Circulator vs MetroBus (Washington: 2009, to live, buses)

[ffknight918]

I've ridden both once when I was in town one time. I took the MetroBus from Rosslyn to Georgetown I think. Then the Circulator from Georgetown to a Metro Station. I'm not sure what it was about the Circulator, but it seemed so much nicer than a bus. Is this popular in DC? What makes it better?

[juniperbleu]

I personally like the Circulator. My bus-in-DC experiences are limited (I usually take the Metro instead), but whenever I go to the corner, a Circulator bus is just about to pull up and the driver is pleasant. Then I tried to take a Metrobus that runs pretty much the same route. The first time, it never showed (but I watched 2 Circulators go by down the street). The second time, I was just about to make the bus, but the driver opted to honk while my roommate and I were in the crosswalk and zoom past as I stood on the corner waving. It's no wonder that people have been killed by buses at that intersection.

I think the popularity has to do with where you are and where you're trying to go. The Circulator buses are more limited, so for many it might not be a viable option.

[ceejamon]

Circulator is fantastic, but it has very limited routes. It only has 3 routes: From Union Station to Naval Observator (via Georgetown); A loop from the Convention Center straight south to the river; and one that just circles the mall. They tend to be clean and come pretty frequently.

Here's a route map. http://www.dccirculator.com/map2008_20080725.pdf

[DCguy03]

Ffknight, You'll know a Circulator bus b/c it looks like this:



While a metrobus looks like this (they aren't as cool looking or on-time in some locations, but they cover a much wider area compared to the Circulator):



I'd check out these sites for the basics on using public transportation in DC:

Washington DC: Public Transportation - TripAdvisor

Metro - Getting Around- Visitor Info

They have a trip planner on the WMATA site, which is kind of like a Mapquest but for public transportation.

Enjoy visiting!

[juniperbleu]

I just heard they're adding some routes, which is great. They want to replace the N22 that runs from Union Station through Capitol Hill/Eastern Market to the Nationals Stadium and then something else involving U Street & Adams Morgan.

[ffknight918]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

I just heard they're adding some routes, which is great. They want to replace the N22 that runs from Union Station through Capitol Hill/Eastern Market to the Nationals Stadium and then something else involving U Street & Adams Morgan.

I read recently that they are currently running training routes for those now. They should be open by late March/early April. That's actually what mad me curious to ask the question.

Thanks everyone! DCguy... I'm actually just curious because I'm making the move soon. Not a visit. However, the places that I can actually afford to live won't be near a route.(well maybe one of the newer ones) The Circulator bus from Georgetown that I've been on seemed so much nicer than MetroBus though. Hopefully I'll live close enough to a Metro stop so I can take the subway instead. Then I'll be driving to work since I'll be working with the DCFD and would start earlier than that times that Metro runs

Another question... Do most MetroBus' have the screens inside the bus that announce the next stop?

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by ffknight918

Another question... Do most MetroBus' have the screens inside the bus that announce the next stop?

Depends on the bus. When I rode the 7B from the Pentagon it listed the next stop. The 25C was an older bus, and it didn't.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by ffknight918

Another question... Do most MetroBus' have the screens inside the bus that announce the next stop?

Most buses in my experience do have screens and most also have audio announcements. (The buses I've primarily used are the N22, 79, 70, S2/S4, and J2.)