This post is brought to you by Bridj. Download with code DCIST and get your first 10 rides free!

The day of a DC resident is crazy enough already; add mass transit to the equation and you’ve got a whole new world of anxiety. When should you leave? Will you have to wait in the rain? Is there a motorcade causing traffic today? Will the bus ever actually come?

Bridj is a new transportation alternative that’s hoping to change the way DC gets around. Here’s how it works.

• Open the app, drop start and end pins, then select an auto-generated trip that meets your needs.
• Choose when you want to leave, minutes or days in advance.
• Track your Bridj in real time via GPS.
• Book in-app and walk to your tailored pick-up location at your preferred time.
• Hop on and take your seat—it’s guaranteed to be reserved, just for you.
• Ride straight to your destination with direct trips, no transfers, and fewer in-between stops.
• Get out and go on with your day.

One of the coolest things about Bridj, aside from being easy to use and accessible, is that every request is captured and used to make better trips, pick-ups, and drop-offs for Bridj customers in the future. The more you use it, the better it gets. And if Bridj doesn’t serve your area yet, go ahead and download the app anyway—make a few trip requests and they’ll log the data, using it to decide where to expand service in the future.

For now Bridj is serving people traveling from Cathedral Heights (as well as Boston), but plans to expand rapidly are already in the works. Ready to give it a try? You’re in luck: Download Bridj with code DCIST and get your first 10 rides free!