WMATA aims to alter fares and reduce and eliminate bus lines that serve the area around Foxhall Village, prompting letters of protest and uncertainty about what’s happening with public transportation.

The agency says on its website that it plans to “restructure service for efficiency and simplicity” and “eliminate routes where other transit service is available or on routes with low ridership.”

Slated for elimination are the “first or last early morning and/or late-night trips, that have low ridership,” including the D6. Routes on the chopping block include the D5.

The D5 runs along MacArthur Boulevard and to downtown. What constitutes ridership low enough to provoke route elimination is unclear. But riders waiting recently along the Boulevard during the morning rush said they value the service and that the bus is crowded.

Also, WMATA is pushing use of pre-loaded plastic fare cards with a plan for a 25-cent regular fare surcharge for use of cash. The transfer discount between Metrorail and Metrobus would be increased, going from 50 cents to $2.  Other proposed changes include charging peak fares for people who ride between midnight and closing on Friday and Saturday nights and a $1 rail surcharge for access at the new Dulles Airport station.

Metrobus ridership has been falling, says WMATA, which notes federal government workforce contraction; alternatives such as ride hailing, particularly at off-peak times; more telecommuting and slower bus speeds from congestion and roadwork.

WMATA’s proposed 2021 operating budget is $2 billion, with $800 million coming mainly from passenger fares, parking fees, and advertising revenues, and $1.2 billion in subsides from jurisdictions.

A public comment period closed March 9, with the WMATA budget to be effective in July. Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh and community organizations have registered opposition to WMATA bus plans.

(This article originally appeared in the March edition of Foxhall News.)