DC Circulator set to end service on December 31 after nearly two decades of rides
A Circulator bus is seen at a red light in Washington on March 2, 2013. A ride costs one USD. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The District Department of Transportation has announced that the DC Circulator service will end on Dec. 31, as part of the District Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and Financial Plan.
The phase-down will start on Oct. 1.
"We greatly appreciate the valuable service DC Circulator has provided to the District over the past 18 years," said Acting DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum. "We are grateful for the employees who supported the program and the riders who chose Circulator as part of their commute."
DC Circulator strike ends, bus service to continue Friday
The DC Circulator strike is over, according to a news release from the local union that organized it.
The DC Circulator has been an integral part of Washington, D.C.'s transportation network, offering $1 rides to the city’s main attractions and neighborhoods.
The system includes six routes, stretching into Rosslyn, VA, and provides nearly five million trips annually.
DDOT is working with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to mitigate the impact on the public.
DC Circulator is operated by RAPTP Dev USA, and employees have received written notification of the planned service closure.
DC Circulator route adjustments for October
Effective Oct. 1, the following route adjustments will be implemented:
- Termination of the Rosslyn-Dupont Circle (RS-DP) route.
- Elimination of late-night service on the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan (WP-AM) and Georgetown-Union Station (GT-US) routes.
- Remaining routes will operate on 20-minute headways, up from the current 10-minute intervals.
- The Woodley Park-Adams Morgan (WP-AM), Georgetown-Union Station (GT-US), Congress Heights-Union Station (CH-US), and Eastern Market-L'Enfant Plaza (EM-LP) routes will end service at 9 p.m. daily instead of midnight.
- The National Mall route will continue to operate until 7 p.m. daily.
The DC Circulator was established through a partnership between DDOT, WMATA, and DC Surface Transit, Inc., and was inspired by the National Capital Planning Commission’s 1997 vision for a quick, efficient, low-cost public transit system.
The service expanded over the years, becoming the fourth-largest bus system in the region, and included a significant expansion in 2015 along the National Mall in partnership with the National Park Service.
Riders needing assistance with alternative travel options are encouraged to visit wmata.com and use the Trip Planner feature.