New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line

See also: New Carrollton–Silver Spring Line

The New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line, designated Route F6, is a weekday-only bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between the New Carrollton station of the Orange Line station of the Washington Metro and the Fort Totten station of the Red and Green Lines of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 30 minutes during peak hours and 60 minutes all other times, weekdays only. F6 trips are roughly 60 minutes. This route provides weekday service between Fort Totten and New Carrollton stations without having to take the train into Downtown DC.

F6
New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line
Route F6 at Hyattsville Crossing
Overview
System	Metrobus
Operator	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Garage	Landover
Livery	Local
Status	In service
Began service	1978
Predecessors	R3
Route
Locale	Prince George's County, Northeast
Communities served	New Carrollton, Riverdale, College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Chillum, Carole Highlands, Queens Chapel
Landmarks served	Parkdale High School, College Park–University of Maryland station, University of Maryland, Northwestern High School, Hyattsville Crossing station, West Hyattsville station, Fort Totten station
Start	New Carrollton station
Via	Sargent Road, Good Luck Road, Finns Lane, Campus Drive, Ager Road, University Boulevard
End	Fort Totten station
Service
Level	Weekday service only
Frequency	45 minutes
Operates	5:20 AM – 9:35 PM
Ridership	350,494 (FY 2023)[1]
Transfers	SmarTrip only
Timetable	New Carrollton-Fort Totten Line
Route map ← F4  {{{system_nav}}}  F8 →

Background

Route F6 operates weekdays only between New Carrollton station and Fort Totten station mostly along Sargent Road, Good Luck Road, Finns Lane, Campus Drive, Ager Road, and University Boulevard without having to take the train. It connects the New Carrollton, Riverdale, College Park, University Park, Hyattsville, Green Meadows, Chillum, Queens Chapel, and North Michigan Park communities to various Metrorail stations and parts of Northeast DC.

Route F6 currently operates out of Landover division.

