WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT ROUTES

CONCISE HISTORY

VIRGINIA

In 1973, the publicly owned Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) acquired four private bus companies in the area. In Virginia they included the Washington Virginia & Maryland Coach Co. (WV&M) and the Alexandria Barcroft & Washington Transit Co. (AB&W). This page lists WMATA routes which can trace their histories back to the privately owned transit companies. Some routes were eventually discontinued by WMATA. Other routes were restructured going into the 21st Century, and are identified using the more recent numbers and names. And since its formation WMATA added many new bus routes, which are not listed.

The largest bus company acquired by WMATA was DC Transit System, primarily serving the District of Columbia. By the time of the WMATA takeover, all DC Transit routes numbered below 30 had been restructured. And those numbers below 30 were assigned to routes inherited from the two bus companies in Virginia. Most route numbers were the same as those used by those companies. WV&M adopted route numbers by 1930, while AB&W adopted route numbers in 1963. Both companies used suffix letters for many routes and branches, which are not listed.

WV&M acquired its routes from earlier companies in 1926 and 1927, except for the Arlington & Fairfax Motor Transportation Co., which was acquired in 1947. That company was formed in 1932 as a bus subsidiary of Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway Co.

In 1927, AB&W and WV&M each acquired a route from the Alexandria & Suburban Motor Vehicle Co. That company was formed in 1925 as a bus subsidiary of the Washington-Virginia Railway Co.

The Alexandria Motor Bus Line was originally formed in 1921, and its routes were acquired by AB&W in 1924. AB&W also operated several routes numbered 20 through 26, mostly under contract with United States government defense agencies, where few public timetables were ever published, and little information is available.

Certain routes were eventually discontinued, or consolidated into other routes, as noted, and are in parentheses. Several routes in Virginia eventually became part of the Fairfax Connector system.

Newer routes created by WMATA are not listed.


Route   Route              Old     Last     Original            Buses  New
Number  Name               Route   Private  Bus                        Route
                           No.     Co.      Co.                        No.

  1   Wilson Blvd.                 WV&M   Georgetown-Clarendon  1920
  2   Washington Blvd.             WV&M   Arlington & Fairfax   1937
  2   Lee Hwy.                     WV&M   Alexandria & Subn.    1925
  3   Lee Hwy.                     WV&M   Georgetown-Park Lane  1919
  4   Arlington Blvd.              WV&M                         1926
 (5)  Chain Bridge Dr.             WV&M   Virginia Transit Co.  1922  15
 (6)  Arlington Blvd.              WV&M                         1948   1
 (7)  Leesburg Pike                WV&M   Arlington & Fairfax   1939  28
 (8)  Glebe Rd.                    WV&M                         1934  23
 (1)  Alexandria-Arlington         AB&W                               26/Disc.
 (2)  Hayfield Farms               AB&W                               Fairfax
 (3)  Seven Corners                AB&W                         1943  28
 (4)  Duke St.                     AB&W   Alexandria & Subn.    1925  29
 (4)  Little River Tpke.           AB&W                         1964  29
 (5)  18th-Quincy                  AB&W                         1942  16
 (6)  Parkfairfax                  AB&W                         1943  25
  7   Lincolnia                    AB&W                         1962
  8   Seminary Valley              AB&W                         1962
 (9)  Jefferson Davis Hwy.         AB&W                         1926  Disc.
 10   Mt. Vernon Ave.              AB&W   AB&W/WV&M joint line  1960
(11)  National Airport             AB&W                         1932
(11)  Franconia Rd.                AB&W                         1947  Fairfax
(11)  Fort Hunt                    AB&W                         1951  Fairfax
(12)  Braddock Heights             AB&W                         1936  Disc.
(13)  Potomac Yards                AB&W   Alexandria Motor Bus  1921  Disc.
(14)  Arlington Ridge Rd.          AB&W   Alexandria Motor Bus  1921  Disc.
(15)  Russell Rd.                  AB&W   Alexandria Motor Bus  1921  Disc.
 15   Chain Bridge Dr.          5  WV&M   Virginia Transit Co.  1922
 16   Columbia Pike.               AB&W                         1921
 17   Kings Park                   AB&W                         1966
 18   Springfield                  AB&W                         1968
(19)  Huntington                   AB&W                         1973   9
 23   Glebe Rd.                 8  WV&M                         1934
 25   Parkfairfax               6  AB&W                         1943
(26)  Alexandria-Arlington      1  AB&W                               Disc.
(27)  Hayfield Farms            2  AB&W                               Fairfax
 28   Leesburg Pike             7  WV&M   Arlington & Fairfax   1939
 28   Seven Corners             3  AB&W                         1943
 29   Duke St.                  4  AB&W   Alexandria & Subn.    1925
 29   Little River Tpke.        4  AB&W                         1964

Route   Route              Old     Last     Original            Buses  New
Number  Name               Route   Private  Bus                        Route
                           No.     Co.      Co.                        No.

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