Photo by fritzheier.

Training starts today on the promised new Circulator route to the Mall, which begins at Union Station and loops around the Tidal Basin. Service was originally slated to begin in “spring 2015.”

The bus training isn’t expected to impact traffic in the area as operators familiarize themselves with the route, according to the District Department of Transportation.

DDOT promises this new line will be an improvement on the last one, though.

The previous Circulator route served areas around the National Mall but did not travel on the interior National Mall streets. It also had infrequent service, limited hours of operation and did not serve key attractions such as Union Station. The new National Mall service will offer highly visible and frequent service along a prominent route that is fully integrated into the larger local and regional transit network.

The Mall line will run every 10 minutes between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekends in the summer. The winter hours will be between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends

Here is the full route:

Via DDOT.