Langley Park–Cheverly Line

F8
Langley Park–Cheverly Line
Route F8 at Hyattsville Crossing
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageLandover
LiveryLocal
StatusDiscontinued
Ended serviceJune 29, 2025
Route
LocalePrince George's County
Communities servedLangley Park, Hyattsville, Landover, Cheverly, Lewisdale, Peace Cross, Bladensburg
Landmarks servedCheverly station, Prince George’s Hospital, Peace Cross, West Hyattsville station, Hyattsville Crossing station, The Mall at Prince George's, Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
StartCheverly station
ViaUniversity Blvd, Adelphi Road, Queens Chapel Road, Annapolis Road, Landover Road, Cheverly Avenue
EndTakoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
Service
LevelDaily
Frequency30-38 minutes (Rush Hour)
52-65 minutes (Midday and Weekday Evening Service)
60-65 minutes (Weekends)
Operates5:35 AM – 7:52 PM (Weekdays)
5:42 AM – 8:28 PM (Saturday)
8:53 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday)
Ridership359,617 (FY 2024)[1]
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableLangley Park-Cheverly Line
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The Langley Park–Cheverly Line, designated Route F8, was a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the Cheverly Metro station of the Silver and Orange Lines of the Washington Metro and Takoma – Langley Crossroads Transit Center in Langley Park, Maryland. The line operated every 30–35 minutes during peak hours and every 60–65 minutes at all other times. F8 trips were roughly 54–60 minutes. The route was discontinued during WMATA's Better Bus Redesign on June 29, 2025 with portions of the route taken over by other WMATA Routes and TheBus.

Route

Route F8 operated on weekdays between 5:35 AM and 8:41 PM, Saturdays between 5:47 AM and 9:22 PM, and Sundays between 9:55 AM and 7:00 PM. Route F8 operated out of Landover Division at all times. It originally operated out of Bladensburg until 1989.

F8 Stops

History

The line originally operated as a DC Transit Bus Route as the Prince George's–Langley Park Line and was designated as Route G8 which began service in April, 1960 between Langley Park and Prince George's Hospital, via Merrimac Drive, 14th Avenue, Kanawha Street, 15th Avenue, University Boulevard, Campus Drive, Adelphi Road, Toledo Road, Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center, Belcrest Road, Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street, 38th Avenue, Jefferson Street, Baltimore Avenue, Annapolis Road, and Landover Road.[2][3]

The line was eventually converted into a WMATA Metrobus Route on February 4, 1973 when WMATA acquired DC Transit. On December 3, 1978, G8 was simply renamed as route "F8", even though it retained its same exact routing.

Around 1992, when Charles Armentrout Drive opened in Hyattsville, F8 was minorly rerouted to divert off Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Alt Route 1) onto Charles Armentrout Drive and then use Rhode Island Avenue (U.S. Route 1) to get back to Baltimore Avenue (U.S. Route 1).

On December 11, 1993, F8 was extended from its original terminus at Prince George's Hospital to the Cheverly station, via Cheverly Avenue to replace the segment of F2's routing that got discontinued.[4] F8 was also rerouted to serve the newly opened West Hyattsville and Prince George's Plaza stations.

On May 15, 2003, the former Metrobus bus bays in front of the former G.C. Murphy store inside Prince George's Plaza, were demolished in order to build a new Target store. Route F8 stopped directing entering into and looping inside the Prince George's Plaza.[5]

On December 30, 2012, the, line was renamed from the Prince George's–Langley Park Line to the Langley Park–Cheverly Line.[6]

When the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center opened on December 22, 2016, the F8 was rerouted, along with several other Metrobus, Ride On buses, Shuttle UM and TheBus routes, to serve the newly opened Transit Center. Route F8 would serve Bus Bay C.[7][8][9]

In 2018, WMATA proposed to reroute the F8 along 23rd Avenue in Lewisdale to replace Route R2 and discontinue service along Adelphi Road. This was proposed to streamline the R2 along Riggs Road.[10]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, route F8 was relegated to operate on its Saturday schedule beginning on March 16, 2020.[11] However on March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule.[12] Weekend service was also suspended beginning on March 21, 2020.[13] On August 23, 2020, additional service was added to route F8 along with its weekend service being restored.[14]

On September 26, 2020, WMATA proposed to reduce the frequency of buses to every 60 minutes on the F8 due to low federal funding.[15] Later in February 2021 during WMATA's FY2022 Budget crisis, WMATA proposed to eliminate the F8 beginning in January 2022.[16] Subsequently on April 22, 2021, WMATA approved the FY2022 budget and received federal funding to avoid service cuts.[17]

On June 10, 2021, WMATA proposed to restore the line's pre-pandemic schedule as part of WMATA's Pandemic Recovery Plan.[18][19] Full service was restored on September 5, 2021.[20]

Due to rising cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the line was reduced to its Saturday service on weekdays beginning on January 10, 2022.[21] Full weekday service resumed on February 7, 2022.[22]

In 2024 during WMATA's FY2024 Budget crisis, WMATA proposed to eliminate all F8 service.[23] However on April 25, 2024, Metro’s Board of Directors approved a $4.8 billion capital and operating budget which avoided service cuts.[24]

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched its Better Bus Redesign project, which aimed to redesign the entire Metrobus Network and is the first full redesign of the agency's bus network in its history.

