It just takes a little planning
Revolving your life around public transportation takes planning and patience. It's been helpful for me to realize what's around where I have to go, such as if going home can easily involve the grocery store or library. I plan out my routes to places I haven't been to yet. That's how it started out -- taking the bus from my apartment just up Route 1 to Whole Foods. Now there are so many places I go without having to plan. Don't get overwhelmed, just get on the bus once. And then do it again. And again and again. You'll figure it out.
The bus does take a little longer. I often have to leave earlier or leave later than if I took a car. In those moments are opportunities. The opportunity to be a little earlier to where I'm going. The opportunity to get a cup of coffee, read a book, or run another errand nearby. The opportunity to sit at home for a few more minutes without rushing out the door.
I look at the weather every morning and for a couple of days ahead. I have an umbrella ready. I know my schedule for the day and I might take something with me I'll need later. For example, a reusable shopping bag, my workout clothes, or something to put in the mail. I usually pack my phone charger for longer trips.
Know your options
Everyone can figure out Metrorail. We love to throw millions of confused tourists on it every year. But there are lots of bus options that run through our local neighborhoods that make ditching the car possible. You can almost get to and from anywhere notable in the region via bus and rail.
Metrobus
WMATA runs buses through the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. These buses run seven days a week, though not all lines run on weekends. Most Metrobus service ends around 6 p.m. on Sundays (don't get stuck!). Some lines cut off early in the evenings and some lines run as late as 11 p.m. or midnight.
Prince George's County "The Bus"
The Bus operates Monday through Friday. They often have different, but similar, routes and times as Metrobus. It adds to the options. They also take riders farther out into the county. For example, Upper Marlboro, Fort Washington and Brandywine. Bring a book, because those are long hauls, but doable. (And you don't have to drive!) I've taken the bus to Upper Marlboro a couple of times this year, which I'll talk about shortly.
Shuttle-UM
This is the student shuttle for the University of Maryland. It is free to ride with a pass. Just show your pass when you get on the bus. Pass are free for Hyattsville and College Park residents and Greenbelt residents pay a $10 fee.
Route 113 is a loop that runs through Hyattsville Monday through Friday only. It is a great option to get somewhere in Hyattsville or on Campus. To get to anywhere else, including the College Park Metro, you have to go towards the Regents Garage and switch bus lines there.
Riverdale Park Station metro shuttle
If you get yourself over to Riverdale Park Station (where the Whole Foods is on Baltimore Avenue) and you need to get to the College Park Metro Station or Prince George's Plaza Metro Station, this free shuttle is an option. It runs daily, every 15 minutes, between 6:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m, as well as 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
It picks up and drops off in front of Whole Foods. Look for the sign in between the two entrances on 45th Avenue.
How to pay
First, the entire system is integrated with SmartTrip cards. One SmartTrip card will get you on all Metro and county buses. It's important when riding a bus that you have a SmartTrip card, because some of your trips will be discounted or free.
The base fare on a Metrobus is $2. The express and airport buses are more expensive. The base fare on The Bus is $1.25.
There is a two-hour window where you can transfer between bus and rail for free or a discount with the same SmartTrip card. Bus-to -rail or rail-to-bus is a $0.50 discount. All your bus-to-bus swipes in that two-hour period are free after the first trip. It means you can run to the library, Whole Foods and back home for $1.25 or $2, if you do it in two hours. It means if you have to take three buses to get somewhere, you can do it for just $1.25 or $2.
It is possible to get your transportation spending down to $70 per month via bus only and $135 or $185 for unlimited bus and rail use. Metro passes are a beautiful thing. For $17.50, I ride around everywhere on the bus all week.
Some of the biggest hurdles I had were understanding what the SmartTrip noises were, how to pay if your card is out and you don't have cash or exact change, and how to reload your SmartTrip card if you can't get to a rail station.
There are three or four different noises when you scan your SmartTrip card. I am still figuring them out, because the driver is driving and doesn't have time to answer everyone's questions. I think they are that the card was accepted, the card is on a transfer, the card is low, and "yo, pay up, there's no money on this thing."
You can pay a fare in exact bills, coins or a combination. What I have learned is that you can add money to your SmartTrip card on the bus. Scan the card, get the rejection buzz, add whatever amount of cash you want ($2, $5, $20, etc.), and rescan your card to get the accepted beep. And there you go! A reloaded SmartTrip card -- or at least a SmartTrip card with a two-hour transfer window.
SmartTrip cards can also be reloaded online. If you reload online, then tap your card to get into a rail station, it will automatically load the card. However, if you tap your card on a bus, the system takes several hours to load funds, and up to three days for bus passes.
If you find that your funds are not yet accessible to you, the Metro drivers are understanding. Just explain you bought a pass or reloaded online, you don't have any cash, and you're waiting for it to kick in. They will still let you ride.
So, you want to get off the bus?
