103 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release

 

For immediate release: April 26, 2021

  Metro to extend service for sporting events if games run beyond normal closing time

 

 

As thousands of sports fans and workers return to the ballpark, stadium and arena to support the region’s professional sports teams, Metro will be there to get them home even if the game goes beyond Metro’s normal closing time.

 

Beginning Tuesday, April 27, through the end of the year, Metro will “flex” service for an additional 30 minutes after the game ends, (until midnight), and will waive the fees normally charged to the team for extra late-night service. The rail station closest to the sporting venue will be the only station open for customers to enter. All other stations will be “exit only.” Anyone in line at that time will be accommodated.

 

The “flex” service will support the region’s economic recovery and provide fans and employees of the region’s professional sports teams - Wizards, Capitals, Nationals, Mystics, DC United, and The Washington Football team – an easy, convenient way to get to and from games.

 

“Metro is proud to be a part of this community, and we are excited to welcome back fans and workers who support our home teams,” said Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. “We welcome them to ride Metro on game day with the assurance that Metro will be there for them on the ride home.”

If Metrorail service is extended beyond the normal closing time, the following stations would remain open as follows:

 

Nationals/DC United – Navy Yard

Wizards/Capitals – Gallery Place

Washington Football Team – Morgan Blvd

Mystics – Congress Heights

 

Information on the last train times can be found on the station page at wmata.com.

 

Metro adjusted operating hours last year due to the pandemic, closing at 11 p.m. seven days a week as rail ridership remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

 

Customers are reminded that under federal law masks are required when riding Metro for your safety and the safety of others.

 

 

Cross-posted in 'Covid' and 'Rail Transit' forums.

[CNJRoss]

WTOP-FM, Washington, DC  5/11/21

 

Metro wants to temporarily drop fees for special events

 

 

One of the ways Metro is hoping to entice riders back to the system is to waive the fees it charges for keeping the trains running during events in the D.C. area.

 

SNIP

 

The waiver will last through Jan. 1, 2022.

 

 

More here.

[CNJRoss]

WMATA press release

 

For immediate release: May 13, 2021

  Metro Board approves temporary fee waiver for extended service during special events

 

 

Customers can count on Metro to get to and from large-scale events under a policy approved by Metro’s Board of Directors today that will provide extra rail service for approved special events beyond normal operating hours and temporarily waive the fee normally charged to organizers.

 

The decision reinforces Metro’s support of the region’s pandemic recovery and expands a policy announced by Metro last month to “flex” rail service 30 minutes for the region’s professional sports teams if a game ends after the normal closing time.

 

“Metro is a part of the region’s economic recovery,” said Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “Not only for our championship teams, but also for other major events and we want folks to know that Metro will be there when they want to ride.”

 

The temporary fee waiver and extended rail service will be provided through December 31, 2021, when needed for the Mystics, Wizards, Nationals, Washington Football Team, Capitals, the Marine Corps Marathon and the Army Ten-Miler. Extended rail service will be provided to other special events without a fee upon request and approval by the Board of Directors.

 

Event organizers are normally charged $100,000 for each additional hour of service to keep all 91 stations open, run more trains, and other operational needs.

 

Metro adjusted rail service last year due to the pandemic and is currently operating at 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels, closing at 11 p.m. seven days a week.

 

 

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 5/14/21

 

Metro expects most pre-pandemic riders won’t return this year amid an altered future for transit

 

  The transit agency will regain only about 42 percent of its pre-pandemic riders by the end of the year, according to a new report.

 

 

The reality of an altered future began to set in Thursday for Metro board members who heard evidence that the coronavirus pandemic has shifted commuting patterns away from public transit.

 

The transit agency will regain only about 42 percent of its pre-pandemic riders by the end of the year, according to a new report presented to the board. Much of the decline will stem from federal workers — Metro’s largest customer base — being allowed to work from home more often.

