The DC Traveler

Initially, Washington, DC’s Metro system announced that on January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day, it would charge riders the lower, off-peak fares all day long. 
It seems like the initial thought was that since Inauguration Day is a work holiday for Federal workers in DC, and parts of Virginia and Maryland, Metro would charge the lower off-peak fare.
But I suspect Metro financial troubles has caused Metro officials to rethink (and I believe correctly), to charge peak rates all day on Inauguration Day.   The higher fares are based on a high price it will cost to keep Metro running with lots …read more

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Today, Washington DC’s Metro subway and bus system launched a new and much improved website (www.wmata.com) for riders.  Their old site was clunky, difficult to navigate and was missing many rider-focused features.  And with ridership up, 5% over the same period – July – October of last year, the transportation system and website is sure to see new riders.
The new Metro website includes:

A new interactive subway map that provides a pop-up with the station’s address (great for GPS users), link to Google maps, arrival times for the next few trains and any service alerts for that station.
Real-time subway and …read more

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A friend who sends me all kinds of funny e-mails, just passed this one on.  It’s been around for a while, but so true.
It’s a perfect intro for first-time drivers to the Washington, DC area.
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  For those who plan to visit our area…

All directions start with "The Beltway"…which has no beginning and no end, just one continuous loop that locals believe is somehow clarified by an "inner" and "outer loop" designation, which makes no sense to ANYONE outside the area.
The morning rush hour is from 5:00 to 11:00 a.m. The evening rush hour is from 1:00 to 8:00 …read more

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Save gas when you visit King Street in Alexandria by using the FREE King Street Trolley.
Old Town Alexandria has blocks and blocks of unique shops and not your typical chain stores you find in the mall.  There’s countless  specialty boutiques, antiques shops, clothing stores, art galleries and a wide range of places to dine, most that let you leave your car behind and visit on foot or by hopping on the free trolley. 
The King Street Trolley runs up and down King Street, Alexandria’s main street, and runs daily (10 a.m. – 10 p.m.) about every 15 minutes. It starts near …read more

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Heather, who writes The New York City Traveler, uncovered another new I-95 corridor bus line, operating between Washington, DC and New York City.
While I wasn’t able to find the  $1.00 fare she mentioned, I did find several one-way tickets in the $5 – $8 range. 
In order to be more cost-effective in a car driving alone, you would need to get about 112 miles to the gallon. 
Even the top fare I was able to find ($15), requires a single driver to to get at least 60 miles per gallon to be more cost effective. And that doesn’t …read more

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Just off the heels of being rated in the top 5 rudest drivers in the U.S., GMAC Insurance’s National Drivers Test puts Washington DC drivers as the second worse in terms of knowing the rules of the road.
The study showed that over 16% of licensed drivers across the country (33 million drivers) would probably not pass a typical DMV written driver’s test. 
Drivers from Kansas ranked tops in the country, (average score of 84.0%) with New Jersey’s drivers finishing last, (69.9%).
Washington, DC drivers, came in second to the last, with an embarrassingly low score of only 72.9%.  DC drivers …read more

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Expect a couple hundred thousand participants and thousands of motorcycle riders supporting Rolling Thunder to roll through the National Mall in Washington, DC tomorrow, in the 21st annual moving fundraiser for veteran’s groups, veterans and their families. 
Expect traffic tie-ups on the Mall, and lots of noise, but it’s all for a great cause – the American veteran.
Route – Starting point at The Pentagon, proceeds around the National Mall up Constitution Ave to 3rd St. then down Independence Ave. to south of the Lincoln Memorial.
Dates and Times – Sunday, May 24, 2008 – Noon – 3:00 p.m.

Ride to …read more

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Once again, Washington, DC area drivers were ranked the fifth worst in rudeness and hostility on the road.
Sadly, I must agree with the latest AutoVantage Road Rage survey.  A large portion of our area drivers have become overly aggressive, drive as if the speed limit is as fast as you can go until a car blocks your way and assumes that using a turn signal is not an indication of intent, but results in a God-given right to force their way over without looking.
Another trend that seems to be growing exponentially is texting while driving, especially among younger …read more

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Starting yesterday, May 1st, Washington, DC taxicabs were supposed to have meters installed.  Drivers caught without meters and still charging by zones, will be issued warning tickets.
The new fare system was established at the beginning of the year and set the initial pull rate at $3.00, with each additional 1/6 mile an extra 25¢.
Starting June 1, DC Police will be instructed to write cabbies tickets, that will result in fines up to $1,000 per incident.
The shift from zones to time/distance was designed to eliminate the possibility of unscrupulous cabbies charging higher fares.  The move was popular with tourist groups …read more

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If you are heading to see the famous Washington, DC blooming cherry tree blossoms tomorrow, expect major delays around the National Mall, especially in the morning and early afternoon.
The limited free parking along the Tidal Basin (at the paddle boat docks) will be closed to parking for the next week, so Metro is your best weekend choice. 
With weather over the next week forecasted to include rain or possible showers every day except tomorrow and Wednesday, traffic will be even heavier tomorrow.
Additionally, not only is Saturday the first major weekend of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, with the cherry trees …read more

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