Photo courtesy CStan Photo.

The popular free shuttle that serves the up and coming H Street NE corridor will be forced to cease operation on Sunday, Dec. 6, thanks to its funding from the city having dried up.

Managed by the H Street Business Cooperative and operated by U Street Parking and Transportation, the shuttle had been being funded through a grant from the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, but that money has since disappeared, according to Patrick Stewart, co-founder of the cooperative and former director of the Atlas Performing Arts Center.

“It is a pretty big disappointment,” Stewart said.

Members of the H Street Cooperative have been working with the office of D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) to locate the money needed to keep the shuttle going. But so far, the funding has not materialized, and in the meantime, the cooperative has run out of money to keep it going.

“The mayor’s office has said they want it to continue, but the dollars just haven’t been identified yet,” said Charles Allen, chief of staff to Wells. “[The H Street Cooperative] just can’t be expected to fund this on their own.”

With construction along the H Street NE corridor continuing to impact the neighborhood, business owners say they are worried that the end of the shuttle could affect their bottom line.

“With the holiday season coming up, losing the shuttle will have major repercussions,” said Tony Tomelden, owner of H Street bar The Pug, in a statement. “Without the shuttle we are really isolated.”

Several city buses serve H Street NE, including the busy X2 line, but customers often complain that buses don’t come frequently enough, especially late at night. The shuttle, which launched in January, was meant to help provide additional service to the area while construction of tracks for the anticipated streetcar line was underway. The shuttle has been serving approximately 3,000 riders a month, according to Stewart.