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- Every tap pays back for Metro riders: WMATA and FutureCard partnership delivers new Metro rewards in the DMV
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Riders simply tap their FutureCard at faregates to enter and exit the Metro system and automatically benefit from 5% cashback and a $5 bonus when they ride ten times in a week.
October 14, 2025, PR Newswire - This year's 'Week Without Driving' proved America needs more transportation choices
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For many participants, the experience showed how much of daily life becomes more complicated without a car. Getting to work, buying groceries, or reaching a doctor often means crossing unsafe streets, waiting on unreliable buses, or paying for expensive rideshares.
Emily Salazar, October 14, 2025, Streetsblog USA - Metro, Washington Spirit agree to partnership that promotes taking transit to games
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Nearly 40% of fans coming to Spirit matches take public transportation to and from, making both the Metro bus and rail a primary form of transportation for the fanbase. So far in 2025, an estimated 56,000 fans have taken transit to Spirit games at Audi Field. The Spirit and Metro hope to get even higher ridership.
October 14, 2025, WMATA - More buses, more riders: the case for frequent transit
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Think of transit like the elevator at your workplace. It’s only useful if it actually comes in a reasonable time. For elevators, a reasonable amount of time is about 20 seconds, per Otis Elevators. For transit, a reasonable amount of time is about 7-8 minutes.
Joshua Woods, October 14, 2025, Planetizen - The major transportation projects poised to change Greater Washington
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Billions of dollars are reshaping how Greater Washington moves — from rails and roads to airports and bridges. Some major projects, years in the making, are nearing an end as others slog through delays and new ones break ground.
Nate Doughty, October 14, 2025, Washington Business Journal - Goodbye, grody carpet: Metro retires 2000 series railcars
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The 2000 series railcars with the iconic brown and orange seats and carpet are out of service forever. Carpeted railcars bring back memories for riders, but not necessarily good ones.
Adam Tuss, October 13, 2025, NBC4 Washington - Decision looms on future of I-495 express lanes across Woodrow Wilson Bridge
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The project, which has been pushed by the Virginia Department of Transportation since 2022, would add 11 miles of new express lanes from the Springfield Interchange in Fairfax County, Virginia, crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and ending at the Maryland Route 210 interchange in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Mike Murillo, October 13, 2025, WTOP - Mastercard expands $2.50 public transit credit to more U.S. cities
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Mastercard just expanded its Public Transit Benefit to 2 new cities, New York and Washington, D.C., bringing the total to 7 major cities where cardholders can get a $2.50 statment credit each month on eligible purchases.
Chris Hassan, October 13, 2025, Upgraded Points - Public invited to comment on the refresh of Metro's Strategic Transformation Plan
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The refresh streamlines the plan around three goals: Service Excellence, Talented Teams, and Financial and Organizational Efficiency, with Regional Partnership and Long-Term Transit Planning recognized as a critical cross-cutting enabler across all goals. Metro is already emphasizing efficiency by saving hundreds of millions of dollars in recent budget years.
October 10, 2025, WMATA - The Baltimore region needs major league transit
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The good news is that the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), under the leadership of Holly Arnold, released a new strategy this summer for vastly improving public transportation in the Baltimore region. It’s called Bmore Bus and, if implemented, would transform the daily experience for Baltimore-area transit riders.
Paul Sturm, October 10, 2025, Maryland Matters - MDOT MTA to expand, modernize MARC storage facilities at Martin Maintenance Yard
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The project scope includes increased storage capacity for MARC Trains at the Martin Maintenance Yard (located near Martin State Airport), new tracks with catenary electrification, crossover tracks, a new inspection pit, and equipment that includes water hydrants, air piping extensions and light fixtures to support train car maintenance.
Carolina Worrell, October 10, Railway Age - Metro announces Green Line service changes in December for winter construction
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The Green Line will not operate between Hyattsville Crossing and Greenbelt from Saturday, Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 7. Green Line trains will run every 10 minutes, with Local and Express shuttle buses replacing trains between Hyattsville Crossing and Greenbelt.
October 10, 2025, WMATA - WMATA removes final 2000-series railcar after more than four decades of service
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The final train was removed from service at the Greenbelt Rail Yard this past week, closing the book on a fleet that first entered operation in the early 1980s.
