New Hampshire Avenue–Maryland Line

The New Hampshire Avenue–Maryland Line, designated Route K6, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Fort Totten station on the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro and White Oak Shopping Center. The line operates every 10–30 minutes at all times. Route K6 trips are roughly 40–50 minutes.

K6
New Hampshire Avenue–Maryland Line
Route K6 along North Capitol Street
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageBladensburg
LiveryLocal
StatusIn Service
Began service1964
Route
LocaleNortheast, Prince George's County, Montgomery County
Communities servedFort Totten, Chillum, Langley Park, Adelphi, Takoma Park, Hillandale, White Oak
Landmarks servedWhite Oak, Federal Research Center/Food and Drug Administration, Northwest Park, Langley Park, Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center, Chillum, Fort Totten station
StartFort Totten station
ViaNew Hampshire Avenue
EndWhite Oak Shopping Center
Length40–50 minutes
Service
Frequency10–12 minutes (Weekdays 7AM-9PM)
12 minutes (Weekends 7AM-9PM)
30 minutes (After 9PM)
Operates4:58 AM – 1:38 AM (Weekdays)
5:33 AM – 1:51 AM (Saturdays)
5:30 AM – 1:51 AM (Sundays)
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableNew Hampshire Avenue-Maryland Line
← K2  {{{system_nav}}}  K9 →

Background

Route K6 operates daily between Fort Totten station and White Oak Shopping Center via New Hampshire Avenue providing service to residents between the two points. Route K6 currently operates out of Bladensburg division. The line originally operated out of Montgomery division until 2019.

K6 stops

History

K6 originally began operating as part of the Capital Transit Company "New Hampshire Avenue" Bus Line in 1964, between White Oak Shopping Center in White Oak, Maryland, and Metro Center in Downtown Washington D.C. mostly operating along Columbia Pike, New Hampshire Avenue, the White Oak FDA/FRC Building, and North Capitol Street NW.[1] K6 eventually became a WMATA Metrobus route on February 4, 1973, when WMATA bought all four failing private bus companies that operated throughout the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area and merged them all together to form its own Metrobus System.[2]

1978 Changes

On February 19, 1978, after Fort Totten station opened, K6 was truncated to only operate between the White Oak Shopping Center and Fort Totten station. The remaining segment of K6's original routing between Fort Totten and Metro Center was replaced by WMATA's brand new route K4, which was designed to operate between Fort Totten and Metro Center.[3]

2013 Changes

On December 29, 2013, route K6 discontinued all service to the Food and Drug Administration and instead remained straight along New Hampshire Avenue. Service would be replaced by route K9 which was extended from Northwest Park.[4]

2016 Changes

When the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center opened on December 22, 2016, the K6 was rerouted, along with several other Metrobus, Ride On buses, Shuttle UM and TheBus routes, to serve the newly opened Transit Center. Route K6 would serve Bus Bay A (Northbound) and Bus Bay G (Southbound) alongside route K9.[5][6][7]

2023 Changes

On June 25, 2023, northbound K6 trips was rerouted to Stuart Lane and Lockwood Drive to terminate in White Oak, service along Old Columbia Pike and inside of White Oak Shopping Center was discontinued.[8]

Incidents
  • On December 30, 2013, around 3:30 p.m., a K6 driver was killed when her bus began rolling without anybody on board and pinned the driver to a wall at White Oak Shopping Center. Preliminary investigation indicated that the driver attempted to engage the brake by reaching through the driver's window before becoming pinned to the bus. The driver suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead several hours later.[9][10]
  • On April 14, 2020, a car crashed into the back of a K6 bus around 10 p.m. Monday night leaving the three people inside the car pinned and severely injured.[11]

References
  1. "WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT ROUTES". www.chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  2. "History". Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  3. Feaver, Douglas (February 19, 1978). "Major Bus Route Changes Set Tuesday". Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  4. "December 29, 2013 Service Changes". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  5. "Metrobus service changes effective December 18 include more late-night service | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  6. "Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center, December 22 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  7. Rowl, DW. "Langley Park's new transit center opened on Thursday!". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  8. "Metrobus Changes Begin Sunday, June 25, 2023 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  9. Mimica, Mila. "D.C. Metrobus Driver Pinned by Bus, Killed During Break". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. "Thomasine Maria Smith, Metrobus driver, pinned by bus, killed". ABC7 WJLA. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. Macia, Alexandra (14 April 2020). "Car Crashes Into Metro Bus Injuring Three People". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
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