After a two-year comprehensive review of current bus-routes, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) has announced plans a systemic redesign of bus routes, including routes in Northern Virginia.

Called the Better Bus Network, the new routes will be implemented summer 2025 and are a continuation of the 2022 program designed to streamline travel. This is the first comprehensive redesign of the Metrobus system since it opened in February 1973. The Metrobus system provides travelers with more than 500,000 trips every day.

More than 500 stops are being removed and all routes are being renamed based on their service area. The new route names along with the old routes can be found in PDF form for DC, Virginia, and Maryland.

The new routes are part of a litany of changes being made to the entire metro system including a new system of funding and efforts to stop fare evasion.

According to Metro board member Matt Letourneau nearly 70% of all bus riders do not pay for the services. Letourneau represents Northern Virginia on the WMATA board. Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia governments all contribute to the operating costs of the Metro. New funding formulas would reduce the government contributions based on the number of paid passengers, incentivizing governments to stop fare evasion.

“Everyone in the region wants us to run better bus service. If we can generate $5, $10, $20 million more revenue it goes to running more service for the same people that want to use the bus,” said Metro General Manager Randy Clarke.

Higher gates and increased police presence have caused an 82% drop in illegal fare evasion on trains.