The D.C. Council passed emergency legislation to support D.C. Circulator employees Tuesday as more than 90 drivers faced layoffs.
The DC Circulator Transition Temporary Amendment Act of 2024, which Councilmember Charles Allen introduced Monday, calls on District officials to redirect any money the D.C. Circulator makes selling its buses back to their employees, who will all lose their jobs by Dec. 31, when officials complete the service’s phaseout. The emergency legislation follows calls from the Circulator’s union and local leaders for District officials to transfer all operations and workers to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Circulator employees said last week that RAPT Dev, the Circulator’s employer, notified 93 of 178 bus operators of their immediate termination Monday. The Circulator on Tuesday ended its Rosslyn-Dupont Circle route and late night route for Georgetown-Union Station — two of the three routes that pass through Foggy Bottom.
The emergency bill calls for the District Department of Transportation to coordinate with WMATA to evaluate the feasibility of Metro assuming control of the Circulator’s employees, routes and buses.
Ben Lynn, the press and communications associate for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, said the union originally agreed to support the Circulator’s termination, but on the condition that the mayor’s office agree to help WMATA absorb all employees and routes.
The union held a rally last week, calling on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to transfer Circulator employees and routes to WMATA. On Sept. 30, 48 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions across the city wrote a letter calling on Bowser to initiate the transfer.