Route F6 stops

Bus stop	Direction	Connections
Prince George's County, Maryland
New Carrollton station Bus Bay H	Westbound station, Eastbound terminal	Metrobus: A12, B21, B22, B24, B27, F4, F12, F13, F14, G12, G14, T14, T18 MTA Maryland Commuter Bus TheBus: 15X, 16, 21, 21X Greyhound Peter Pan Bus Lines Washington Metro: MARC: Penn Line Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter MTA: Purple Line (Planned)
Harkins Road / Ellin Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: B24, B27, F4, F13, G12, G14, T18
Harkins Road / Sherwood Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: B24, B27, F4, F13, G12, G14, T18
Harkins Road / Annapolis Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: B24, B27, F4, F13, G12, G14, T18
Finns Lane / Annapolis Road	Bidirectional
Finns Lane / Fury Lane	Bidirectional
Finns Lane / Kidmore Lane	Bidirectional
Finns Lane / Riverdale Road	Bidirectional
Riverdale Road / Martins Lane	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F4
Riverdale Road / Chestnut Ridge Apartments	Eastbound	Metrobus: F4
Riverdale Road / Chestridge Apartments	Westbound	Metrobus: F4
Riverdale Road / Riverdale Towne Apartments	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F4
Riverdale Road / Auburn Avenue	Eastbound	Metrobus: F4
Auburn Avenue / Riverdale Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: T14 TheBus: 14 Shuttle-UM
Auburn Avenue / 1st Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: T14 TheBus: 14 Shuttle-UM
Auburn Avenue / 2nd Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: T14 TheBus: 14 Shuttle-UM
Auburn Avenue / 3rd Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: T14 TheBus: 14 Shuttle-UM
Auburn Avenue / Chestnut Avenue	Bidirectional	Metrobus: T14 TheBus: 14 Shuttle-UM
Good Luck Road / Oakland Avenue	Bidirectional	TheBus: 14
Good Luck Road / Parkdale High School	Eastbound	TheBus: 14
Good Luck Road / Crest Park Drive	Westbound	TheBus: 14
Good Luck Road / Silk Tree Drive	Bidirectional	TheBus: 14
Good Luck Road / Sora Lane	Eastbound	TheBus: 14
Good Luck Road / Kenilworth Avenue	Bidirectional	TheBus: 14
Kenilworth Avenue / Paint Branch Parkway	Westbound
Kenilworth Avenue / Sarvis Avenue	Bidirectional	TheBus: 14
Kenilworth Avenue / Tennyson Street	Bidirectional	TheBus: 14
River Road / Kenilworth Avenue	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R12 TheBus: 14
River Road / Haig Drive	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R12 TheBus: 14 MTA: Purple Line (at Riverdale Park North–UMD station) (Planned)
River Road / Rivertech Court	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R12 TheBus: 14
River Road / American Physics Building	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R12 TheBus: 14
College Park–University of Maryland station Bus Bay A	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 83, 86, C8, R12 RTA: 302/G TheBus: 14, 17 Shuttle-UM: 104, 109 MTA Maryland: 204 Washington Metro: MARC: Camden Line MTA: Purple Line (Planned)
Campus Drive / Paint Branch Trail	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 83, 86, C8 TheBus: 17 Shuttle-UM
Campus Drive / Baltimore Avenue	Eastbound	Metrobus: 83, 86 C8 TheBus: 17 Shuttle-UM
Campus Drive / Regents Drive	Bidirectional	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / Regents Drive	Westbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / Varsity Team House	Eastbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / #4136 Yahentamitsi Hall	Westbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / Stadium Parking Garage	Eastbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / Hagerstown Lane	Westbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / Smith Performing Arts Center	Eastbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Stadium Drive / #3854 Denton Hall	Westbound	Metrobus: C2, C8 Shuttle-UM
Adelphi Road / Tulane Drive	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8 (Westbound only) Shuttle-UM MTA: Purple Line (at Adelphi Road-UMGC-UMD station)(Planned)
Adelphi Road / Rutgers Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8 Shuttle-UM
Adelphi Road / Pennsylvania Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8 Shuttle-UM
Adelphi Road / Wells Parkway	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8 Shuttle-UM
Adelphi Road / Van Buren Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8 Shuttle-UM
Belcrest Road / Adelphi Road	Bidirectional
Belcrest Road / Toledo Terrace	Bidirectional
Belcrest Road / Toledo Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: C4, F6, F8, R4 TheBus (Eastbound only): 13, 14 Shuttle-UM (Eastbound only)
Belcrest Road / #6505	Eastbound	Metrobus: C4, F6, F8, R4 TheBus: 13, 14 Shuttle-UM
Belcrest Road / Freedom Way	Westbound	Metrobus: C4, F8, R4 TheBus: 13, 14 Shuttle-UM
Hyattsville Crossing station Bus Bays C and H	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 86, C4, F4, F8, R4 TheBus: 13, 14, 18 Shuttle-UM: 113 Washington Metro:
Belcrest Road / Queens Chapel Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 86, F4, F8, R4 TheBus: 18
Queens Chapel Road / Oliver Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8, R4 TheBus: 18
Queens Chapel Road / Nicholson Street	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8, R4 TheBus: 18
Queens Chapel Road / Sacred Heart Home	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8, R4 TheBus: 18
Queens Chapel Road / Lancer Drive	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8, R4 TheBus: 18
Queens Chapel Road / Jefferson Street	Eastbound	Metrobus: F8, R4
Queens Chapel Road / Hamilton Manor Drive	Westbound	Metrobus: F8, R4
Hamilton Street / 31st Avenue	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F8, R4 TheBus: 12, 13
West Hyattsville station Bus Bay D	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F1, F8, R4 TheBus: 12, 13 Washington Metro:
West Hyattsville station Bus Bay F	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F1, F8, R4 TheBus: 12, 13 Washington Metro:
Ager Road / Lancer Drive	Bidirectional	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Kirkwood Place	Eastbound	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / 29th Avenue	Westbound	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Nicholson Street	Bidirectional	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Oglethorpe Street	Bidirectional	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Powhatan Road	Bidirectional	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Rittenhouse Street	Eastbound	TheBus: 13
Ager Road / Sheridan Street	Bidirectional
East-West Highway / 19th Place	Eastbound	Metrobus: C4, R2
Riggs Road / East-West Highway	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R1, R2
Riggs Road / Dayton Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: R1, R2
Sargent Road / Riggs Road	Eastbound
Sargent Road / Anna Court	Westbound
Sargent Road / Balfour Drive	Bidirectional
Sargent Road / Ray Road	Bidirectional
Sargent Road / Nicholson Street	Westbound	TheBus: 12
Sargent Road / Ray Road	Bidirectional
Sargent Road / Madison Street	Bidirectional
Sargent Road / Chillum Road	Bidirectional	Metrobus: F1
Sargent Road / Eastern Avenue	Bidirectional
Northeast Washington, D.C.
Sargent Road NE / Gallatin Street NE	Eastbound	Metrobus: E2
Gallatin Street NE / Sargent Road NE	Westbound	Metrobus: E2
Gallatin Street NE / 10th Street NE	Eastbound	Metrobus: E2
Gallatin Street NE / 8th Street NE	Westbound	Metrobus: E2
Gallatin Street NE / South Dakota Avenue NE	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 80, E2
Galloway Street NE / South Dakota Avenue NE	Bidirectional	Metrobus: 80, E2
Galloway Street NE / 4th Street NE	Eastbound	Metrobus: 80 (Southbound only), E2 (Southbound only), E4 (Eastbound only)
Fort Totten station Bus Bay H	Eastbound station, Westbound terminal	Metrobus: 60, 64, 80, E2, E4, K2, K6, K9, R1, R2 Washington Metro:

