News

Regional transportation news stories compiled by CommuterPage.com. Subscribe to a daily email with the most recent news, recent ACCS blog posts, and upcoming events. Every CommuterPage.com News email includes an "unsubscribe" link.

Metro services pause to remember 25th anniversary of 9/11

Transit services across Washington, DC will stop for a minute today.The pause, announced by Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA), is a mark of remembrance for those killed in the attacks on New York City and Washington, DC on September 11, 2001. Read more...
Adam Hill, September 11, 2026, ITS International

Remembering Metro's vital role on 9/11

Metro kept trains and buses running to help people leave the city after the plane hit the Pentagon.  Read more...
Adam Tuss, September 10, 2026, NBC4 Washington

Why not everyone is happy with DC Metro's new signs in stations

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority says its redesigned signs are intended to make navigating the Metro “clearer and more consistent,” with less visual clutter and information presented at the point where riders need it.  Read more...
Mike Stunson, September 10, 2026, USA Today

Learn about e-bike safety on W&OD Trail

Participants will receive information on the safe and legal operation of e-bikes, electric scooters, electric dirt bikes, mopeds and other electric personal mobility devices. Organizers will also discuss responsible riding practices and trail etiquette to help improve safety for all trail users. Read more...
September 11, 2026, Fairfax County Times

What actually gets more people cycling? A new study has some surprising answers

If a city wants more people to cycle, the conventional answer is usually some combination of bike lanes, cycling education, public-awareness campaigns and incentives. All have their place. A protected bike lane can make a frightening street feel comfortable, a cycling course can build confidence and a rebate can make an e-bike affordable. Read more...
Ron Johnson, September 9, 2026, Momentum Mag

Metro and union reach agreement on 'quote the fare' bus policy

Charts provided at a Metro Board of Directors meeting Thursday showed that modernized fare gates have led to a significant reduction in fare evasion on Metro Rail, but while Metro Bus fare evasion is down from its peak of 75%, it’s still well above the agency’s goal of 50%. Read more...
Josh Rosenthal, September 10, 2026, Fox 5 News

Alexandria's DASH ridership climbs as state evaluates Northern Virginia bus merger

Alexandria’s DASH Bus system had a 10% ridership increase in the last fiscal year ending June 30, according to data from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. More than 6.9 million riders were reported in the 2026 fiscal year. Read more...
Emily Leayman, September 10, 2026, ALXNow

Metro rolls out new signage at L'Enfant Plaza

Metro has rolled out some new signage at the L’Enfant Plaza station intended to make commutes less confusing. For some, it’s working, while others say they still need some GPS guidance.  Read more...
Adam Tuss, September 9, 2026, NBC4 Washington

WMATA wraps up Red Line project

The majority of work here requiring extended access to the track area has now been completed, according to WMATA. Construction on the mezzanine, including the bridge to the elevator banks, will continue behind protective barriers over the next 18 months without requiring additional station closures. Read more...
Marybeth Luczak, September 9, 2026, RT&S

Fairfax Connector, CUE see drops in ridership despite broader N. Va. transit growth

While Fairfax Connector and CUE saw ridership decline in FY 2026, which spanned July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, the region’s other local bus networks — Arlington Transit, Alexandria’s DASH and Loudoun County Transit — posted increases. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, September 9, 2026, FFXNow

Mount Pleasant wants to bike safely. For that, we need better community connections.

Our central ask is for protected bike lanes connecting Mount Pleasant and DC’s 15th Street protected bike lanes, which consist of two-way lanes that run between Euclid Street NW, at the northeast corner of Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park, through downtown DC and south of the Jefferson Memorial. Read more...
Rachel Shaffer/Pete Rodrigue/Sarah Loftus/Seth Grimes, September 9, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

ART bus ridership rose slightly despite government shutdown in 2025

Arlington officials have revamped ART routes and times in recent years, seeking to maximize efficiency while increasing ridership. The efforts took a hit when Congress couldn’t agree to fund government operations, leading to a shutdown lasting from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, September 9, 2026, ARLNow

OmniRide celebrates 40 years with new vehicles

The new vehicles include eight MCI commuter buses, seven Gillig buses, and one electric van. The 40-foot Gillig buses will replace vehicles that have reached or exceeded their useful life and will serve OmniRide Local and Metro Express routes, while the electric van will support microtransit and paratransit services. Read more...
September 7, 2026, APTA

