Metrobus fleet (Washington, D.C.)

Metrobus

Company type	Public transit bus system
Industry	Public transportation
Headquarters	Washington, D.C. , United States
Area served	Washington, D.C. metropolitan area (including parts of Maryland and Virginia)
Products	Fixed-route bus transit services
Owner	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Website	www.wmata.com/service/bus/

This list provides an overview of the Metrobus fleet, the fixed-route bus system managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including parts of Maryland and Virginia.

Ranking as the sixth-largest bus fleet nationwide, Metrobus facilitates more than 130 million passenger journeys each year. By 2020, the fleet comprised 1,571 buses powered by various fuel technologies such as diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), diesel-electric hybrid, and battery-electric. These vehicles are allocated among eight operational divisions, with a ninth division currently being developed.

Current fleet

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Image	Manufacturer and Model	Year of Model	Bus Length	Fleet Numbers (Total Quantity)	Active Units	Fuel Type	Notes
	New Flyer DE40LFA	2008–2009	42 ft (13 m)	6301–6461 (161 units)	10 phasing out	Diesel-electric hybrid	* Buses numbered 6301–6312 display REX branding; 6413–6461 carry MetroExtra colors. Majority maintained as reserve vehicles.
	New Flyer DE35LFA	2009	37 ft (11 m)	3751–3770 (20 units)	20
	New Flyer DE40LFA	2010	42 ft (13 m)	6462–6609 (148 units)	130		Units 6462–6472 feature MetroExtra livery; numbers 6550–6561 use REX design. Six buses transferred to Fairfax Connector in 2021.
	New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40	2011	40 ft (12 m)	7001–7152 (152 units)	149
		2012–2013		7153–7272 (120 units)	118		Buses numbered 7153–7167 are equipped with KIEL Centra Seats.
	Orion Bus Industries Orion VII EPA10 BRT	2012	32.5 ft (9.9 m)	3063–3087 (25 units)	19		Units 3082–3087 were repainted in green TAGS livery in 2016 and later reassigned to Fairfax Connector in 2020.
				3036–3062 (27 units)	27	Diesel
	North American Bus Industries NABI BRT 42-BRT	2014–2015	42	8001–8105 (105 units)	103	Diesel-electric hybrid	Units numbered 8002 through 8014 were originally deployed on the Metroway service.

Upcoming fleet

Manufacturer and model	Length	Delivery year	Fleet identification	Propulsion type	Remarks
Nova Bus LFSe+	40 ft (12 m)	2025	1040-1044 (5 units)	Battery-electric	Ten buses allocated to Shepherd Parkway garage. Unit 1040 manufactured.
New Flyer Xcelsior XN40		2025	3350–3374 (25 units)	Compressed natural gas (CNG)
New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40		2025-26	7410-7484 (75 units)	Diesel-electric hybrid	Deliveries commence in fiscal year 2024. New Flyer awarded a significant contract by WMATA.
New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE NG XE35	35 ft (11 m)		To be announced (25 units)	Battery-electric

Decommissioned fleet

WMATA has systematically retired buses after serving for a minimum of eight years, substituting them with modern, more efficient vehicles. Some of these retired buses have been preserved in museums or repurposed, while others were dismantled.

Years in service	Manufacturer and model	Fleet numbers (preserved units)	Retirement year	Image	Additional information
1959–1974	General Motors New Look	Various series including 4920–4944, 5700–5774, among others	1990s–2000		Preserved example: unit 6481 at Seashore Trolley Museum.
1974–1975		AM General Metropolitan	7000–7619	1990s		Bus number 7535 maintained by Virginia Commonwealth Coach and Trolley Museum.
1976–1978		Flxible Corporation Flxible New Look (53096 Models)	8000–8661	1999–2001
1979		General Motors Corporation RTS II	9001–9115 (9112)	2000–2001		Originally fitted with 6V71N engines.
1979		MAN MAN SG 220	5001–5043	1995		WMATA's inaugural articulated bus fleet.
1983–1984		Neoplan USA AN440A	9500–9576	1994		Unit 9500 was a one-of-a-kind SEPTA specification demonstrator.
1983		MAN MAN SG 220	5101–5133	2002
1986–1988		Flxible Metro A and B models	Various series including 8700–8922, 9201–9289	Metro A retired by 2005–2006; Metro B retired by 2006		Certain buses were equipped with wheelchair lifts.
1988		Gillig Corporation Gillig Phantom	5080–5099	2001		Bus number 5090 is preserved at Seashore Trolley Museum.
1989–1991		"Flxible Metro B"	"5151–5185, plus additional units"	"2006–2009"		Unit 5172 preserved by Virginia Commonwealth Coach and Trolley Museum.
1992		"Bus Industries of America" Orion V (05.501)	"9601–9660"	"2008"		Initially powered by Detroit Diesel engines coupled with Allison transmissions.
1993-1995		"Flxible Metro D and E"	"9701–9785, plus other units"	"2010"
1997-1998		"Orion Bus Industries" Orion V (05.501)	"4200–4412 (4271)"	"2014–2016"		Featured seating arrangements for suburban routes; unit 4271 used in Roadeo competitions.
1999-2002		"Orion Bus Industries" Orion V and II models	"3701-3950 series"	"2008-2012"		Some buses were transferred to Ride On; these included the first low-floor models introduced in the early 2000s.
2005-2007	"Orion VII and New Flyer C40LFR"	"2501-2730, among others"	"2018-2023"		Included variants with John Deere engines and featured MetroExtra branding.
2008-2009	"North American Bus Industries" NABI BRT and New Flyer DE60LFA articulated models	"5401-5452"	"2021"		Initially delivered in Local livery; some units utilized for operator training.
2016	"New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE XE40"	"1001"	"2024"		WMATA's pioneering fully electric transit bus; returned to the manufacturer in 2024.

