(Washington, DC) Today District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Gabe Klein and District Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Bryan Sivak announced that the District has agreed with Google to place data on the District’s DC Circulator bus on the Google Transit site.
Google Transit is a site designed to allow visitors to plan trips using public transit—buses, subways, trolleys etc. More than 444 jurisdictions and public transit authorities nationwide have placed their transit information on the site.
The DC Circulator bus is an initiative launched in 2005 by the District of Columbia, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and Surface Transportation, with support from the Downtown Business Improvement District. Its purpose is to increase transit options and reduce congestion in the city’s downtown core. The District’s downtown is home to numerous government buildings, museums, tourist attractions, restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels and shopping sites. In recent years, it has seen rapidly growing traffic from residents and visitors alike.
The Circulator has five routes connecting through the District’s downtown. Circulator buses arrive at stops every 10 minutes throughout the day. The 43 colorful buses have low floors, multiple doors for easy entry and exit, and large windows for easy viewing along the route. The Circulator costs only $1 per ride, with substantial senior and student discounts and discounted Metro transfer fares. Travelers can hop on the bus and pay cash or buy tickets in advance online or at curbside parking meters. A “Where’s My Bus?” mobile GPS application developed by the District Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) allows riders to quickly find out how close the next bus is.
The convenient routes, low fares and attractive, comfortable buses have made the DC Circulator a highly popular transit option in downtown DC. The Circulator has transported more than 8 million workers, residents and visitors since its inception.
As a result of the agreement between the District and Google, DC Circulator riders will now be able to plan their DC Circulator trips in advance using Google Transit.
“Our vibrant District downtown contains key business venues and offers every urban cultural or recreational activity anyone could want,” said Mayor Fenty. “The Circulator will take you anywhere in downtown DC you want to go—and now, with our data on Google Transit, you can plan it all in advance.”
“The DC Circulator has been a great success helping residents and visitors get around and reducing traffic in downtown DC,” said DDOT Director Klein. “With Google Transit, we can make it even more successful.”
“From our perspective, technology is all about making life and work easier and more convenient for everyone,” said CTO Sivak. “By linking the DC circulator to Google Transit, we’re making getting to work and play faster and easier for everyone.”
To get additional information on the DC Circulator and a link to the “Where’s My Bus” application, visit dccirculator.com.
To learn more about DC Government technology initiatives and resources, visit octo.dc.gov.