October 9, 2025, The MoCo Show - Fairfax City considers CUE bus overhaul that would simplify routes, cut some stops
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A draft transportation development plan for the next 10 years of service envisions three simplified routes between the Vienna metro station, Old Town, and George Mason University, the areas with the highest demand.
Mary Stachyra Lopez, October 9, 2025, FFXNow - Weekend track work and service information for Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day
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On Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 13, Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight, operating on Saturday frequencies at all stations not experiencing track work. Metrobus will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule.
October 9, 2025, WMATA - Budget cut means D.C. Streetcar will shut down in March
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The D.C. Streetcar will shut down more than a year earlier than planned, with no clear timeline for the “next generation” electric bus service Mayor Muriel E. Bowser says will eventually replace it.
Rachel Weiner, October 9, 2025, The Washington Post - Metro outlines upcoming rail closures through fall 2026
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Upcoming closures on the Red Line include Union Station to Rhode Island Avenue on Oct. 18 and 19 and Friendship Heights to North Bethesda from July 2026 to September 2026.
Jeffery Leon, October 9, 2025, WTOP - Metro's 2026 summer shutdown expected to impact multiple stations
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Commuters reacting tonight to Metro‘s plan to shut down several stations on the red line next summer. The closures are to accommodate Purple Line construction. FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis is live from Bethesda with more.
October 8, 2025, Fox 5 News - Should the new RFK Stadium get a second Metro station?
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As redevelopment of the RFK stadium site begins in D.C., Metro wants to rev up an in-depth study about whether a new station should be built to handle the crowds that a new stadium would bring. Other transit improvements are also being proposed. This is the first time that Metro has put these plans into a document.
Adam Tuss, October 8, 2025, NBC4 Washington - Researcher develops tool to boost transit ridership in Virginia
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The impact goes beyond ridership numbers. Every trip that shifts from car to transit helps reduce congestion, improve air quality, and strengthen the social fabric of communities.
Courtney Sakry, October 7, 2025, Virginia Tech News - This newsroom is looking for its next big tip on the train
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One of America's top investigative newsrooms wants to uncover news stories about the federal government by appealing to potential tipsters on public transit — and highlighting the importance of shared modes for reinforcing the pillars of democracy.
Kea Wilson, October 8, 2025, Streetsblog USA - A way forward for DC's bus shelters
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Bus shelters are both critical to supporting existing bus ridership and attracting new riders to the bus. They allow riders to rest and stay protected from the elements, including direct sunlight, which is especially important in the urban heat islands across DC.
Santiago Lakatos, October 8, 2025, Greater Greater Washington - Hampton Roads Transit adds light rail trips to connect with Amtrak
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On Sundays, two additional evening light rail trips will be added westbound from Harbor Park Station to accommodate Amtrak passengers arriving at 8:35 p.m. with service toward downtown Norfolk.
October 7, 2025, City of Portsmouth - The 5 safest cities for cyclists in America — and what they have in common
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As Ron Johnson explains in Momentum, “The study covered nearly 300 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000, comparing rates of pedestrian and cyclist deaths against state averages and matching them with Walk and Bike Scores to create an overall safety index.”
Diana Ionescu, October 7, 2025, Planetizen - Metro plans 2-month Red Line shutdown: Bethesda, Medical Center, Grosvenor stops affected
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Metro will also be closing the Crystal City stop on 10 separate weekends. Details of the planned shutdowns within the next year became public this week.
Tom Roussey, October 7, 2025, ABC7 News - County to seek $463 million in regional funds to boost Route 1 bus project
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The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized a number of procedural steps last Tuesday (Sept. 30) to advance plans for the nearly billion-dollar Richmond Highway bus rapid transit (BRT) initiative known as The One.
Scott McCaffrey, October 7, 2025, FFXNow - Hampton Roads Transit to offer free rides on Election Day
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“With free access to HRT’s comprehensive transit solutions throughout Hampton Roads, we are once again doing our part to facilitate mobility on Election Day,” said William E. Harrell, President and CEO of HRT.
Madison Pearman, October 6, 2025, Wavy.com - Washington D.C. eyes Metro expansion
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Moving thousands of football fans into a new NFL stadium in Washington D.C. is sparking the stakeholders to explore options for expanding access to public transportation via a reported $2 million study commissioned by the city and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Scott Sowers, October 6, 2025, The Bond Buyer - Week Without Driving : How transit can serve people in rural towns
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“Mobility is a human right” is a theme of the national Week Without Driving, an annual event that highlights how people struggle to exercise that right when driving is not an option.