Divisions

Division	Location	Service Areas	Capacity	Fleet Numbers	Remarks
Andrews Federal Center		Southwest Washington DC, Prince George's County	149	4485-4497, 4531–4565, 4713–4718, 6486, 6488, 6491–6493, 6496, 6501–6503, 6506-6509, 6515, 6517–6518, 6520-6521, 6524-6532, 6534-6435, 6542–6547, 6548, 7162–7167, 7168–7208, 7315-7325, 8021–8040	Commissioned on June 23, 2019.
Bladensburg		Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest Washington DC	251	3036–3046, 3764–3770, 4498–4499, 4500–4530, 4612-4634, 4650-4660, 4719–4721, 4727-4754, 5460–5461, 5465-5466, 5469–5480, 5481–5492, 6357, 6513-6514, 6516, 6521, 6534-6540, 6542-6546, 6569, 6575-6576, 6589, 7037-7039, 7041-7042, 7300–7314, 8085-8105	Undergoing reconstruction.
Cinder Bed Road		Alexandria and Fairfax County	90	4678–4685, 4697-4700, 4701–4712, 6519, 6578, 6590, 6592-6594, 6596-6599, 6600-6608, 7066–7094, 7096–7099, 7153–7158, 8070–8084	In service since 2018; previously operated by TransDev until December of 2021.
Four Mile Run		Arlington County; Fairfax County; Alexandria	218	2908–2914, 2916–2993, 3100–3199, 3317–3349
Landover		Prince George's County	218	4450–4456, 4661–4677, 4686-4696, 4755–4758, 4763-4795, 6366, 6374, 6465, 6481, 6377-6380, 6510-6511, 6522-6523, 6560, 6562-6566, 6572, 7001–7037 ,7040 ,7045-7059 ,7351–7409 ,8001–8020
Montgomery		Montgomery County	222	4457–4474 ,4475-4484 ,4635–4649 ,4722-4726 ,4759-4762 ,5462–5463 ,5467–5468 ,5500–5529 ,6374 ,6377 ,6456 ,6458–6459 ,6462–6464 ,6466-6474 ,6476–6480 ,6482-6483 ,6549 ,6551-6554 ,6557-6559 ,7159-7161 ,7209–7214 ,7216–7272 ,7326–7350 ,8041–8054 ,8056-8063
Shepherd Parkway		Southeast and Southwest Washington DC; Prince George's County	207	1045-1049 ,1060-1061 ,2830–2907 ,3200–3274 ,3275–3316 ,3047–3062 ,3063–3069 ,3756–3763 ,5464 ,5530–5541	Commissioned in2012. Equipped with CNG fueling facilities.
Western		Northwest Washington DC	128	3070 –3081 ,3751 –3755 ,4566 –4598 ,4600 –4611 ,7101 –7152 ,8064 –8065 ,8067 –8069	Replacement project in progress.

Closed divisions

Division	Location	Service Regions	Capacity	Remarks
Arlington		Arlington County and Fairfax County		Ceased operations in2009; succeeded by West Ox Division.
Northern		Northwest Washington DC	175	Previously a trolley barn; closed in June2019 due to structural concerns; reconstruction planned.
Southeastern		Southeast and Southwest Washington DC		Shut down in2008; services transferred to Southern Avenue until Shepherd Parkway became operational in2012.
Southern Avenue Annex		Southeast Washington DC and Prince George's County	78	Discontinued in2024; operated only on weekdays; known as "Prince George's" Division until1989.
Royal Street		Fairfax County and Alexandria City	83	Closed in2014; replaced by Cinder Bed Division; demolished January2020.
West Ox		Arlington County and Fairfax County	100	Weekday-only operation; shared with Fairfax Connector; temporarily closed March2021 with operations shifted to Four Mile Run Division.