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.

Zero-emission transit bus fleets continued to grow last year

Transit agencies, municipalities and shuttle bus operators continued to grow their fleets of zero-emission buses during the August 2024 to July 2025 period, outpacing growth in the previous period, according to Calstart, a national clean transportation advocacy group. Read more...
Dan Zukowski, March 18, 2026, Smart Cities Dive

WMATA launches digital assistant for Metro Access

“We’re implementing this tool in response to feedback from our customers who want faster answers and more flexibility when managing their trips,” said WMATA COO Leroy Jones. “The Metro Access digital assistant eliminates wait times for many common requests and makes it easier for customers to plan their travel.”  Read more...
March 18, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

Just 7 ways bike lanes make life better for drivers, too

Research published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management found that the introduction of Washington, DC’s Capital Bikeshare system reduced neighbourhood traffic congestion by as much as 4 percent. Even modest shifts away from car trips can make a noticeable difference in crowded city networks. Read more...
Ron Johnson, March 16, 2026, Momentum Mag

Central Maryland could have world-class transit. We just need better priorities

World-class transit is not a luxury. It is a system that gets people where they need to go — frequently, reliably, and conveniently — without forcing them into a car for every trip. An ambitious, sustained investment in transit by 2050 would improve Maryland’s economy, health, and environment. Read more...
Brian O'Malley, March 18, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

OmniRide weighs new direct routes to D.C., Vienna Metro against rising capital expenses

OmniRide is poised to offer Prince William County commuters faster, more direct express bus options into downtown Washington and Northern Virginia job centers, but federal tariffs on new commuter buses are adding tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected costs and highlighting broader funding strains on local transit. Read more...
Uriah Kiser, March 17, 2026, Potomac Local News

Metro Access launches 24/7 digital assistant to help customers book and manage trips faster

The digital assistant is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing customers to book trips outside traditional reservation hours if the pickup time is beyond the day after tomorrow, or at least 32 hours away. Read more...
March 17, 2026, WMATA

Eight big-picture lessons from the DC Streetcar

Drawing a line on a map and saying “nice transit go here” is easy. Actually making it work is hard. But the operations and design details have to work, or the whole thing doesn’t. DC got some of those details right, like frequent service and stops with level boarding, but got a lot of them wrong. Read more...
Dan Malouff, March 17, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Passengers warned of etiquette rules on trains as new stickers appear across major US transit system

The circular decals read: “Need a seat? It’s ok to ask.” Underneath that writing are symbols showing who can have priority seating. Read more...
Charlotte Maracina, March 16, 2026, The U.S. Sun

NOVA Parks rejects call for transit along W&OD Trail right-of-way

The comments come after the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) received dozens of requests to study the possibility of a commuter rail line parallel to the trail, which runs from Purcellville to Shirlington. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, March 16, 2025, FFXNow

Congestion pricing would cripple downtown D.C.

Last week, Bowser released a study commissioned by the D.C. Council in 2019 that explored a variety of options to deter people from bringing cars into town, such as charging a $10 flat fee every weekday and $5 on weekends or 60 cents per minute for driving downtown. Read more...
March 15, 2026, The Washington Post

Maryland drivers losing more than $3,400 annually to congestion and poor roads

The study finds that the average suburban driver loses more than $3,400 each year due to vehicle repairs, wasted gas, and time stuck in traffic. Congestion alone accounts for 90 hours annually—the equivalent of more than two full work weeks—and about 26 gallons of gas consumed in stop-and-go conditions. Read more...
John Gonzalez, March 16, 2026, ABC7 News

Why free buses aren't exactly free

Of course, ripping the fare boxes out of buses wouldn’t exactly make them free; it would simply transfer the cost to the other taxes that contribute to the city’s general fund. Read more...
Alan Ehrenhart, March 11, 2026, Governing

Study: Self-driving cars could raise VMT by 6%, increasing congestion

An analysis from the University of Texas-Arlington found that if U.S. cities made a “major shift” toward autonomous cars, vehicle miles driven would rise by roughly 6 percent. “Worse, they’d still increase more than 5% if people shifted away from personally owned cars towards shared autonomous taxis instead.” Read more...
Diana Ionescu, March 13, 2026, Planetizen

Are we there yet? The promise and pitfalls of transit in Maryland

Whether you are a daily bus rider or a commuter waiting for the next rail extension, this conversation offers the context needed to understand why Maryland’s transit system remains a work in progress. Read more...
David Nitkin, March 12, 2026, Baltimore Fishbowl

Yes, even the suburbs want more transit

Access to public transportation remains one of the top considerations for potential homebuyers and renters, because transit offers both cheaper transportation costs and reduces environmental impacts. When suburban areas invest in transit, those communities benefit from stronger connections to jobs, services, and important destinations.  Read more...
Elisa Ramirez, March 12, 2026, Transportation for America

APTA: Every $1B for public transportation generates $5B in economic value

The study, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Surface Transportation Authorization Recommendations, provided evidence that sustained federal investment into public transit and passenger rail delivers returns for workers, communities, taxpayers and the U.S. economy, officials said. Read more...
Liz Carey, March 10, 2026, Transportation Today

US transit fleets have bought over 8,000 zero-emission buses

While battery-powered buses remain dominant in the field, more transit authorities are also buying fuel cell electric buses, which surged 49 percent nationwide during the reporting period.  Read more...
Diana Ionescu, March 12, 2026, Planetizen

