Waiting at a bus stop can be an exercise in patience, but it may be even worse during the evening rush hour.
Metrobuses arrived on schedule 74 percent of the time in March, according to the latest data available from the transit agency. But the punctuality varies within the time of day: Morning rush-hour buses were on time 77 percent of the time, while in the evening rush it fell to 69 percent.
That means nearly a third of the evening buses were not on time.
Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said Metro officials didn’t know whether the delayed performance on March evenings was an anomaly or a bigger problem. April statistics are not available, he said.
March kicks off Washington’s tourism season, meaning more traffic in the afternoons and more pedestrians in the downtown area that can slow down cars.
“It does take buses longer, especially downtown,” he said.
On H Street along Lafayette Square in the District on Wednesday evening, for example, two sets of tour buses disgorged hordes of camera-toting preteens in front of a Metrobus stop. The X2 Metrobus had to pull alongside, still in the line of traffic, to pick up its passengers.
But being on time wasn’t just a problem in March. In every month since July, Metrobus’ on-time performance hasn’t risen above 77 percent.
And riders may be checking their watches even when the buses are deemed to be on time. Metro considers buses on time if they arrive during a nine-minute window of the published schedule. They can be up to two minutes early or as much as seven minutes late.
Metro officials say buses have a harder time staying punctual than the subway because they have to navigate streets crowded with trucks making deliveries, cars that are illegally parked and pedestrians who are jaywalking. An accident, a water main break, road construction or a road closure can throw off the bus schedule.
