, built off of WMATA specs (just like every other Orion V that FFC and DASH bus had), but were not from WMATA proper. Now if WMATA had actually sent some #9600's to The Bus, I'm not sure, but those 8000s were from Fairfax Connector.