June 27, 2005

FROM UNION STATION TO GEORGETOWN…

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 27, 2005) – The DC CIRCULATOR (www.dccirculator.com), a new fleet of 29 colorfully designed buses connecting many of the city's tourist spots and major business centers, is set to launch on Sunday, July 10.

Operating seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the CIRCULATOR will transport residents, workers and visitors quickly and inexpensively along two initial routes designed to complement existing commuter-friendly bus and rail lines:

• An east-west link between Union Station and Georgetown along K Street, N.W. 
• A north-south route connecting the Southwest Waterfront with the Convention Center via the Mall and 7th Street, NW.

Here's how the CIRCULATOR will work:

• Patrons pay $1 per ride on the bus or can purchase a ticket at fare machines located on sidewalks along the designated routes. 
• Transfers from Metro services (rail and bus) will be free. 
• SmarTrip smart fare cards will be accepted for payment. 
• Riders will flash their tickets to "checkers" on buses. 
• CIRCULATOR buses will run at 5 to 10 minute intervals.

The CIRCULATOR fleet consists of 29 Belgian-made, European-looking buses featuring three street-level doors, low floors and large, tourist-style windows. The multiple doors will allow passengers to enter and exit quickly. There will be 24 buses in service with five buses in reserve.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) owns the CIRCULATOR. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will manage the service, and First Transit, a private sector transit operator, will operate it. The District, the federal government and city business leaders that supported the service will fund operating costs.

DC Surface Transit Inc. (DCST), a non-profit comprised of the Downtown, Golden Triangle and Georgetown Business Improvement Districts; the Washington Convention Center Authority (WCCA); the Washington Convention and Tourism Corporation (WCTC); and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), oversees CIRCULATOR marketing.

"We heard people saying that they often bypass certain areas of town because these areas are difficult and expensive to access," said DDOT Director Dan Tangherlini. "The CIRCULATOR will tie our city together by providing high quality, inexpensive transportation to city museums, entertainment venues, memorials, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, offices and residences."

"Whether residents use it to run an errand, or conventioneers ride across town for lunch, the CIRCULATOR will provide a tremendous economic boost to the city," said Rich Bradley president of DC Surface Transit Inc. and executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID).

"I believe I speak for many in the District's tourism industry when I say how excited I am to see the CIRCULATOR debut," said Bill Hanbury, president of the Washington Convention and Tourism Corporation (WCTC). "There are more than 30 hotels within one block of the CIRCULATOR'S two routes, providing our guests with great access to all the wonderful attractions, the National Mall, our neighborhoods and the Washington Convention Center."

"We are thrilled to see the idea first proposed in our 1997 Legacy Plan become reality," said Patti Gallagher, executive director of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). "The CIRCULATOR is a great addition to the city's existing transit options."

The DCST is aiming for annual ridership of 4.6 million people when the system is fully implemented in 2008. Tangherlini said immediate goals for the CIRCULATOR include short waiting times (5 to 10 minutes), friendly and reliable service and cross marketing opportunities with businesses, venues and institutions along the routes.

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