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In light of the deadly accident that killed nine people on Metro's Red Line on June 22, there's been plenty of talk about what's wrong with Metro -- and rightfully so; the agency is now at a obvious turning point in its history, where it suddenly needs to navigate a calamitous disaster and forge some sort of path regarding its future.
But it's not all bad news in the world of WMATA -- in fact, one needs to look no further than the ridership repercussions of the terrible accident to find something positive.
Today, the Post lends prominent B Section inches to a story about the proclivity of commuters to migrate to bus service in the light of the slowdowns and delays after the accident. What does the Post find? Most notably, those who were forced into riding the bus after their commutes were wrecked by the accident are sticking with it. Whether it's out of concerns about Metro safety, or for brevity, or even on accident, it's clear -- a lot more people are using Metrobus:
According to Metro, bus ridership surged immediately after the June 22 train crash, which killed nine people and injured 80. Two bus lines, which allow riders to efficiently bypass stretches of the Red Line between the Metro Center and Silver Spring stations, have become especially crowded. About 17,000 more people took the 70, 71 and 79 buses that travel Georgia Avenue the week of the crash than the week before, a 19.5 percent increase. There was a 15 percent increase on the 16th Street service, which includes the S-1, 2, 4 and 9 buses.
This development, while certainly predictable, has to be of interest for the board of directors at WMATA, who as recently as March of this year were contemplating large cuts in bus service around the Washington area.
While it's fantastic that more folks are using and enjoying the bus, another question arises: why did it take a fatal accident on the most ridden Metrorail line to notch such an uptick?
It likely has quite a bit to do with perception. When people come to Washington, many people perceive Metrorail as the be-all, end-all of transportation options in the greater Washington area (and, of course, we must say at this point that despite its obvious flaws, Metrorail is still -- for the most part -- an incredibly effective way of moving people from one location to another). There is a tendency for many to neglect the bus system, which, though slower and containing certain assumptions about those who ride it, can be an incredibly useful tool for getting people where they need to go.
And now, with the advent of the WMATA-approved Next Bus system, the widest target for Washington buses -- that they are wildly unpredictable and rarely on time -- may gradually shrink into the background.
So will the spike in ridership since the accident, combined with the convenience of the Next Bus system, continue to fuel a bus renaissance? Only time will tell -- a lot depends on what the future holds for rail improvements. But for now, Metro's saving grace might just have four wheels.
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Thanks Captain Obvious! With all the mishaps and texting on the netherails, one would find themselves safer above ground. Your chances of outrunning those obnoxious ghetto vermin are far better on the bus. Below, you are stuck on that train with the most God-awful anti-social people. On the bus, you simply pull the chord to be released.
"why did it take a fatal accident on the most ridden Metrorail line to notch such an uptick?"
--because the bus sucks. any other silly questions?
Wait, why are we celebrating more people riding the bus? These are not people leaving their cars at home to ride the bus, these are people who used to ride one form of public transportation (metro) choosing another form of transportation. Net result: still as many people driving cars, more crowded busses. I could totally be missing something, though.
Well, there is a tax benefit. Busses cost a fraction of subway systems. Less people using the bus + more people using the metro = a fiscal strain. More people using the bus + less people using the trian = a lesser fiscal strain. The more attractive bus use is to commuters in the future, the less money that needs to be spent of Metro infrastructure.
But worry not, the weather has been pleasant, all it'll take to get those people back on the subway will a couple of 90+ days and a couple of under 40 degree days, add a mugging or two at a couple of bus stops and everyone will be comfortably back to old square one.
Oh great just what WMATA wanted, an excuse to take more money out of their rail system and continue to let it fall to shambles! Thanks for giving them the idea...
BUSSES = POLLUTION, CONGESTION, TRAFFIC, DELAYS
TRAIN = SOLUTION :-)
Any more questions?
Although the capital cost of bus systems is less (a few shelters and buying the buses, basically), in general the farebox recovery (percent of operating expenses covered by fare revenue) is MUCH higher for Metrorail than it is for Metrobus. Farebox recovery for Metrorail is more than 80%, while for Metrobus it is 31%. This is partially because you can fit a whole lot more people on an 8-car train than you can on a 40-foot bus, or even a 60-foot articulated vehicle.
Buses are a vital part of our transportation system, but they are a very different type of service. We should certainly be looking to improvements such as limited-stop service and exclusive lanes for buses that will help supplement Metrorail, but buses on city streets will never supplant rail in tunnels when it comes to capacity and speed. They're simply two very, very different modes.
The one big drawback about riding the bus is when the driver smokes on the bus or in the doorway at the end of his or her route. The bus becomes one BIG ASHTRAY on the return trip.
We don't have that problem on the 92 because the smell of pee is way more overpowering.