Abby Arnold, October 3, 2025, Streetsblog USA - Dave Thomas Circle is dead. Long live Peanut Johnson Plaza.
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The $41 million renovation of Block 709 and its surrounding streets has reclaimed over an acre of asphalt, built a complete network of bicycle lanes and sidewalks, and rationalized traffic flow.
David Edmondson, October 6, 2025, Greater Greater Washington - Northern Virginia's unlikely transit-oriented-development success story
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By providing a direct Metrorail connection to the heart of Tysons, the station has transformed shopping trips, commutes, and daily errands, making car-free access to one of the largest retail hubs on the East Coast a reality.
Diana Ionescu, October 5, 2025, Planetizen - DoorDash plans to deploy delivery robots in suburban bike lanes
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According to the company, “The core sensor, hardware, and software approach is similar to that of robotaxis, enabling the kind of reliable, door-to-door autonomous deliveries that customers expect and merchants rely on.”
Diana Ionescu, October 5, 2025, Planetizen - How the federal shutdown impacts Amtrak and U.S. rail travel?
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Amtrak reassured commuters that it will keep its regular schedule despite Congress not voting for a spending bill. The Shutdown began October 1, 2025, yet trains continue to circulate in 46 states, Washington, D.C., and parts of Canada.
October 5, 2025, Railway Supply - This electric two-wheel vehicle by BMW may be the future of urban commuting
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Technology wise, the Vision CE comes with a groundbreaking self-balancing function which allows the bike to remain upright when not moving. This means the rider doesn’t have to put in any extra effort to keep it from falling when it’s not in use.
Regina Sienra, October 3, 2025, My Modern Met - MARC Penn Line Train 401 returns to service on October 14
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The train was suspended back in April 2024 to support Amtrak's state of good repair and ADA accessibility construction work at stations between Baltimore and Washington D.C., according to Maryland Transit Administration.
Meghan Curtis, October 2, 2025, Fox Baltimore - DC pushes ambitious metro expansion for new commanders stadium, but major questions remain
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DC Councilmember Charles Allen, chair of the Council's Transportation Committee, is pushing hard to make Metro central to the gameday experience at the new stadium. His goal is for more than 30,000 fans to arrive by rail on gamedays, a dramatic increase from current ridership levels.
Eric Flack, October 2, 2025, WUSA9 - Fairfax Connector celebrates 40 years, salutes those who keep the buses running
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The original 10 routes have since expanded to more than 90 that carried over 9 million riders in 2024. The Connector even operates outside the county’s boundaries, connecting Fairfax with other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, Maryland and D.C.
Scott McCaffrey, October 2, 2025, FFXNow - Report: A third of Americans can't rely on cars — and 16 million have no access at all
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Altogether, that represents a staggering 36 percent of the U.S. population; only 25 percent of total transportation infrastructure spending, meanwhile, flows towards transit, biking, and walking.
Kea Wilson, October 2, 2025, Streetsblog USA - ART recorded improved ridership, on-time performance during FY25
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For fiscal 2025, nearly all ART routes showed year-over-year increases in passenger totals, with the total passenger count up 9% year-over-year, and on-time performance rose 3 percentage points.
Scott McCaffrey, October 2, 2025, ARLNow - How the government shutdown could impact DMV travel
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From air travel to your Metro ride this government shutdown could have a big impact on how you get around.
Adam Tuss, October 1, 2025, NBC4 Washington - Free and low-fare transit programs fail to reach many in need: report
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“Reduced fare programs are a direct investment in the people who need it to get to their jobs, health appointments, and social connections,” Vanessa Barrios, co-author of the report and director of DEI initiatives at RPA, said in a statement.
Dan Zukowski, September 29, 2025, Smart Cities Dive - A week without driving … or biking?
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It’s both a personal challenge, and an opportunity to better understand what life is like for the one third of people in the U.S. who cannot drive whether due to age, disability or economic reasons.
Tom Fucoloro, October 2, 2025, Streetsblog USA - How the Silver Line has shaped transit-oriented development in Northern Virginia
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In 2014, the first leg of the Silver Line opened, providing communities in Tysons Corner, Reston, and beyond with frequent and reliable Metrorail service. Ten years later, and in a post-pandemic world, the Reston and Tysons areas have been drastically changed.
Brian Shi, October 1, 2025, Greater Greater Washington