FCDOT seeks feedback on proposed pedestrian, bicyclist improvement projects

An estimated $100 million has been earmarked — or, at least, is expected to be spent — for the proposed improvements, which range from installing crosswalks to building roadway medians and adding bicycle paths. Read more...
Jared Serre, March 11, 2026, FFXNow

Feds, local jurisdictions kick tires on $1.8B American Legion Bridge rebuild

Nearly a dozen national companies responded this winter to a request for information from the U.S. Department of Transportation on how to rebuild the bridge, with many highlighting plans to limit — or in some instances, avoid entirely — the use of public dollars. Read more...
Nate Doughty, March 11, 2026, Washington Business Journal

VRE plans more weekday trains, new weekend service by 2030

CEO Katie Choe, who started work in January, is making her goals clear. “My main priority as I’m walking in, is to successfully transition VRE from the commuter service that it is today to a full regional rail system,” she told the VRE Operations Board in February. Read more...
Michelle Basch, March 11, 2026, WTOP

Falls Church approves e-scooter pilot program, looks for companies to sign on

City Council members voted 7-0 on Monday night for a one-year pilot program, hoping to entice companies to deploy up to 100 e-scooters and e-bicycles within the community’s 2.2 square miles. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, March 11, 2026, ARLNow

50 years of DC's iconic Metro

Today, it’s hard to believe Metro’s success: The system, which saw passengers take nearly 147 million trips in 2025, is the second-busiest in America. Read more...
March 11, 2026, Washingtonian

Drivers react to potential $10 fee to enter DC after Mayor Bowser releases congestion pricing study

The idea, known as congestion pricing, could have charged drivers between $5 and $10 depending on location and time of day. Bowser, however, says she does not support implementing the policy right now. Read more...
Ben Dennis, March 10, 2026, DC News Now

New bus funding likely for Fairfax, but proposed Tysons route doesn't make cut

The county’s request for just under $4.4 million in funding to support a new limited-stop Fairfax Connector service between the Tysons and Franconia-Springfield Metro stations has been removed from the list of projects being considered for the fiscal years 2027-2028 I-66 Commuter Choice funding cycle. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, March 10, 2026, FFXNow

New pilot program reminds Metro customers to offer priority seating to those in need

Priority seating is intended for people with disabilities, people who use mobility devices, older adults, pregnant people, and others with not-always-visible disabilities. Priority seats are next to the center doors of each railcar.  Read more...
March 10, 2026, WMATA

A brief history of the DC Streetcar

In that first-ever plan, one of the most obvious and immediate recommendations was to supplement the “radial commuter-oriented” Metro system with a surface transit system that could serve crosstown and neighborhood-oriented trips, and would be better than buses. Thus the idea of a modern tram system in DC was born. Read more...
Dan Malouff, March 10, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Lime updates subscription service for frequent riders in DC

Every ride will be subject to a flat rate, instead of a per-minute cost. Subscribed members also get unlimited free unlocking and discounted flat-rate pricing for trips under five minutes. Read more...
Ciara Wells, March 10, 2026, WTOP

Metro preparing for busy Cherry Blossom season with special trains, buses, and SmarTrip cards

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that cherry blossom–themed vehicles and commemorative SmarTrip cards will debut March 20 as the festival kicks off. The annual celebration runs from March 20 through April 12 and marks the start of the spring tourism season across the Washington, D.C. region. Read more...
March 9, 2026, The MoCo Show

FIFA World Cup US host cities to get $100M for public transportation

The funding, available through the 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, may cover planning and capital expenses incurred from July 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026, and public transportation operating expenses incurred from June 1, 2026, to July 31, 2026. Read more...
Dan Zukowski, March 9, 2026, Smart Cities Dive

Transit advocates push for use of W&OD right-of-way as new rail line

Most of the requests urged NVTC to ask the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to consider the feasibility of a rail line along the W&OD Trail’s right-of-way from Purcellville to the East Falls Church Metro station. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, March 9, 2026, FFXNow

From commuter service to full regional rail system: New Virginia Railway Express CEO lays ambitious expansion plans

The service, which connects Northern and central Virginia with Washington, D.C., with lines extending to Manassas and Fredericksburg, recently laid out ambitious plans in its System Plan 2050. The 2050 plan outlines the system’s goals for adapting to changing travel patterns, maximizing ridership and adding off-peak and weekend service. Read more...
Nolan Stout, March 9, 2026, Inside NoVa

Crystal City Metro Station closures: What to know

The new stations will also feature elevator upgrades to improve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and improved passenger distribution at entrances on platforms during peak travel times. Read more...
Odyssey Fields, March 9, 2026, DC News Now

A new Metro safety measure at Dulles Airport seems invisible to most

The transit system said in a post on social media that it’s testing the removable bollard to encourage riders with large suitcases to use the elevator instead. Metro said it’s an initiative to reduce trips and falls and improve safety for everyone. Read more...
Kyle Cooper, March 6, 2026, WTOP

MDOT MTA aims to improve on-time performance by empowering bus operators with real-time information

MDOT MTA Chief Customer Experience Officer Mike Helta says OTP is important to the overall success of the agency because not only does it focus on the rider experience, but it creates a voice for the customer.  Read more...
Brandon Lewis, March 6, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine