Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation announced the issuance of an emergency rulemaking that will keep the DC Circulator in Washington, D.C., free through Sept. 30.
The extension is intended to encourage more riders to use the service while the economy continues to re-open.
Bowser first made the DC Circulator free in 2019 as part of the district’s #FairShotFebruary campaign. Free rides have been offered multiple times since to promote the use of convenient and accessible public transportation and increase ridership.
In March 2020, Bowser made the DC Circulator free in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The emergency expired on July 25.
“Today, more residents, commuters, and visitors are traveling in and around the district, and it is essential that they have as many safe, accessible, and affordable public transportation options as possible,” Bowser said. “Keeping the DC Circulator free as long as possible is a crucial part of meeting that objective.”
The emergency rulemaking extending free ridership is effective immediately upon publication in the DC Register.
Bowser proposed investing $6.5 million to keep the DC Circulator free, maintain the reliability of the bus system and acquire electric charging stations for the fleet. DC Council voted to eliminate free rides.
The DC Circulator is conducting its annual survey and is updating its Transit Development Plan.