Riders take first commutes after Metro's summer shutdown

It’s the first trip into work since Metro closed three stations for nine weeks to complete construction and upgrades. News4’s Juliana Valencia spoke to commuters celebrating the return of the Red Line. Read more...
Juliana Valencia, September 8, 2026, NBC4 Washington

Metro installs new signs at L'Enfant Plaza, kicks off rollout of new wayfinding system

In September 2026, new signs will be installed at L’Enfant Plaza station. By the end of October, Metro riders will see the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station fully restored with updated signs that reflect ways to navigate the system. Read more...
Odyssey Fields, September 9, 2026, DC News Now

Skanska lands $114M contract to rehabilitate congested I-395 bridge

The D.C. Department of Transportation on Tuesday tapped global construction firm Skanska Group to oversee a design-build contract to rehabilitate the span, which connects Arlington and D.C. and transports roughly 90,000 vehicles daily via Interstate 395. Read more...
Nate Doughty, September 8, 2026, Washington Business Journal

Amtrak to suspend Virginia-to-D.C. service for critical track upgrades Oct. 16–26

Due to the suspension, trains traveling through Virginia will effectively end at Alexandria, with only a limited number continuing north. Most trips to Richmond, Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Hampton Roads will be served by express buses. Read more...
Nathaniel Cline, September 7, 2026, Virginia Mercury

'Just so happy it's open again': Metro Red Line commuters welcome end of partial shutdown

During the shutdown, Metro said it moved more than 1.2 million riders on free shuttle buses operating along Maryland Route 355, also known as Rockville Pike and Wisconsin Avenue, between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights. Read more...
Neal Augenstein, September 7, 2026, WTOP

Red Line construction complete, full reopening on Labor Day

On Monday, Red Line riders will be able to once again take Metrorail trains from Medical Center, Bethesda and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations. Some of the changes include new elevators, escalators, a mezzanine at Bethesda station that will connect people to the purple line and upgrades on platforms and along the tracks. Read more...
Catalina P?rez De Armi??n, September 6, 2026, NBC4 Washington

OmniRide adds 16 new buses and van to transit fleet

The agency acquired eight new Motor Coach Industries (MCI) commuter buses equipped with restrooms, seven new Gillig buses, and one electric van, further advancing its commitment to modernizing and expanding its fleet.  Read more...
September 3, 2026, Culpeper Star Exponent

Metro's Summer Red Line shutdown to end on Monday, temporary bus lanes will be removed

A major portion of Metro's Red Line shut down on July 6 and has remained closed. Full Red Line service will resume on Monday, restoring rail service to Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, and Bethesda stations. Read more...
Alanea Cremen, September 4, 2026, WUSA9

How track work at DC's Union Station will affect Metro Richmond train commuters in October

From Oct. 16 to 26, planned infrastructure upgrades south of Washington, D.C.’s Union Station will result in schedule adjustments impacting service to and from Virginia. Read more...
Dina Weinstein, September 2, 2026, Henrico Citizen

Rep. Larsen joins APTA, WMATA officials for Red Line construction tour

Rep. Larsen was joined by APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA/Metro) General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke on a tour of the Red Line’s summer construction. Read more...
September 2, 2026, APTA

Amtrak announces new 'System Expansion Committee'

The committee will also oversee the development of sustainable funding strategies and expansion of state-supported service partnerships. The committee has five initial members, including a designated U.S. Department of Transportation secretary representative. Read more...
Zachary Whalen, September 3, 2026, Planetizen

Virginia DRPT launches safety and design division

The new division “unifies and streamlines” existing agency initiatives under one umbrella, according to Virginia DRPT’s Sept. 2 announcement. Read more...
Marybeth Luczak, September 3, 2026, Railway Age

Maryland lost over $800M by failing to collect tolls, penalties from drivers

The audit found that the Maryland Transportation Authority did not take available actions to collect unpaid tolls and penalties incurred by out-of-state drivers, which totaled $818.1 million as of January. Read more...
Liam Scott, September 2, 2026, The Washington Post

Annual cost to commute by Metro

The ConsumerAffairs Research Team analyzed data from the 100 largest U.S. metro areas to estimate the annual cost of commuting. We combined the estimated value of time spent commuting — based on average round-trip commute times and state-level median hourly wages — with estimated annual fuel costs based on average gas prices, commute distance and fuel economy. Read more...
Christina von Clapar?de-Crola/Jon Bortin, September 2, 2026, Consumer Affairs