 

Their absences from the daily commute, as well as other office workers being granted similar flexibility, will mean empty seats for a transit system that had counted on fare revenue making up nearly 40 percent of its $2 billion annual operating budget. For Metro board members, the revelations led to questions about how the transit system could fill its buses and trains.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 6/2/21

Metro board members open to fare reduction, service changes to lure back riders

 

Staff members at the transit agency have offered up several suggestions on directions Metro could take

 

 

Decreasing wait times, lowering fare prices and expanding bus routes were three options that Metro board members said Wednesday could best serve transit riders coming out of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Most agreed on short-term changes expected to take effect this summer. They could include waiving a $1.50 transfer fee between Metrobus and Metrorail, launching a flat $2 Metrorail weekend fare, offering cheaper seven-day Metrobus passes and reducing fares for low-income riders.

 

Board members also are considering extending Metrorail service hours from 11 p.m. to midnight and decreasing wait times to 12 minutes or less, including on 20 bus lines. The proposals are intended to address a decline in ridership, even as pandemic restrictions ease, and the economic effects on lower-income workers who rely on transit.

 

Continue here.

 

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release

 

For immediate release: June 10, 2021

 

Metro Board approves more service, later hours, and more convenient fare options as region reopens

 

 

Metro's Board of Directors today approved improvements to Metrobus and Metrorail service and fares that will support the region's recovery and encourage more customers to return to transit.

 

Rail service will be extended to midnight, seven days a week, in July, and other bus and rail service improvements and fare changes will start being implemented in the Fall, beginning Labor Day weekend, as many in the region prepare to go back to work and school.

 

"This package of service and fare changes makes it easier for riders to return to Metro and give transit a try," said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. "The Board today voted to provide more frequent trains and buses, addresses the historic transfer fee to promote connecting from bus to rail, and includes special weekend fares that will encourage visitors and area families to take transit as they start traveling again."

 

Dates of key service changes and improvements will be detailed in future announcements. The improvements approved by the Board today include:

 

Metrorail

• More frequent all day service, including weekends: Trains will operate every 6 minutes on the Red Line and every 12 minutes on all other lines, seven days a week during off-peak hours (beginning September on weekdays, late 2021 on weekends).
• Better peak service: On weekdays, trains will operate every 5 minutes on the Red Line (late 2021) and every 10 minutes on all other lines (September) during peak hours to accommodate return to work and school.
• Improved late night service and hours: Metrorail will extend operating hours to midnight, seven days a week (July). After 9:30 p.m., late-night train frequencies will improve to every 10 minutes on the Red Line, and every 15 minutes on all other lines (September). Operating hours will expand until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (September).

 

Metrobus

• Increased service: 20 bus lines will operate every 12 minutes or better, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., seven days a week. (September)
• Increased service: 16 bus lines will operate every 20 minutes or better, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., seven days a week. (September)
• Service restored or improved on an additional 46 bus routes. (September)

 

Fares

• Weekends: Flat fare of $2 on Metrorail. (September)
• Transfers: Free bus transfers to / from rail. (September)
• Passes: Lower 7-day Regional Bus Pass price from $15 to $12. (September)

 

The service improvement approved today are in addition to the recent expansion of late-night service and other improvements on Metrobus, which went into effect on June 6.

 

 

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release

 

For immediate release: July 14, 2021

  Metrorail customers will have more time to ride with service extended to midnights starting Sunday

 

 

Metro will expand train service to midnight, seven days a week starting Sunday, July 18. The extended operating hours are the first in a package of service improvements passed by Metro’s Board of Directors in June that will add more all-day rail service, create high-frequency bus routes and improve service across the region.

 

“Riders that work late, enjoy the region’s restaurants and nightlife or need to get to and from places at night will now have more flexibility with trains running longer every night,” said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “As the region recovers, Metro will be there to meet the transit needs of customers and businesses in the National Capital Region.”

 

In addition to extending rail hours until midnight, Metro resumed late-night bus service to 2 a.m. in June on 36 routes, restored more service and improved the frequency of buses on high-demand routes.  

