Metro is scaling back its plans to offer parking to more than a thousand buses for the inauguration, citing an apparent lack of interest.
Although as many as 10,000 buses are predicted to bring more than 500,000 people to the region for the historic Jan. 20 swearing in of Barack Obama as president, Metro officials said Tuesday they had received just 35 requests from charter buses. Now the transit system will open nearly all of its 60,000 parking spots to cars instead.
“We’re just a small part of the parking to be available for charter buses,” said Metro spokeswoman Angela Gates. “And we really wanted to make as many spaces available to motorists and local residents.”
But the move came as news to some in the bus industry.
“I’m surprised to hear that. We’re hearing several thousand buses are headed to the city. And I’m not sure where they are going to park,” said Victor Parra, chief executive officer of the United Motorcoach Association in Alexandria. “Maybe Metro isn’t communicating what’s available? Why would they do that?”
A District transportation spokesman said the city hasn’t changed its expectations and is still planning on finding parking for 10,000 charter buses. “We have seen a steady stream of buses registering,” said John Lisle, District Department of Transportation spokesman. “What we’re focused on is finding parking in the city for as many buses as we can.”
All charter buses planning to transport people to the inauguration events have been required to register with clickandpark.com, whether for city spaces at RFK Stadium, Metro lots or other spots.
Metro had previously said it planned to allocate space for 1,100 charter buses, closing the Greenbelt, Morgan Boulevard and Van Dorn Street station lots to cars and limiting parking at the Vienna, West Falls Church and Shady Grove stations.
But Eron Shosteck, a senior vice president with the American Bus Association, said the city is now offering some spaces closer in to the city than Metro’s more suburban lots. Those may be more appealing to charter buses, he said.
As for where the other buses will go now that Metro is closing lots to all but the 35 registered buses?
“It’s up to the District of Columbia,” Gates said.
Still, said Parra, “I guarantee there are going to be a lot more than 30 coming to the city.”