Amtrak launches System Expansion Committee to build out network

Approved by the Amtrak Board of Directors on July 30, the System Expansion Committee will serve as the board’s primary forum for advancing passenger rail growth. The new committee comes as Amtrak reports demand continues to grow across the network. Read more...
Noah Kolenda, September 2, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

MARC Train introducing new service between Montgomery County, Baltimore

The Maryland Transit Administration is expanding the MARC Train service and will begin providing a weekday connection between Montgomery County and Baltimore starting Sept. 28. Read more...
Anna Chen, September 2, 2026, WTOP

OmniRide celebrates addition of new vehicles to fleet

The new vehicles represent a significant investment in OmniRide’s ability to provide safe, reliable, and accessible transportation throughout Prince William County and the surrounding region. Read more...
September 1, 2026, Bristow Beat

Three agencies expanding on-demand transit

Transit agencies nationwide are investing in on-demand transit for the communities they serve. Noah Kolenda compiled a list of three agencies for Mass Transit that are expanding their flexible transit options.  Read more...
Zachary Whalen, September 1, 2026, Planetizen

2 'temporary' changes made to help with the Metro Red Line shutdown could become permanent

To help shuttle buses move faster while three Red Line stations have been shut down, 7.5 miles of Maryland Route 355 have bus-only lanes that went into effect when the shutdown began Sept. 6. The bus-only rule is in place Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Read more...
Tom Roussey, September 1, 2026, ABC7 News

Time for a spooky 11th Annual Tour de Mount Vernon

FABB encourages local riders to sign up now and start preparing to celebrate biking and Halloween with one of Fairfax County’s great community cycling traditions. Read more...
September 1, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Frederick County's Transit-plus service expands hours

Until now, the service has been available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. But, effective Monday, the service will start at 5:30 a.m. and be available until 8 p.m. Read more...
Steven Cohen, August 31, 2026, DC News Now

Best and worst times to drive for Labor Day

Sunday is expected to be the easiest day to drive, with minimal traffic, according to INRIX, a transportation data firm that works with AAA to calculate travel times. Read more...
Sami Sparber, September 1, 2026, Axios

Fairfax Connector launches free fare program, increasing help for some lower-income riders

The Connector will offer a new Transit Ridership Incentive Program, called TRIP100, offering 100% off fares to eligible riders, up from the 50% discount previously provided. Read more...
Mary Stachyra Lopez, August 31, 2026

Metro partners with Georgetown and Catholic Universities to expand U-Pass program

Starting this fall, eligible students at Georgetown University's Capitol Campus and at Catholic University will have access to Metro's U-Pass program, which offers unlimited rides on Metro Rail and Metro Bus for a fixed price. Read more...
August 31,2026, WMATA

Bikeshare Beat: No fireworks for CaBi in July as ridership slips

The United States celebrated its semiquincentennial in July, attracting visitors to the nation’s capital for Independence Day festivities. These festivities had no visible effect on Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) ridership, however, as the regional bikesharing network recorded 653,671 rides in July 2026 — a 7.3% decrease from July 2025. Read more...
Samuel Littauer, August 31, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Are Metro's escalators unusually slow?

But are the escalators actually sluggish? Metro says no: The system follows the national safety-code standard of 100 feet per minute. That sounds right to Tim Marshall, a private elevator and escalator inspector in Maryland.  Read more...
Walker Whalen, August 31, 2026, Washingtonian

Inside the team that responds to all the complaints about Metro

“You want to make a customer feel heard, which validates them. You definitely want them to know that you understand their issue,” said Darbi Dickerson, WMATA’s director of customer service. “If you can’t solve it, at least acknowledge it.” Read more...
Liam Scott, August 29, 2026, The Washington Post

Tell Congress: Don't defund—or remove—bike lanes

Federal transportation data have shown that properly designed bike lanes can substantially reduce crashes without increasing traffic congestion. Bike lanes and other bicycle safety improvements save lives, give people more transportation choices, and make streets safer and more predictable for everyone who uses them. Read more...
August 29, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Americans want more trains: Amtrak sees record ridership

Americans are switching to trains for many reasons, including, recently, increasing gas prices and air fares. Recent improvements in Amtrak service create the potential for further ridership increases in the years to come – if the federal government matches Americans’ increasing desire for train travel with consistent investment. Read more...
Leonardo Pellizzari-Astle, August 26, 2026, Frontier Group