I've just received the note below indicating that ART 61 weekend service will be reduced shortly. NRCA membership normally is extremely supportive of mass transit options. The ART 61 service is an unusual exception. Years ago we told the county that this route generally duplicated the orange line and we did not get much benefit from it.

Here's a link to the ART 61 Route.
http://www.commuterpage.com/ar...s2/Route61_600px.jpg


Please forward this message as appropriate.
January 20, 2010
Dear Community Leader;
We appreciate your support and use of ART services. The usage of the Saturday ART 61 service has been a concern for quite some time and discussed in community meetings held in September, 2008. While ART expects a minimum of 12 rides for every hour that a bus is serving a route, the 61 Saturday service prior to the Sept. 2008 meeting was only performing at less than 9 rides per hour. One year ago, ART reduced the Saturday span of service to 5 hours and extended the route to Clarendon. However, ridership levels have declined further – to just above 4 rides per hour. Since the ART 61 makes two round trips each hour, passenger loads at any one time are extremely low.
As a result of the low use of this service and the need to conserve financial resources, I must inform you that ART 61 Saturday service will be discontinued. The last day of Saturday service will be March 27, 2010. ART 61 weekday service will not be affected by this change. ART 61 Saturday riders may be able to use Metrobus 38B instead. This route operates every 30 minutes on Saturdays, to travel to Ballston, Clarendon, Court House, Rosslyn, Georgetown, Farragut North and Farragut West. You can download the 38B schedule at http://www.wmata.com/bus/timet...s-state.cfm?State=VA.
Steve Yaffe
Transit Services Manager
Transportation Division
Dept. of Environmental Services
2100 Clarendon Blvd. S-900
Arlington, VA 22201
703-228-3690
Fax 703-228-7548