History

Route F6 had a prior "incarnation" operating as part of the former Capital Transit Company's "Sargent Road" Line between 12th & Quincy Street NE in Brookland, D.C. and Green Meadows, MD (some trips; however, would be shortened to operate only up to Gallatin Street NE & South Dakota Avenue NE in North Michigan Park, D.C.). F6 later on became a DC Transit Route during the 1950s and ended up being discontinued in the late 1960s and being replaced by the F5 & F7 Metrobus Routes.

Route F4, on the other hand, had a prior "incarnation" operating as part of the former Capital Transit Company "Michigan Avenue" Line between Eastern Avenue NE & Michigan Avenue NE (Avondale) and 9th Street NW & Constitution Avenue NW (Archives). Just like the F6 Route, F4 eventually became a DC Transit Route during the 1950s, before ultimately becoming a WMATA Metrobus Route on February 4, 1973, when the "Metrobus" System was formed.

The F4 & F6 "Prince George's – Silver Spring" Line was created as a brand new line on February 19, 1978, shortly after the Silver Spring station opened, in to replace the former segment of J2 & J4's routing between Silver Spring and Beltway Plaza, that had been discontinued when Routes J2 & J4 were truncated to only operate up to the Silver Spring station.

Route J2 originally operated as part of the "East - West Highway" Line all the way between Montgomery Mall and Beltway Plaza, while Route J4 originally operated as part of the "East - West Highway" Line all the way between Chevy Chase Circle and Beltway Plaza.

The "East - West Highway" Line was basically split apart into two separate lines, with Routes J2 & J4 operating as part of the new, "Bethesda - Silver Spring" Line, keeping their routing between the Silver Spring station and Montgomery Mall (J2)/Chevy Chase Circle (J4) the exact same, while Route F6 replaced J4's routing between Silver Spring and the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center, as well as both J2 & J4's routing between the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center & Beltway Plaza, via the University of Maryland, while Route F4 replaced J2's routing between Silver Spring & the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center. However; F4 would provide new Metrobus Service on the East - West Highway/Riverdale Road corridor between the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center and New Carrollton, MD, via Belcrest Road, Queensbury Road, 48th Avenue (towards New Carrollton), Lafayette Avenue (towards Silver Spring station), and Riverdale Road. On the other hand, F6 was extended east of Beltway Plaza to Greenbelt Center (Crescent Road & Gardenway) in order to provide new Metrobus service to the Old Greenbelt region of Greenbelt, MD.

On December 3, 1978, shortly after the New Carrollton station opened, F4 was extended from the intersection of Riverdale Road & Annapolis Road in New Carrollton, MD, to the New Carrollton station.^[2]

On December 11, 1993, the F6 was rerouted to operate between the and New Carrollton and Prince George's Plaza (now Hyattsville Crossing) stations, via Ellin Road, Harkins Road, Finns Lane, Riverdale Road, Auburn Avenue, Good Luck Road, Kenilworth Avenue, River Road, the College Park - U of MD station, River Road, Kenilworth Avenue, East-West Highway, the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center, Belcrest Road, Queens Chapel Road, Hamilton Street, Ager Road, the West Hyattsville station, Ager Road, and East-West Highway.^[3] The segment of F6's former routing between the intersection of Campus Drive & Adelphi Road (University of Maryland College Park Campus) and Greenbelt Center (Crescent Road & Gardenway), was taken over by the C2 Metrobus Route.^[3] However; F6 was forced to temporarily stop operating on its usual routing between the Prince George's Plaza Shopping Center and University of Maryland College Park Campus, via Belcrest Road, Adelphi Road, and Campus Drive, as Paint Branch Parkway was not finished being constructed between the intersections of Baltimore Avenue (where Campus Drive ends) and River Road, at the time. Paint Branch Parkway would take another two to three years to finish being constructed. As a result, F6 was instead temporarily forced to operate on a detour route between the Prince George's Plaza (now Hyattsville Crossing) and College Park - U of MD stations, via East-West Highway, Kenilworth Avenue, and River Road, before being able to operate on its routing towards the New Carrollton station, via River Road, Kenilworth Avenue, Good Luck Road, Auburn Avenue, Riverdale Road, Finns Lane, Harkins Road, and Ellin Road.