 

More bus and rail service improvements will follow in September. Trains will run more frequently all day, with service on Fridays and Saturdays running until 1 a.m. Last train times vary by station, check the station page at wmata.com/stations for additional information.

 

On Metrobus, high-frequency service will be added to 20 lines, with increased service on 16 others. Another 46 bus routes will improve or restore service while continuing to operate existing late-night service until 2 a.m.

 

The service improvements in the Fall will coincide with additional fare changes to make Metro easier and more affordable to ride. Metro will lower the price of a 7-day Regional Bus Pass and offer a 50 percent discounted promotional fare on all pass products for 30-days. Bus transfers will also be free for customers that connect between bus and rail.

 

On weekends riders will be able to travel on Metrorail for a flat $2 fare for each trip, rather than the current distance-based fare, and Sunday train service will begin an hour earlier at 7 a.m.

 

Metro will provide more information and outreach later this summer to notify customers of the upcoming fare and service changes.

 

[CNJRoss]

WMATA news release

 

For immediate release: August 16, 2021

  Metro customers have more reasons to ride with new discounts, more trains and buses starting September 5

 

Los clientes de Metro tienen más razones para viajar con nuevos descuentos, más trenes y autobuses a partir del 5 de septiembre

En español

 

 

Metro is making changes that will make riding easier and more convenient as the region resumes school, leisure activities, and returns to workplaces. Beginning September 5, Metro will add more buses and trains, offer lower prices, and extend Metrorail’s operating hours on weekends.

 

The changes, approved by Metro’s Board of Directors in June, followed extensive public input about how riders plan to travel. The service and pricing improvements are designed to make Metro a more affordable, attractive way to go and to meet customer needs for more service at all times of the day, not just during rush hour.

 

“This is a time of change for Metro and our customers, and it’s an opportunity to make our service work better for all riders whether they take Metro to work, the grocery store, visit family or friends or just get around town,” said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “We are adding more rail and bus service, more hours, and working with businesses and the community to ensure the service will be there when riders need it.”

 

Among the service improvements, Metro will add more buses on the busiest lines to better serve customers throughout the day, reduce average wait times for buses during the day, restore more service that had been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and provide free bus transfers between rail and discounted passes.

 

On Metrorail, more trains will run during off-peak hours with average wait times ranging between 2-7 minutes any time of day. Trains will also run longer, closing later overnight on weekends, and opening earlier on Sundays.

 

“As the region goes back to work and school, we will be ready with service that is convenient any time of the day and offers the flexibility riders need,” said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “We are also making Metro the best way to go on weekends, with less wait times for trains and just $2 for a one-way trip anywhere on the rail system.”  

 

The service improvements will bring overall bus and rail service to near pre-pandemic levels, providing 97 percent of pre-Covid service levels on Metrobus and 91 percent on Metrorail.  On some bus routes, and off-peak on rail, service will be even better than it had been before the pandemic.

 

Metro will also offer up to a 50 percent discount on selected unlimited pass products between September 16 and October 15.

 

The following discounts and service changes will be effective beginning Sunday, September 5:

 

Discounts

• Free bus transfers - If you connect between rail and bus, the bus ride will now be free for all routes except Express service.  
• Lower rail fares on weekends - Weekend fares on Metrorail will be $2 for a one-way trip, instead of the current distance-based fare making almost any ride, anywhere on weekends cheaper than ever.
• Lower prices for 7-day Regional Bus Pass – Customers will now pay just $12 for a 7-day Regional Bus Pass, $6 for seniors/disabled customers, a savings of 20%.

 

Metrobus

• More buses on the most popular Metrobus services – On 36 lines, riders will see more buses, more often between 7 a.m.-9 p.m., 7 days a week.
• New and restored service – Customers on 10 routes will have new service added or service restored.
• Less waiting between buses on additional routes – Buses on more than 40 other routes will provide more frequent service for customers.
• More buses day and night – A detailed list of all the service changes can be found on the Metrobus Service Changes page.

