FREE RIDE

At Last, Fenty Mixes With Public on Metrobus

Photo by Lateef Mangum/Mayor's Office

D.C. MAYOR ADRIAN FENTY, a true driver at heart who revels in navigating his SUV around town with his internalized global positioning system, did something on Monday that might shock you: He rode the No. 52 bus up 14th Street NW from downtown to a Car-Free Day promotion at Cardozo High School in Columbia Heights.

Report The Post's David Nakamura and Nikita Stewart:

Showing up in his usual gas-guzzling, government-issued Lincoln Navigator seemed politically incorrect. The Metro was an option, but Fenty was running late and would have to walk several blocks. Someone offered a vehicle from the city's fleet of hybrids, but the mayor ruled that out. He countered by offering to hop on the expensive Cannondale bicycle he uses for triathlons, but then aides reminded him that he might become sweaty in his navy business suit.
There the mayor discovered what every bus rider has discovered: People on the bus are warm and friendly. A woman had her photo taken with the mayor, who was not traveling with his security detail. A man gave Fenty his business card. (From The Post's account, the trip on the No. 52 bus was pretty calm. Back in 2006, this writer witnessed a man trying to jump out the window of a moving bus on 14th Street NW as it approached U Street.)

Fenty's return trip was done via Metrorail, but that's not all that impressive since even former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams did photo-ops and press conferences underground.

But maybe the mayor will continue his bus-riding ways. Just in case Fenty needs some advice on how to ride the S2/S4 Metrobuses from his home neighborhood of Crestwood off 16th Street NW to his bullpen at the Wilson Building, we've created this handy Wayfaring map for him.

» "Parking the SUV — Temporarily" [WaPo]
EARLIER: "14TH ST. NW: Adventures From the Back of the Bus" [Washington Oculus]

Photo by Lateef Mangum/Mayor's Office

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COMMENTS (1)

  • "you work here, mr. fenty"

    :)

    By IMGoph , Posted September 11, 2007 10:17 AM
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