To signal the driver you'd like to get off at the next stop, there are yellow cables on both sides of the bus that you pull. It's important to know what your stop is and what the stop before your stop is. Even though most buses have visual and/or audio prompts for the stops, those aren't always accurate. The bus driver mostly relies on the red Metrobus signs and expects you to pull the cable just after the stop before yours. Pulling too early or too late can result in the bus ending up at the wrong stop.
Some bus drivers know their routes well and if you tell them where you want to get off, they can make that happen. However, some bus drivers don't know the routes or the stops and won't be able to help you. If you make a mistake, just keep trying. You'll get it.
How to get where you want to go
WMATA Trip Planner and Google Maps (using the directions function, then hitting the bus icon) help me plan my routes. If I don't like my options on one, I will check the other. Trip Planner is available on the WMATA homepage, as well as on several DC Metro Transit apps. When unfamiliar, I will take paper notes of my route options with me, so that I can focus on bus times and not do research when I'm on the move.
I use BusETA and NextBus to scout bus routes, times, and stop locations (which can be tricky!). BusETA is for WMATA buses. It gives real and scheduled bus times online and often integrated on DC Metro apps. I use BusETA on mobile web (not the app), because the times are more reliable.
NextBus is a website and a mobile app that applies to Prince George's County "The Bus," Shuttle-UM, and the DC Circulator. It gives real time predictions and maps with bus locations. Pretty cool!
Pro tips
- Bus drivers are really friendly most of the time and they try to be helpful when time and patience allows. I can't imagine what they see on a daily basis, but they manage to keep their spirits up. Bless their hearts.
- Metro stations are known for not having bathrooms, however, I had a long trip one day and discovered a nifty compilation of best options. I absolutely scored at New Carrollton and Wiehle-Reston East.
- Lots of people roll strollers, food carts and suitcases right onto the bus. Almost all the buses are kneeling buses, which means they can lower down to attempt to meet the curb.
- The buses come at regular intervals (but also earlier and later), so if you don't have a smartphone, they are still pretty reliable. Each bus line has it's own interval for the time of day and day of the week.
- From approximately 11am to 3pm, it takes longer to get around depending on the line. There is faster bus service during rush hour.
- Some of the rail stations have lots of bus stops on both sides. I have missed a couple waiting on the wrong side for a bus. If there are two sides and it's not easy to figure out, find the bus map, find your route and look if your bus route is on the N/S/E/W side.
- NEVER FORGET: All bus service cuts out early on Sundays. Don't get stuck!
Example long trip
Prince George's County Circuit Court, Upper Marlboro -- Several times, I've taken the bus to and from the Upper Marlboro courthouse. I cut out Metrorail to save $2-3 each trip. No matter what, riders have to catch the 21 county bus. There's a couple of places to meet it, and it was trial and error until I found my best option. The trip is a total of two hours one-way using public transportation. Beats the $15 to $20 via Uber Pool.
First, I took the F8 Metrobus south towards Cheverly and got off at Hospital Drive & Landover Road. Then I picked up the A12 county bus south towards Addison Road Metro and got off at Brightseat Road & Maple Ridge Apartments. Crossed the road to grab the 21 county bus south towards Upper Marlboro.
I recently discovered that if I picked up the 21 bus at New Carrollton, I had access to the Amtrak station, which means bathrooms, indoor seating, places to charge phones, and a full cafe stand. Spoiled. To get there, I just grab the F4 from Hyattsville or the T18 from Bladensburg, and I'm set. It's still two hours, but there's a bathroom and food along the way.
Mistakes
I have made some pretty fatal bus errors. In January, I worked a lot during that snow storm. I was able to take the bus one place and didn't even think about Metro suspending bus service. That was a bad night.
I have also been caught twice by not realizing bus service cuts out really early on Sundays. One of those Sundays, I was stranded at Starbucks after a Whole Foods shopping trip with no bus, a phone that wouldn't charge, and freezing temperatures. Pastor Ishmael Wilson and associate from Fresh Dry Cleaners drove me home. Thank you!
Then there was a lot of rain one day and I wasn't sure how to get from A to B. I just missed the 86 bus I needed to catch at 38th and Hamilton. I watched it drive by me as I was almost at the stop. I ended up just walking to Brentwood in the rain from West Hyattsville Metro. Whatever, I got home to Bladensburg via T18 and found my basement apartment had flooded and knocked out half of my belongings during my last big move. I eventually dried out a few days later.
Take the bus!
I am learning from my bus mistakes, and everyone can, too. I love taking the bus and almost all of my experiences are positive. I love having time to read, encouraging myself to walk if I want, as well as not dealing with the stress of owning a car and driving. I am zipping around the region, as usual.
My challenge to everyone reading this: the next time you see a bus or a bus stop sign near some place you go, get online and figure out where else that bus goes. You just might find you go there, too.
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