This space features the latest insights, observations, and perspectives from Friends of Bus Transit (FoBus) Chevy Chase on the evolving landscape of bus service in Chevy Chase and across the District. From route reliability and service frequency to regional policy shifts, we track the critical issues that keep our community moving.
WMATA Announces Bus Route Changes for Two Chevy Chase Bus Lines Effective June 21
By James Nash, June 16, 2026
FoBus Steering Committee Member and Member of the Chevy Chase Community Association Transportation Committee
Bus lines used by Chevy Chase residents will soon be altered in significant ways, due in part to community feedback delivered to WMATA by Friends of Bus Transit Chevy Chase (FoBus).
The C81, which runs along Military Road and Nebraska Avenue, will be rerouted to stop much closer to the Tenley Metro station. The new route will operate along 40th Street/Fort Dive and Chesapeake Street NW between Nebraska Avenue and Tenley Circle, which will eliminate the current two-block, five-to-seven minute walk to the station, a hardship for many seniors and a needless inconvenience for everyone during inclement weather.
The C83, which runs from Barnaby Woods to Friendship Heights, is poised for even more significant changes:
- North of the Knollwood Community (on Lindsey Drive and Oregon Avenue NW), the bus will operate in both directions along Oregon to and from Friendship Heights. When heading toward Friendship Heights, the route will return to Western Avenue via Chestnut Street in the direction of Friendship Heights.
- One-way service along southbound Oregon Avenue between Lindsey Drive and Nebraska Avenue, and along westbound Nebraska Avenue NW between Oregon Avenue and Utah Avenue NW will be discontinued. Passengers who currently use the stop at Nebraska Avenue + 28 Street NW should instead use the nearby stop at Nebraska Avenue and Oliver Street NW (stop 1002757).
Chevy Chase residents may welcome these bus route modifications. WMATA’s willingness to adapt to community feedback shows that rider suggestions truly matter—so please keep them coming! You can share your ideas for better service directly with WMATA via their customer comment form at https://wmata.custhelp.com/app/home/.
FoBus is always eager to hear from you at FoBus_Input@groups.io. We will continue partnering with WMATA to advocate for and improve public bus service throughout the Chevy Chase community to ensure our community gets the reliable, efficient bus service we all deserve.
Metro Hosts “Town Hall” on Buses
By James Nash, April 29, 2026
FoBus Steering Committee Member and Member of the Chevy Chase Community Association Transportation Committee
Bus Routing and Scheduling, Headway Management, and Customer Service topped the agenda at Metro’s Town Hall meeting, held at Metro’s Washington, DC Headquarters on April 28. More than twenty Metro officials, including General Manager Randy Clarke and COO Leroy Jones, answered questions from the 175 members of the public who had registered to show up for the event.
I attended as a member of FoBus Chevy Chase and the Chevy Chase Community Association Transportation Committee. I arrived with three questions on my mind, and here is what I learned from attending this worthwhile event.
- 1. Metro is planning to add a stop in June to the C81 that is closer to the Tenley Metro station.
- 2. The C83 is on Metro’s “Priority List,” which means that when a driver misses a shift, the C83 is more likely to have a replacement driver. Otherwise, riders must wait an hour between buses on this line when a driver does not show up.
- 3. Metro has no current plans to add bus stops for the C83 on the long stretch between Chevy Chase Parkway and Military Road.
- 3.
I also learned at this meeting that Metro is currently short 100 drivers, out of a total driver pool of 2600. The bus driver shortage compounds the problem of long waits between buses when a driver misses a shift. Metro says it is currently training new drivers as rapidly as possible and expects the shortage to dissipate in the near future.
The Town Hall showcased a number of new Metro initiatives, including bus priority lanes and signaling to speed service, fleet modernization and new passenger information technology to provide riders with accurate information on when buses will arrive.