District Department of Transportation
Washington, DC · NTD ID 30112 · 2024 report year
District Department of Transportation carries 2.4 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and streetcar — making it the 186th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Washington, DC.
It spends $51.7 million a year running that service, or $21.34 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $25.34 per rider — 83% above the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 64% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and down 7% on 2023. Fares cover 1% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#196 of 1,162 nationally | 1,584,670 | $40.2 million | $25.34 | +83% | 1% | 56 |
| Streetcar#12 of 25 nationally | 836,438 | $11.5 million | $13.77 | +38% | — | 4 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,421,108 | $51.7 million | $21.34 |
| 2023 | 2,591,448 | $49.5 million | $19.12 |
| 2022 | 2,117,070 | $45.8 million | $21.64 |
| 2021 | 1,481,070 | $49.8 million | $33.61 |
| 2020 | 2,510,573 | $56.2 million | $22.39 |
| 2019 | 6,650,964 | $44.0 million | $6.61 |
| 2018 | 5,816,845 | $45.3 million | $7.79 |
| 2017 | 5,025,611 | $44.1 million | $8.77 |
| 2016 | 5,904,708 | $38.8 million | $6.57 |
| 2015 | 5,102,855 | $25.9 million | $5.07 |
Where District Department of Transportation ranks
- Highest-Ridership Streetcar Systems #12 of 25
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Ask NTD about District Department of Transportation →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.