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Adams Morgan Link to Get Increased Service

Image courtesy WMATAAH, THE 98 BUS. If you've spent any time in Adams Morgan or along U Street NW, you've likely seen the "Adams Morgan-U Street Link" travel along its shuttle route between the U Street/African-American Civil War Mem'l/Cardozo and Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metrorail stations.

And those buses most likely have been empty. The No. 98 bus has been a heavily subsidized operation with trips costing just 25 cents and because of low ridership, the route has always been on a shortlist to be cut. But the bus route is getting increased service — every 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes — starting July 1 as part of three-month District-funded test.

That's all wonderful and good. (This writer uses the bus on a regular basis.) But if the service is going to catch on, the signage for the bus line needs to be improved and, more importantly, be consistent. Some of the buses used on the route are branded with Adams Morgan-U Street Link promotions (those odd-looking multi-colored conjoined paper doll logos) but others are normal-looking Metrobuses. At bus stops, the No. 98 is listed along with other buses that serve the route, but there's nothing obvious indicating that the No. 98 is the reduced-price route.

If the No. 98 is promoted better, then, perhaps, more riders will know that it exists — and use it.

» "Service Increased on Metrobus 98 Adams Morgan-U Street Link" [WMATA]

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COMMENTS (2)

  • The 98 Bus makes Woodley Park one of the most convenient locations to get to from the surrounding Adams Morgan/U street/Dupont area but its one of the area's most underutilized assets.

    I agree with the author that the 98 bus is the best thing since Maggie Moos (just calorie free) to happen to our area. But Metro should do more to educate the community before increasing its service. Its a wonderful resource thats not just for Adams Morgan party-goers. Its a quick way to access the Green line without traversing the red line that runs so infrequently on the weekends.

    By Woodley Park Resident , Posted June 15, 2007 2:33 PM

  • Metro has always had a problem with consistent branding of buses. Here in Virginia, a number of buses are specially branded (mostly by Arlington). Off the top of my head, we have "Pike Ride" (16 line), "The Orange Line with a View" (38B), "The 9S" (9S), Fairfax County's "REX" (REX) and despite the fact this line was discontinued in 2002 or so "The Montgomery-Tysons Beltway Express" (14) some buses still have that branding. Also, a number of buses that are unbranded have luggage racks meaning they were quite obviously meant for the 5A run. (The B30s are branded.) However, I can see any one of those branded buses serve any and every route in Virginia. Though it might be too much to ask as they might have to dispatch a branded bus to fill in for another route either when another bus breaks down or is just unavailable. (Though I still have to ask why we still have Beltway Express branded buses).

    By Wes McGee , Posted June 22, 2007 7:29 AM
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