In April 2023, WMATA launched its Draft Visionary Network. As part of the drafts, WMATA proposed to split the F8 into different portions.[25]

The portion between Cheverly station and the intersection of Annapolis Road & Baltimore Avenue was renamed to Route MD342 in the drafts and was modified to operate between Takoma station and Capitol Heights station via Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, Columbia Pike Road, Cheverly station, Cheverly Avenue, Landover Road, Hospital Drive, Prince George's Hospital, Annapolis Road, Bladensburg Road, 8th Avenue, Hamilton Street, West Hyattsville station, Queens Chapel Road, Chillum Road, Eastern Avenue, and Carroll Street. The line would be a combination of Routes F1, F2, and F8.

The portion between Prince George's Hospital and Hyattsville Crossing station was also modified to no longer serve West Hyattsville station, and instead operate between Cheverly station and Highview Apartments via via Arbor Street, Tuxedo Road, Kenilworth Avenue, Pepsi Place, Hospital Drive, Prince George's Hospital, Landover Road, Annapolis Road, Baltimore Avenue, Charles Armentrout Drive, Rhode Island Avenue, Jefferson Street, 42nd Avenue, Queensbury Road, Hyattsville Crossing station, East-West Highway, Toledo Terrace, Northwest Drive, Dean Drive, and Highview Terrace. The line was named Route MD344 in the proposals and was a combination of portions from Routes F1, F2, F8, and R4.

During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed Route MD342 to Route P43 and changed the route to match the same routing as the current TheBus Route 18 route between Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center and Addison Road station, and took over much of the F8 service between Cheverly station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center except the route would not operate to West Hyattsville station and Prince George's Hospital or along Adelphi Road, Toledo Road, Belcrest Road, Jefferson Street, Charles Armentrout Drive, and Baltimore Avenue. Route MD344 was merged with the proposed Route MD252 and was renamed to Route P42, and would operate between Takoma station and New Carrollton station via Fort Lincoln. Route F8 service along Adelphi Road, Toledo Road, and Belcrest Road was taken over by the proposed Route P32, and service along Jefferson Street was taken over by the proposed Route P10. There was no replacement service along Charles Armentrout Drive and Baltimore Avenue.[26] All changes were then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.[27][28][29]

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Redesign Network.[30]

Beginning on June 29, 2025, all Route F8 service was discontinued and replaced by a combination of rerouted Metrobus routes and TheBus routes with TheBus Route P43 being the main replacement, while Metrobus Routes P10, P32, and P33 partially replaced the F8.[31]

References

  1. ↑ "Metrobus FY2024 Annual Line Performance Report" (PDF). wmata.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  2. ↑ "WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT ROUTES". www.chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  3. ↑ Feaver. "Bus Routes Change Sunday to Link with Orange Line". The Washington Post.
  4. ↑ Pierre. "Metro Shuffling Its Bus Schedule". The Washington Post.
  5. ↑ "Metrobus service suspended at Prince Georges Plaza". Gazette.net. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Metrobus service changes continue 'better bus' improvement program". Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Metrobus service changes effective December 18 include more late-night service | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center, December 22 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  9. ↑ Rowl, DW. "Langley Park's new transit center opened on Thursday!". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Riggs-Road-Proposal-2-A-Adelphi-Road-F8-reroute-map.pdf" (PDF). wmata.com. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Metro announces additional COVID-19 changes, including reduced service beginning Monday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  12. ↑ "METRO SERVICE LEVELS & HOURS FURTHER REDUCED TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY, STARTING WEDNESDAY | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Weekend: Metro service limited to 26 bus routes, reduced rail service; expect wait times of 30 minutes; customers urged to travel only if essential | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Proposed Service Adjustments by Jurisdiction" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 9, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  16. ↑ "FY22 Proposed Metrobus Service Changes Maryland" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ "FY2022 PROPOSED BUDGET" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Finance and Capital Committee Action Item III-A June 10, 2021 Service and Fare Recommendations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Report by Finance and Capital Committee (A) 06-10-2021" (PDF). Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Improved frequency and changes to Metrobus service begin Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Metro takes measures to combat omicron variant; Announces service adjustments and protections for customers and employees". Archived from the original on May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Regular weekday Metrobus service to return February 7". Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Maryland Fiscal Year 2025 Proposed Metrobus Service Changes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Metro Board approves $4.8B budget that maintains service, avoids drastic cuts thanks to additional investments from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia". www.wmata.com. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Draft Visionary Maryland Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Proposed 2025 Network Maryland Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Maryland Better Bus Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 26, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Metro Board of Directors approves Better Bus Network Redesign, new bus routes to start next summer". WMATA. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Maryland Route Profiles" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
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