Washington, D.C
End of the road for DC Circulator – WTOP News
It was last July when the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced that it was the end of the road for the DC Circulator. Dec. 31 will be the bus service’s last stop.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
It was last July when the District Department of Transportation announced that it was the end of the road for the D.C. Circulator. Tuesday, Dec. 31 will be the bus service’s last stop.
The District Department of Transportation has worked with other transit partners — including Metrobus, Metrorail and Capital Bikeshare — to ensure riders have options.
What about the options for the bus drivers? WTOP spoke to some of them at Union Station, who have worked for the D.C. Circulator for close to two decades.
Jerry Benjamin has 30 years as a bus driver under his belt. Before he spent 17 years working for the Circulator, he drove for Greyhound.
“I love to drive. I think I was born to drive,” said Benjamin.
Benjamin told WTOP that he loved meeting people from all walks of life.
While losing a job is always tough, it’s not the hardest thing his family has been dealing with.
“My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she just had both her breasts removed. So I’m going through a lot,” Benjamin said. “I’m just trying to maintain and trying to get in front of my bills.”
At 61, Benjamin laughed as he sat in the driver’s seat talking about how hard it is to start from the bottom at a new job.
One of the skills Benjamin said he has may help him at his possible new job as a school bus driver for Prince George’s County.
“I know how to diffuse situations. It’s like, if a passenger is having a bad day, and gets on here and I talk to him or something like that, by the time I finish with them, they’re like, ‘All right, thank you. Have a good day,’” Benjamin said.
Another driver that has spent 15 years driving for the Circulator is 66-year-old John Hawkins.
“It’s been a great job,” Hawkins said. “So this has been a blessing to me.”
Hawkins told WTOP he has no plans for the next two months career-wise other than taking a couple of classes in security.
“I’m going to rest and relax in between the classes,” laughed Hawkins.
According to Hawkins, most of his coworkers have transitioned to Metro, Dash, The Ride On and Prince George’s County Public Schools.
When asked what he will miss most about driving for the D.C. Circulator, Hawkins smiled and replied: “My passengers, believe it or not. The quietness of the Circulator.”
“We get them there safely and have a good time.”
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Sunday, March 1, 2026 6:36AM
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The San Francisco Ballet board has voted to cancel its upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center.
The company is scheduled for a four-day run in Washington D.C. in May.
Petition urges SF Ballet to cancel Kennedy Center tour stop as company opens 2026 season
Last year, Pres. Donald Trump overhauled the Kennedy Center’s board, including naming himself the chairman.
That led several artists to cancel scheduled performances.
A statement from SF Ballet says the group “looks forward to performing for Washington, D.C. audiences in the future.”
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
At 97, Veteran Harley Wero wasn’t up for a trip to the nation’s capital, so volunteers from the Western North Dakota honor flight brought the trip to him. Wero, his wife Muriel and their daughter Jennifer got to experience Washington, DC, without ever leaving their home.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
WASHINGTON – Beginning on Monday, the D.C. Department of Health will be conducting daily tests for E. coli in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
It comes more than five weeks after the Potomac interceptor collapse sent millions of gallons of sewage into the river.
The testing will also coincide with an important safety advisory being lifted.
Why it matters:
Director of the D.C. Department of Health, Dr. Ayanna Bennett, says they will begin daily testing for E. coli in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers on Monday, along with help from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Currently, D.C. is only testing weekly.
“We feel really secure that the initial sewage is not a threat to people, it’s passed through some time ago, but we do want to get more information about what the long term condition of the river is gonna be and how we should look at it going forward.”
Big picture view:
Monday is also an important day because it’s when the District is expected to lift its advisory that recommends against recreational activities on the Potomac — we’re talking boating, fishing, walking pets by the water.
It’s important to note, however, that D.C.’s advisory pertains to its portion of the Potomac, and it has no bearing on advisories issued by officials in Maryland or Virginia.
Still, this is being treated by many as a hopeful sign.
What they’re saying:
But significant concerns absolutely remain for residents.
“I’ve had tons of messages from people saying they’re not going to let their kids row crew, they’re not going to go to sailing schools. We catch three million tons of blue cats out of the Potomac River. That season starts next week, and they’re not gonna be able to bring those blue cats to market,” said Dean Naujoks with the Potomac Riverkeepers.
“You knew years ago that parts of this Potomac Interceptor were corroded and vulnerable, especially where it broke, in Cabin John, our neighborhood,” one resident said, speaking at a public meeting in Bethesda on Thursday.
“I know there are small business owners here. Who’s accounting for all of our losses that we’re getting due to your sewer blowing up?” another resident asked.
Officials with D.C. Water, which is a public utility, have been running daily tests and will continue to do so as well.
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