Then, sometime around 1996 once Paint Branch Parkway was finished being constructed and opened to traffic, F6 was rerouted to operate between the Prince George's Plaza (now Hyattsville Crossing) and College Park–University of Maryland stations, via Belcrest Road, Adelphi Road, Campus Drive, Paint Branch Parkway, and River Road, as opposed to the detour route it had been operating on via East-West Highway, Kenilworth Avenue, and River Road. After serving the College Park - U of MD station, F6 would still operate on its usual routing between the College Park - U of MD and New Carrollton stations.

On September 20, 1999, F6 was once again extended back to its original terminus at the Silver Spring Station, following its usual routing between the New Carrollton station and intersection of Ager Road & East-West Highway in Green Meadows, MD, then operating on its original routing to the Silver Spring station parallel to the F4 Route, via East-West Highway, Ethan-Allen Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue, Fenton Street, and Colesville Road.^[4]

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. Routes F4 and F6 stopped directing entering into and looping inside the Prince George's Plaza.^[5]

On September 28, 2008, due to the Silver Spring station Bus Bay and Kiss & Ride Lot were closed off due to the construction of the brand new Silver Spring Transit Center, routes F4 and F6 Metrobus Stop at Silver Spring was temporarily relocated from Bay N, to the jughandle at the intersection of Wayne Avenue and Colesville Road, across Silver Spring station until September, 2015 when the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center was finished being constructed and officially opened.^[6]

During 2011, WMATA proposed to split the F4 and F6 routing into two routes. While the F4 remained the same, the F6 was proposed be rerouted to serve Fort Totten, keeping its routing between the New Carrollton station & the intersection of East-West Highway & Riggs Road the same, except route F6 would be rerouted to operate on the Route R3 routing between the intersection of Riggs Road & East-West Highway & Fort Totten along East-West Highway, Riggs Road, Sargent Road.^[7] This was proposed in order to reduce redundancy with F4 between Silver Spring station and the East West Highway and Riggs Road intersection. The proposal was brought up again in 2012 with the same similarities.^[8][9]

On June 17, 2012, F6 was rerouted to operate between the New Carrollton and Fort Totten stations, instead of operating between the New Carrollton and Silver Spring stations. While the segment of F6's routing between New Carrollton and the intersection of East–West Highway and Riggs Road would remain the same, route F6 was rerouted to replace the segment of the R3 routing between the intersection of East–West Highway and Riggs Road and Fort Totten station, by turning onto Riggs Road, and then operating via Sargent Road/Sargent Road NE, Gallatin Street NE, South Dakota Avenue NE, and Galloway Street NE. Route F4 added extra trips in order to supplement route F6 riders between Silver Spring and Riggs Road.^[10] Route F6 would be renamed to the New Carrollton–Fort Totten Line as a result of the changes.

Beginning on September 1, 2019, for nine months, the College Park Metrobus loop was temporarily closed for construction of the Purple line at College Park station having all stops located along River Road. As of a result, route F6's bus stops were moved onto River Road in order to serve the station. There were no detours that affected route F6.^[11]

All route F6 service was suspended due to WMATA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic beginning on March 16, 2020.^[12] Route F6 was fully restored on August 23, 2020.^[13]

References

1. "Metrobus FY2023 Annual Line Performance Report" (PDF). wmata.com. April 27, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
2. "Bus Routes Change Sunday to Link with Orange Line". Washington Post. November 30, 1978. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
3. Pierre, Robert E. (December 9, 1993). "Metro Shuffling Its Bus Schedule". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
4. "Maryland and Virginia Metrobus Service Changes Effective September 20, 1999". Archived from the original on November 15, 1999. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
5. "Metrobus service suspended at Prince Georges Plaza". www.gazette.net. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
6. "Bus stops to be relocated during construction of Silver Spring Transit Center". Metro News Release. September 25, 2008.
7. "MARYLAND PROPOSED BUS SERVICE CHANGES : FISCAL YEAR 2011" (PDF). Wmata.com\accessdate=27 January 2019.
8. "B11-03: Proposed Adjustments to Metrobus Service; October 11-13, 2011". Retrieved May 19, 2020.
9. "Notice of Public Hearing Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Proposed Adjustments to Metrobus Service Docket B11-03" (PDF). Retrieved May 19, 2020.
10. "Metro invests in 'better bus' service in DC, Maryland, Virginia" (Press release). WMATA. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
11. "Temporary Stop Relocation: MDOT MTA Purple Line Construction at College Park Station Bus Loop, September 1". Retrieved May 25, 2020.
12. "Metro announces additional COVID-19 changes, including reduced service beginning Monday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
13. "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.