Marshall Heights Line

The Marshall Heights Line, designated Route U5 & U6, are daily bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Minnesota Avenue station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Marshall Heights via Lincoln Heights. Both lines operate every 30–40 minutes at all times. Trips take roughly 30 minutes for both routes.

U5, U6
Marshall Heights Line
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageSouthern Ave (Weekdays), Bladensburg (Weekends)
LiveryLocal
Began service1966
Route
LocaleNortheast, Southeast
Communities servedBenning Heights, Lincoln Heights, Fort Dupont, Capitol View, Marshall Heights
Landmarks servedMarshall Heights, Lincoln Heights, Capitol View, Benning Road station, Texas Ave. S.E., 37th St. and Ely Pl. S.E. (U6), Ridge Rd. S.E., Greenway, Minnesota Avenue station
StartMinnesota Avenue station
ViaMinnesota Avenue NE, Texas Avenue SE. Ridge Road SE
EndMarshall Heights (51st Street & Fitch Streets SE)
Length30 minutes
Service
LevelSeven Days a Week
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableMarshall Heights Line
← U4  {{{system_nav}}}  U7 →

History

U5 & U6 originally operated as part of the "Mayfair-Marshall Heights" D.C. Transit System Bus Line.[1] U5 & U6 eventually became WMATA Metrobus Routes on February 4, 1973, when WMATA acquired all four bus companies that operated throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area and merged them all together to form its own, "Metrobus" System while keeping their same routing.[1]

1978 Changes

On December 3, 1978, both routes U5 and U6 went through a minor rerouting change, to divert into the newly opened Minnesota Avenue station.[2]

1980 Route Changes

On November 22, 1980, both routes U5 and U6 began serving Benning Road station. Both U5 & U6 would serve the station at the intersection of East Capitol Street NE & Benning Road NE/SE.[3]

Proposed Changes

In WMATA's FY2015, it was proposed to shorten routes U5 and U6 at Minnesota Avenue station having Mayfair service replaced by a new route U1. The reasons were to improve reliability of service by operating shorter routes, create a better balance of capacity and demand throughout the line, and performance measures has an on-time performance is 78 percent compared to the target of 81 percent.[4]

The study was brought up again during WMATA's FY2019 budget. Routes U5 and U6 would end at Minnesota Avenue station still with Mayfair service replaced by route U7. This was to improve service reliability and on-time performance by shortening the routes, create a better balance of capacity and customer demand on routes U5, U6, and U7, recommended in the 2014 U and V Lines Service Evaluation Study, and respond to Minnesota Avenue NE construction conclusion. Performance measures go as the following:

Performance MeasureRoute U5, U6WMATA GuidelinePass/Fail
Average Weekday Riders3233432Pass
Cost Recovery18%16.6%Pass
Subsidy per Rider$2.40$4.81Pass
Riders per Trip4510.7Fail
Riders per Revenue Mile4.41.3Pass

2018 Changes

On June 24, 2018, Route U5 and U6 discontinued service to Mayfair & Parkside being replaced by extended route U7. All trips now terminate at Minnesota Avenue station.[5] The line was also renamed from "Mayfair–Marshall Heights Line" to "Marshall Heights Line."

Incidents
  • On November 13, 2011, at around 6:30 AM, a man was shot twice on a U6 bus along 37th Street and Ridge Road. The victim was taken to a local hospital.[6]
  • On May 3, 2016, 30-year-old Keith James Loving hijacked a U6 bus along Minnesota and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenues with needle nose pliers and drove the bus into a gas station parking lot killing 40-year-old Anthony Payne. Police later apprehend Loving and was later arrested and charged with murder. The U6 driver suffered minor back injuries while no passengers were injured.[7][8][9] Keith Loving was later sentenced to 21 years behind bars.[10]
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References
  1. "WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT ROUTES". www.chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  2. Feaver, Douglas B. (1978-11-30). "Bus Routes Change Sunday to Link with Orange Line". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  3. "New Subway Stops Bring Metrobus Service Changes". Washington Post. January 1, 1981. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  4. "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROPOSED BUS SERVICE CHANGES FISCAL YEAR 2015" (PDF). www.wmata.com. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  5. "Metrobus Service Changes, June 24". Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  6. "Metrobus Passenger Shot While on Bus". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  7. Hermann, Peter; Shapiro, T. Rees; Hedgpeth, Dana (3 May 2016). "Police describe hijacking of D.C. Metrobus that led to deadly collision". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. Stone, Shomari; Collins, Pat; Jones, Erica. "Video Shows Bus Hijacker Arrest After Hitting, Killing Man". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. Wagner, Paul (3 May 2016). "Metrobus hijacked in northeast DC; pedestrian struck and killed". FOX 5 DC. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. "Video Shows Man Attack Metrobus Driver Before Deadly Crash". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
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