DC Circulator

The concept of a separate downtown bus was included in a 1997 report by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). The report called for "a simple, inexpensive, and easily navigable surface transit system that complements Metrobus and Metrorail." The next year, representatives of the Commission, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and the Downtown D.C. business improvement district met to plan what would become the Circulator.{{Cite web |url=http://www.downtowndc.org/program/transportation/dc-circulator/ |title=DC Circulator |publisher=Downtown DC BID |access-date=December 12, 2011}}

After selecting First Transit as the system operator, the DC Circulator started service in July 2005 with two routes: one along K Street from Union Station to Georgetown, and a second from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to the Southwest Waterfront.

Additional routes were later added to serve the National Mall (2006), the 14th Street Corridor (2009), the Washington Navy Yard (2009), Rosslyn to Dupont Circle (2010), and the Skyland Town Center development in Southeast Washington (2011). The two lines that served the National Mall and the Southwest Waterfront were discontinued in 2011 due to low ridership and redundant service.{{Cite web |url=http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/About+DDOT/News+Room/Press+Releases/DDOT+to+Implement+Changes+to+Existing+Circulator+Service |title=DDOT to Implement Changes to Existing Circulator Service |publisher=District of Columbia Department of Transportation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611003650/http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/About+DDOT/News+Room/Press+Releases/DDOT+to+Implement+Changes+to+Existing+Circulator+Service |archive-date=June 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 12, 2011}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.tbd.com/articles/2011/04/d-c-circulator-bus-route-on-national-mall-ends-57612.html |title=D.C. Circulator bus route on National Mall ends |date=April 1, 2011 |work=TBD |access-date=December 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523212001/http://www.tbd.com/articles/2011/04/d-c-circulator-bus-route-on-national-mall-ends-57612.html |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |url-status=dead}} The National Mall route was reinstated on June 15, 2015. The route is operated in collaboration with the National Park Service.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dccirculator.com/district-to-begin-dc-circulator-national-mall-route-bus-service-partnership-with-national-park-service-connects-national-mall/ |title=District to Begin DC Circulator National Mall Route Bus Service |publisher=District of Columbia Department of Transportation |access-date=June 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201033538/http://www.dccirculator.com/district-to-begin-dc-circulator-national-mall-route-bus-service-partnership-with-national-park-service-connects-national-mall/ |archive-date=February 1, 2017 |url-status=dead}}

A report released in March 2011 calls for developing better routes to replace those that had served the National Mall and Southwest Waterfront, and adding new service to the U Street Corridor, portions of Upper Northwest, and neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River.

In 2018, RATP Dev replaced First Transit as the operator of the Circulator.{{Cite news |last=Lazo |first=Luz |title=D.C. Circulator operations contract going to a new provider |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=October 17, 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2018/06/04/d-c-circulator-operations-contract-going-to-a-new-provider/}}

From February 2019 until October 2019, DC Circulator rides were free under Mayor Bowser Fair Shot initiative.{{cite web |last1=Rogger |first1=Caitlin |title=The Circulator is now free. Why just the Circulator? It's complicated. |url=https://ggwash.org/view/71368/the-circulator-is-now-free-why-just-the-circulator-its-complicated |website=Greater Greater Washington |access-date=23 April 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Carrasco |first1=Maria |title=DC Circulator Bus Rides Will Be Free Indefinitely |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dc-circulator-bus-rides-will-be-free-indefinitely/87213/ |publisher=NBC4 Washington |access-date=23 April 2020}} However the $1 fare was reinstated due to increased ridership. However some city officials looked into reinstating the free rides.{{cite web |last1=Kaplan |first1=Sophie |title=DC Circulator to end free rides, charge $1 fare again |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/sep/30/dc-circulator-end-free-rides-charge-1-fare-again/ |website=The Washington Times |access-date=23 April 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Giambrone |first1=Andrew |title=Free D.C. Circulator service scrapped in initial budget vote but eastward expansion preserved |url=https://dc.curbed.com/2019/5/15/18624876/dc-circulator-free-rides-expansion-transportation |website=Curbed DC |access-date=23 April 2020 |language=en |date=15 May 2019}} Rides were free again due to the COVID-19 pandemic until the $1 fare was reinstated again on October 1, 2021.

