by Josyah Johnson & Za’niyah Kemp

1, April 2026

It’s a multitude of ways to get around Washington DC, the most accessible form of transportation is easily the metro bus. Part of what makes the bus so popular as a form of transportation in DC is its low costs.

Although, the most common misconception about the DC bus is that it is free of charge. This is a popular narrative, as the majority of bus riders in Washington DC simply do not pay for the bus.  

According to NBC Washington, the Metro reported that 70 percent of its riders do not pay for the bus when entering.  This percentage is also driven by the lack of confrontation on behalf of the bus drivers when paying. Sometimes while riding the bus and not paying, there’s almost a silent understanding that payment is not going to be made, and the driver continues to go about their business. 

Interestingly, bus drivers are in fact told not to engage with customers who do not pay. This is likely to avoid confrontation and maintain a smooth ride, but as a side effect, this helps feed the illusion that the bus is free for everyone. 

The official cost of the DC Metrobus is $2.25, with a reduced fare cost of $1.10. Express route fare is about double that, with a $4.80 cost for express routes, and a $2.40 reduced cost for those same routes.

So the follow up question is; If the bus is not free, then why is the fare so loosely enforced?

There have been recent efforts to target bus fare evasion in DC. These efforts mostly involve placing police officers or “transportation supervisors” on to enforce the necessary payments for bus entry, essentially creating a “Pay or get off the bus” standard. The 2024 crackdown on bus fare evasion was an effort pushed by WMATA CEO Randy Clarke to raise funds for Metro, as its estimated 40 million dollars for the metro were lost to fare evasion.This did lead to increased police presences on DC Metrobus and more notably Metrorail.

Part of what causes such loose enforcement of fare on behalf of the bus driver is fear of violence. It is very common for violence to take place on all public transit, especially the Metrobus. Public transit deals with many people who do not have sufficient resources, are mentally ill, or overall dangerous. This is what fuels the decision to not have Bus drivers engage with non-payers. In another attempt to create a more safe environment, the Metro introduced a new ban policy in March of 2025.  A banning policy that targets sexual violence or assault crimes, that can lead to a 1 year ban of all Metro facilities. 

One may think, “How do they expect to enforce respect of a ban when they can’t even consistently get people to respect the bus fare?”

And while that is a fair question, the Metro uses both the increased police presence along with its’ elaborate camera systems to catch incidents of misconduct. This has led to a striking decrease in crime on both the Metro buses and trains, as there have been at least 400 bans in effect and bus payment has increased substantially.

Responsibility for ensuring Metrobus riders pay their fares in Washington, D.C. falls primarily to the Metro Transit Police, not bus drivers or other Metro employees, so it makes sense as to why the bus drivers appear to be unbothered by people not paying, they’re instructed not to.

It’s hard to track exactly when the trend of people sidestepping payment for the bus began, but the pandemic did worsen the problem.

Professor Patrick Gourley from the University of New Haven explained that the problem worsened after agencies like Metro briefly went fare-free during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of people paying for the bus gradually decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic, because during the pandemic, DC’s citizens had a temporary hold on bus fares, requiring the people to use the back door to get on and off the bus. This fare-free period led to a behavioral shift because many riders became accustomed to not paying, which contributed to long-term fare evasion. The return to front-door boarding and fare collection reignited frustration among riders, especially those facing financial hardship.

In Washington, D.C., fare evasion on Metrobus is treated as a civil offense rather than a criminal one. Riders who do not pay the fare can receive a civil citation, similar to a ticket. However, the issue becomes more serious if the fine is ignored because unpaid citations can escalate and lead to legal consequences, which is where criminal penalties may enter the picture. 

So, why take the risk of paying a bigger fine than the cost of the bus fare?

This approach reflects D.C.’s effort to avoid criminalizing poverty, especially after the pandemic, when many riders struggled financially. The issue of people not paying the bus is still happening, even after the pandemic, the number of non-paying riders gradually rising.

Some bus systems in the area, like DASH Bus in Alexandria, have gone completely free. Loudoun County is eliminating fares for some routes starting next year. Many have argued that DC should do the same, given that the majority of who ride the bus are low-income.

It’s notable to mention that both the current Mayor, Muriel Bowser, and mayoral candidates have all recently included some form of free Bus transit. A notable example of this is Mayor Bowser’s Kids Ride Free Program. 

Fare evasion of the DC metro bus speaks to a growing greater demand for free, accessible transit.