 

Metrorail

• More trains, not just during rush hour – Customers can expect to wait no more than 3-6 minutes for a train on weekdays at any station served by multiple lines and on the Red Line, all-day until 9:30 p.m.
• Improved late-night train service – More trains every hour after 9:30 p.m., every 5-8 minutes at any station served by multiple lines and every 10 minutes on the Red Line.
• Later closing on Friday and Saturday – Metrorail will stay open until 1 a.m. instead of midnight on Friday and Saturday. That’s one hour more to be out and about.
• Earlier opening on Sunday - Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Sunday. That’s one hour earlier to get your day started.
• More trains on weekends too – Get where you want to go faster, with more trains, more often on the weekends, every 5-8 minutes at any station served by multiple lines and every 10 minutes on the Red Line.

 

Additional information about Metro’s discount fare and service changes can be found at wmata.com/changes.

 

 

 

Cross-posted in Rail Transit and WMATA & Coronavirus

[CNJRoss]

WMATA press release

For immediate release: September 16, 2021

Metro customers can ride more for less with first ever pass sale offering deep discounts

 

 

Starting today, Metro customers will save up to 50 percent on selected passes through October 15. For the first time ever, Metro is launching a sales event that will allow riders to purchase discounted passes with unlimited trips on Metrorail and Metrobus whether you travel one day, one week, or one month.

 

During the sale, customers may purchase the 1-, 3-, and 7-day passes to use anytime. Monthly passes will be valid for use October 1-31.

 

“This is a great way to come back to work, restaurants, theater, museums, sports events and outdoor activities this fall with a pass that lets you ride at a deep discount,” said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “We have also enhanced cleaning on buses and trains and improved the ventilation, making it safer and now more affordable for customers to give Metro a try.”

 

The pass sale, coincides with fare and service improvements that began on September 5, providing more buses and trains, lower prices and longer hours on weekends.

 

"Bringing back riders and attracting new ones will take bold action and doing things we have never done before," said Metro Board Chairman Paul C. Smedberg. " This first-ever pass sale and recent fare and service improvements are just the beginning and as a Board we will continue to pursue new ways to rebuild ridership."

 

Discounted passes are available to purchase September 16 through October 15 for the following:

 

                                                                           Normal Price             Sale Price

1-Day Unlimited Pass                                               $13                         $6.50

3-Day Unlimited Pass                                               $28                         $14

7-Day Short Trip Pass                                              $38                         $19

7-Day Unlimited Pass                                               $58                         $29

Monthly Unlimited Pass                                      Starting from                $44

 

 

All unlimited passes allow rider to take as many trips as they want anywhere on Metrorail or Metrobus (excludes Express and Airport Express routes) including peak and off-peak periods.

 

Passes can be purchased now in the SmarTrip® app and then added to Apple Wallet, GPay, or your plastic SmarTrip Card online, at Fare Vending Machines located in Metrorail stations, and at the Metro Center Sales Office.

 

Additional information about the Metro Sales Event can be found at wmata.com/sale.

 

 

 

Related:  WMATA has new discounts and more trains starting 9/5/21

 

Cross-posted in 'Rail Transit' and 'WMATA & Coronavirus'

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 10/19/20

Prolonged rail disruption could be a drag on pandemic recovery for Metro and D.C. region, leaders say

 

 

WASHINGTON — There were signs in recent weeks that Metro was on the upswing, helping the Washington region bounce back from a pandemic that kept workers away from the city’s core and off public transit.

 

Rail riders who mostly stayed away as the virus spread were coming back, heading into offices while also lifting Washington’s sagging downtown economy. But after last week’s Blue Line derailment triggered a federal safety investigation and the removal of more than half the agency’s rail fleet from service, officials worry about damaging a fragile recovery.

 

SNIP

 

The longer that lower service levels persist, the more likely Metro is to face lasting repercussions financially, politically and in the perception of riders, according to customers and U.S. Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, a Virginia Democrat whose influence and advocacy have helped boost Metro funding over the years.

 

 

More here.

 

Cross-posted

WMATA & Coronavirus

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