New Flyer XD40 2124

Location: Duke Ellington Bridge, Washington, DC
Operator of Vehicle: District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
Date of Photo: May 4, 2020

At the end of this month, the DC Circulator will cease operations after nearly 15 years of operation.  The service was started in July 2006 on two routes, with the goal of creating an “simple” and “easily navigable” bus system to supplement the existing Metrobus network.  In order to meet these goals, bus routes operated every 10 minutes around the clock on routes that connected major destinations around Downtown DC.  The system grew, often as select Metrobus routes were converted to Circulator operation to take advantage of lower subsidies and operating costs.  A National Mall route was also established following the discontinuation of the Tourmobile service that held the exclusive rights to offer guided tours within that area under a contract with the National Park Service.  

The discontinuation of the service can be attributed to several reasons.  Ridership has not rebounded since the Covid-19 pandemic, but arguably, many Circulator routes do not warrant 10 minute headways from early morning until late night (or 3 AM in the case of select routes on Friday and Saturday nights).  However, changing the headways was considered to be a non-starter on account of wanting the service to remain “simple.”  Furthermore, DDOT wished to have all eight wards of the city served by at least one route, a goal that was never achieved, but some wards simply do not have any activity generators that would warrant the level of service the Circulator committed to providing on all of its routes.

Service is currently running on 20 minute headways on five routes through December 31, 2024.  After that date, RATP DEV, which is the contracted operator for the service, will commence its final wind down procedures, such that the contract can be fully cancelled by March 2025.  

Have you ever taken the DC Circulator?

For more photos of the DC Circulator , please click here.