1 bus, 2 bus 3 bus, 12 buses: OUT of SERVICE

Every time someone in Washington tries to tell me about the marvels of the DC transportation system, I have to try and hold back my laugher, as I never have been so appalled by the quality of service from a so-called “capital city”. If any visitor to the city were to judge the capital by its public transportation out of other “developed” countries, DC would be by far the laughing stock. Let’s take the enigmatic bus routes for example. I am by far not an expert on the bus system here in DC but from what I’ve experienced in my exasperating year here, If you are waiting for the bus – it will either not come on schedule, It will arrive crowded and not let you on, or you will get motion sick from the state of the roads where the buses go. I’ve even begun to think that the bus drivers are so audacious in their behaviour that it would be useful for rogue nations or aspiring politicians to learn useful tips on how to irritate their clientele.

If the DC public transportation authority were a multinational, they would be bankrupt by now, which leads me to think that the authorities are incapable of regulating the routes and holding bus drivers responsible. For example, today I spent 45 minutes in the cold almost getting hit by various species of yuppies in large unnecessary SUV’s on Connecticut Ave while trying to cross in a crosswalk. I wonder if half these drivers would even pass their drivers’ tests as they should be aware of stopping if someone is in the crosswalk. So I diverge….

I proceed to watch, 8, yes 8 buses go up to Chevy Chase Circle within a span of 15 minutes. One would assume that with the number of buses up there, they would be able to send down one on schedule. Which they did, however, the buses decided to be out of service for some reason. As was the next one, and the one after that. It sounds surreal, right? But I swear it’s the truth. Finally after about 40 minutes a bus stops, and I ask the driver what’s been going on. It appears that if one driver shows up late, the bus doesn’t leave , so that bus will be skipped. The mere thought of the ridiculousness of the DC bus system with gaggles of buses following each other like star struck Romeo and Juliettes would make one think that something would be done about it, that there are enough federal workers in the city to actually do something proactive. They can’t possibly all be paid to drink coffee and talk about the weather.