The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is in the process of transitioning the entire District of Columbia Circulator (DC Circulator) bus fleet to battery-electric bus (BEB) vehicles by 2030, fifteen years prior to the DC Clean Energy Omnibus Amendment Act’s zero-emissions conversion deadline of 2045. BEBs, do not produce harmful tailpipe emissions, instead they use batteries that store and distribute energy to power an electric motor and other onboard systems. Batteries are charged at charging stations located at bus garages or at stops along a route. Learn more about our electric fleet.
Our transition to BEBs highlights the District’s commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and mitigating the effects of climate change. Our new buses and infrastructure will be paid for in part through the Federal Transit Administration’s low- and no-emission grant program.
The timeline below summarizes our plan to reach a fully electric fleet by 2030:
DDOT began transitioning our fleet to electric between April 2018 and April 2020, when we operated a 14 BEB demonstration pilot across the DC Circulator system. The purpose of the pilot, conducted in two phases, was to assess the performance of BEBs in comparison to DDOT’s existing diesel bus fleet. Click below to read our report on the pilot, which provides data on cost and performance to evaluate the strengths and opportunities of our BEB fleet.
Read Our DC Circulator Electric Bus Pilot Report
As our battery-electric bus program grows, DC Circulator is upgrading existing and constructing new facilities with a focus on sustainable energy usage and storage. DC Circulator has planned extensive upgrades to its South Capitol Street garage, currently the only location with electric bus charging capability. South Capitol Street, which will continue operations during construction, will feature additional bus charging stations as well as a state-of-the-art solar power canopy and battery storage system that will provide reserve power for electric bus charging and ensure continued operations in the event of a utility grid power failure or emergency.
In addition, for the first time in the District, our South Capitol Street facility will use geothermal power, a renewable energy source, to power the building.
DC Circulator is also planning a new garage to house our entire future fleet. The site, which is anticipated to open by 2028, will store and charge electric buses only. Our new garage will include:
Mayor Muriel Bowser established the Bus Priority Program to improve bus speeds and reliability for riders across the District, whether on Metrobus, DC Circulator, or commuter buses. The bus network provides vital connections to jobs, schools, healthcare, and other destinations. By improving bus service, DDOT is improving mobility and access to opportunities for District residents, workers, and visitors. Bus priority interventions include bus lanes, stop relocation/rebalancing, queue jumps, bus bulb outs, and transit signal priority.
Creating a better bus system for the District is critical to meeting District goals for equity, growth, and sustainability. Bus priority interventions can lead to increased ridership and a better rider experience. The table below lists which bus priority corridors intersect with DC Circulator routes.
You can learn more about DDOT’s Bus Priority Program and read the District’s Bus Priority Plan here.
DC Circulator Route | Bus Priority Corridors |
---|---|
Woodley Park – Adams Morgan |
|
Eastern Market-L’Enfant Plaza |
|
Georgetown-Union Station |
|
Rosslyn-Dupont |
|
Congress Heights-Union Station |
|