Washington, DC
Mayor Bowser Celebrates Arrival of New DC Circulator Buses, Announces Jeff Marootian as Interim Director at DDOT
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Bowser celebrated the arrival of 26 New Flyer Xcelsior® model buses, the first wave of 40 new buses that will be added to the DC Circulator fleet. The New Flyer Xcelsior® model buses are manufactured in the United States, use clean diesel technology to drastically reduce harmful particulate emissions, and offer the greatest passenger economy. The Mayor also announced that Jeff Marootian, the current Deputy Director at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), will take over as the agency’s interim Director on August 11.
“In a city as busy as ours, we all know how important reliability, convenience, and affordability are,” said Mayor Bowser. “These new Circulator buses will allow us to provide improved transportation services to both residents and visitors, and with this greener, more modern fleet of buses on the road, we are building a safer, stronger, and more sustainable DC.”
The new buses were sourced specifically for their emissions-reducing technology. In addition, riders will experience added amenities, such as operator-controlled air conditioning, automated stop announcements, improved real-time bus arrival accuracy, dual-screen infotainment systems (i.e. digital displays that provide real-time information), and USB ports. All of the buses have technology to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and have been manufactured to take advantage of future technology deployments, including on-board Wi-Fi and rear-door boarding.
“Since the system’s inception in 2005, the DC Circulator has played an important role in the District’s overall transportation network,” said DDOT Director Leif Dormsjo. “DDOT is committed to providing District residents, commuters, and visitors safe, affordable, eco-friendly transportation options between existing and growing activity centers. The 40 new buses promise to facilitate and enhance the delivery of transit services that meet riders’ expectations.”
The new buses are expected to help the District reach the following key sustainability targets:
- increasing public transit use to 50 percent of all commuter trips;
- reducing commuter trips made by car or taxi to 25 percent; and
- eliminating all “unhealthy” air quality index days, including “unhealthy for sensitive groups” days.
Additionally, with their advanced technology to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the buses will support the District’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2024.
A second wave of buses, expected to enter service in late fall 2017, includes 14 buses that run on 100 percent battery-electric propulsion.
The DC Circulator, a partnership between DDOT and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), is a local transit resource that provides more than five million trips each year and transports riders on six routes throughout the District and Rosslyn, Virginia. The Circulator fare is only $1.00 and buses arrive every 10 minutes. To learn more, visit dccirculator.com, and follow DC Circulator on Facebook and Twitter.