On July 29, 2024, the District Department of Transportation announced that the service would be drawn down throughout the remainder of the year, and eventually discontinued on December 31.{{cite web | title=DDOT Announces Phased-in Elimination of DC Circulator Beginning October 1 | website=ddot | date=2024-07-29 | url=https://ddot.dc.gov/release/ddot-announces-phased-elimination-dc-circulator-beginning-october-1#:~:text=(WASHINGTON%2C%20DC)%20%E2%80%94%20Today,service%20ending%20December%2031%2C%202024. | access-date=2024-07-30}} Reductions including the discontinuation of most late-night services, elimination of the Rosslyn – Dupont Circle route, and increased headways, are planned to begin on October 1. The announcement cited decreasing ridership and transportation budget cuts as the reasons for ending the service.{{cite web | last=Nguyen | first=Danny | title=Circulator bus system will begin phasing out Oct. 1 and end this year | website=Washington Post | date=2024-07-30 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/07/30/circulator-bus-dc-end-date/ | access-date=2024-07-30}}

On October 1, 2024, the Rosslyn – Dupont Circle route was discontinued entirely, and late night service on the Woodley Park – Adams Morgan and Georgetown – Union Station routes were discontinued. Additionally, all routes were now scheduled to operate every 20 minutes.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-30 |title=The DC Circulator Bus Is Officially Going to Die - Washingtonian |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2024/07/30/the-dc-circulator-bus-is-officially-going-to-die/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |language=en-US}} WMATA responded to the route discontinuation by increasing weekend frequencies on the Ballston—Farragut Square Line (designated as route 38B) which operates a similar route to the discontinued Circulator route.{{Cite web |title=WMATA {{!}} Expanded 38B Saturday and Sunday Service, Oct 5 to Dec 14 |url=https://www.wmata.com/service/status/details/Expanded-38B-Saturday-and-Sunday-Service.cfm |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241003193341/https://www.wmata.com/service/status/details/Expanded-38B-Saturday-and-Sunday-Service.cfm |archive-date=2024-10-03 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=WMATA |language=en}}

On December 15, 2024, WMATA implemented multiple bus service adjustments, including the introduction of a new route, to prepare for the elimination of the Circulator routes. A new daily bus route called the Anacostia – Stanton Road Line (route C25) was created to provide service to Stanton Road and Pomeroy Road from Anacostia Station{{Cite web |title=WMATA {{!}} Metrobus Changes December 15 |url=https://www.wmata.com/service/status/details/metrobus_changes_december_15.cfm |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241220084414/https://www.wmata.com/service/status/details/metrobus_changes_december_15.cfm |archive-date=2024-12-20 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=WMATA |language=en}} every half hour. This new service was intended to provide coverage to areas serviced by the Congress Heights – Union Station route that were not previously serviced by any existing Metrobus routes. The routing of the Wisconsin Avenue Line was adjusted to move the northbound terminal of the 33 route from Federal Triangle to Union Station, providing a similar routing to the Circulator's Georgetown – Union Station route. Service was increased on the 14th Street Line (routes 52 and 54) along 14th Street between Colorado Avenue and Metro Center Station to compensate for the elimination of the Eastern Market – L'Enfant Plaza route.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-10 |title=Say ‘goodbye’ to DC Circulator: How the city plans to make up for lost bus routes |url=https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2024/09/say-goodbye-to-dc-circulator-how-the-city-plans-to-make-up-for-lost-bus-routes/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=WTOP News |language=en}}

December 31, 2024 was the last day that the DC Circulator ran service before ending all service.{{Cite web |last=Dasgupta |first=Sonia |date=2024-12-31 |title=DC Circulator service ends officially Tuesday night |url=https://wjla.com/news/local/dc-circulator-service-ends-officially-tuesday-night-december-31-2024-riders-supporters-transition-19-years-city-transportation-union-layoffs-staff-public-transit-budget-bus-routes |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=WJLA |language=en}}

The DC Circulator had five lines operating at 20-minute intervals at the time of closure.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dccirculator.com/circulator-map-and-information-guide/ |title=Circulator Map and Information Guide |publisher=DC Circulator |access-date=May 14, 2018}}

This east-west line connected Georgetown with Washington Union Station and operated primarily along Wisconsin Avenue, K Street, and Massachusetts Avenue. Eastbound, the bus started on Wisconsin Avenue at Whitehaven Street in Georgetown. Westbound, the route started in the bus level of the Union Station parking garage. Service was replaced by an extended WMATA Route 33.