I've started calling it the Metro elevator on wheels.
Fantastic? Silver lining? Are you insane Aaron? Please meet me at the corner of 16th and M at around 5:30 on Monday. Let's see how fantastic you think it is when EVERY FRIKKIN' BUS passing by is full to capacity. Catching a bus during rush hour is impossible now. It's horrible.
Also, have you used NextBus? I've tried using it around four times. Wildly inaccurate.
This morning, the S2 bus was late at usual but then all 3 arrived at the same time. Splitting up the 30 buses was the worst idea ever. How many 30 Archive buses does this city need?
I do hope this will convince Metro to keep this S9 - because isn't it technically still in the test phase? And they should definitely add more buses to the route so that everyone can get on at M and P streets during the evening rush.
Maybe the shift to express buses will convince former bus haters that the bus system has potential. If more people taking the bus = more money and better planning for buses, that'll be good. But for the moment, there's just no way that buses can make up for the lost Metro capacity given their size limitations and the traffic.
Folks are just taking the bus hopping to catch a McGruff the Crime Dog punch down.
McCrotchy the Junkpunching Commuter Dog sez, "Take a bite outta mass transit! Junkpunch those chainsmoking bus drivers and weak-bladdered alcoholics!"
Molly!
I hope this means that they put back some of those bus cuts they made, I'd really like the 60 to run on weekends and later at night! I'd like to see the H8 run a little more frequently as well! I don't mind taking busses, but the ones going through downtown are congested and slowed down so bad by traffic that I'd just rather walk. For my commute, which takes from from Fort Totten in the NE to Alexandria VA, bus is absolutely not an option, it would take 3 transfers and over an hour and a half assuming good traffic--Metro is the only way to do it--since VRE is too expensive and would still require a Metro trip to get to Union Station.
If bus ridership explodes too much they'll start to see more problems on busses that the trains have--over crowding, delays, etc. Unless someone steps up and starts doing dedicated bus lanes, signaling priority, express service, etc.
Oh and hey, while we're at it, let's put those rails sitting out on H street in the damn ground and get those cars over here from Czech republic so we can start using our light rail system that we hear so much about!!!
The S1,2,4, and 9 buses have always been too crowded and this only makes it worse. It would be nice if WMATA took this opportunity to furnish buses on this route in response to the ridership on these routes.
Metrorail is more effective for tourists and residents who essentially plan their lives around it. For many of us the bus is better because, unlike the limited metro trains, the buses serve the areas where we live and work.
Agree with the opinion or not, I'm glad there's finally a post on this. Not all of us depend on metrorail to get around - for me the bus is more convenient and the lines I use tend to be pleasant, not urine or tobacco-soaked.
However, I've only tried to use the bus once since the rail accident and finally gave up and took a cab after two busses packed to the gills passed my stop. It would have been wise for wmata to add a few busses to the lines that were most effected (I'm surprised you didn't mention the L lines). For anyone south of Cleveland/Woodley Park (maybe futher north) there was no chance of getting on an L bus during the AM rush in the past few weeks.
I've noticed this too...since the crash, I've actually taken the bus downtown more than Metrorail. After having to wait for two, sometimes three trains to pass heading south from Woodley Park before I could get on, I gave up and started taking the L1 down to Dupont/Farragut. I used to be a full-on Metrorail disciple, and honestly, the bus hasn't been that bad. Wait times have been fairly manageable, and I've only had to watch one L1 bus head past because it was full...but I'd be willing to bet that this is a new development, and that the L1/2/4 lines were never as crowded during rush hours as they have been since the crash.
Pre-crash I could always get a seat on the L2 during the morning rush getting on at 18th & California - more than halfway through its route. I've actually been nervous in the past that wmata would cut back on the L2 service because it seemed under-utilized. We'll have to see if ridership goes back down once metrorail gets back to normal.
Listen, I'm totally sympathetic to Metrorail riders, but as someone who has rode up and down 16th St for NINE years now on old crappy busses, I'm really peeved that my brand-new, been-dreaming-about-this-for-years bus: the gorgeous new S9 -- is being RUINED by these darned new bus riders. And they're taking up all the seats! On the northbound trip I used to get on the 2nd stop. Now? I gotta walk 4 blocks out of my way to the 1st stop if I want a seat. And yes, I NEED a seat, because I'm going almost all the way up to the end of the route. Ugh! Metro: add more busses!!! Make the S9 an all day bus like the 79 -- PLEASE?!
know what they can do to improve bus service following the crash? Give Circulator drivers permission to drive 15 MPH instead of their requirement that they keep it a 10 MPH. Also, please stop the incentive program that gives drivers a $3 bonus for every red light they catch.
As long as it doesn't stop the development of the H Sreet light rail, I'm fine.