This line operated between Woodley Park, Adams Morgan, and McPherson Square via the 14th Street Corridor. Part of this route replaced the discontinued Metrobus 98 route.{{Cite press release |title=Metrobus Routes 98, N22 being replaced by DC Circulator |date=March 27, 2009 |publisher=Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |url=https://www.wmata.com/about/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2518 |access-date=December 20, 2009}} Service was replaced by additional WMATA Route 54 service.

This line connected Eastern Market and L'Enfant Plaza through Navy Yard & the DC Wharf District.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dccirculator.com/2018servicechanges/ |title=DC Circulator Final 2018 Service Changes |publisher=DDOT |date=June 24, 2018 |access-date=June 23, 2018}} Service will be replaced in WMATA's Better Bus Network Redesign.

This line operated from the Congress Heights and Union Station east of the Anacostia River via Barracks Row on Capitol Hill. This route replaced the discontinued Metrobus 94 line.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dccirculator.com/2018servicechanges/ |title=DC Circulator Final 2018 Service Changes |publisher=DDOT |date=June 24, 2018 |access-date=June 23, 2018}} Service was replaced by WMATA Route C25 service.

This 15-stop loop line operated from Union Station to most of the major attractions on or near the Mall, including ones that are at some distance from Metro stations, such as the Lincoln, Jefferson, World War II, FDR, and Martin Luther King. Jr. memorials.{{cite web |title=DC Circulator National Mall Route Service Map |url=http://nationalmall.dccirculator.com/#route-anchor |website=DC Circulator |access-date=May 14, 2018}}

This line operated from Dupont Circle primarily via M Street through Georgetown and travels over the Key Bridge to Rosslyn. This route replaced the former Georgetown Metro Connection "blue bus."{{Cite web |title=DC Circulator Expansion Continues |url=http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/About+DDOT/News+Room/ci.DC+Circulator+Expansion+Continues.print |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228225845/http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/About+DDOT/News+Room/ci.DC+Circulator+Expansion+Continues.print |archive-date=February 28, 2012 |access-date=May 14, 2018 |publisher=DDOT}} This service was discontinued on October 1, 2024 and replaced by additional WMATA 38B service.

Until 2011 this line ran only on summer weekends, serving the National Mall in a loop along Constitution Avenue, 1st Street NE/SE, Independence Avenue, and 17th Street NW/SW. The line was replaced by the more extensive National Mall route in June 2015.

A north-south line connected the Washington Convention Center with the Southwest Waterfront and operated primarily along 7th and 9th streets, which have bus lanes. The service was eliminated on September 25, 2011 due to low ridership. A new Metrobus route, 74, was opened on September 23, 2011 along the 7th Street corridor between the Washington Convention Center and the Waterfront neighborhood, replacing the Circulator line and the eliminated portion of Metrobus Routes 70 and 71 from Pennsylvania Avenue to the South. The 74 bus costs more to ride and offers less frequent service, but the District officials said the ridership on the Circulator was too low to continue it.

This line operated from the Potomac Avenue Metro station and Skyland Town Center east of the Anacostia River via Barracks Row on Capitol Hill. It was replaced by the Congress Heights – Union Station route on June 24, 2018 replacing Metrobus Route 94.

This line connected Union Station and Navy Yard through Capitol Hill, with extended service on Washington Nationals game days. This route was replaced by the Eastern Market – L’Enfant Plaza route on June 24, 2018. Also this route replaced the discontinued Metrobus N22 line.

This seasonal line operated from Woodley Park station to Smithsonian National Zoo during the 2019 summer season. The service first ran between May 4, 2019 and September 30, 2019. DC Circulator planned on operating the line again during later summer seasons.{{cite web |title=Convenient Bus Rides to the National Zoo in DC |url=https://www.dccirculator.com/explore/zoo-express-bus/ |website=dccirculator.com |access-date=25 July 2019}}

• Public-private partnerships in the United States

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