Circulator Battle Brewing
There’s a showdown coming between WMATA and Tourmobile over the Mall. The DC Circulator is expanding to include a route along Independence and Constitution along the Mall and stopping at each of the Museums as well as the National Gallery buildings. Each ride will cost only a dollar and service will start tomorrow, just in time for peak tourist season. But there’s a problem here. The District has given exclusive license for transit along the Mall to Tourmobile, who are currently raping the public for $20/day for transit around the monument, making boatloads of cash off the tourist industry.
Expect some serious lawsuit action to ensue. Me, I’m on the side of the free market, and removing the exclusive agreement with Tourmobile.
Bring on the new Circulator!
What is it the District that gave them an exclusive license or was it the National Park Service — I had heard the latter but may be mistaken. I would think if its the latter, Tourmobile’s case won’t be as strong.
*TYPO above* – meant to type:
What is it the District that gave them an exclusive license or was it the National Park Service — I had heard the latter but may be mistaken. I would think if its the latter, Tourmobile’s case won’t be as strong.
Argh..sorry…meant to begin the post with: “Was it..”
Your answer (from the article):
“The expanded bus service is not welcome news to Tom Mack, owner and board chairman of Tourmobile Sightseeing Inc., which has held exclusive rights to provide the sightseeing transportation on the Mall under agreements with the National Park Service dating to 1969.”
From a disabled rider’s perspective, Circulator is actually a much better option. Since all the Circulator buses are (allegedly) ramp-equipped, there’s much more flexibility than the on-request service TourMobile provides.
Tourmobile by contrast however does offer the droning of a guide, plus the Arlington National Cemetary portion of their route.
I’m not sure that Tourmobile has much to worry about in losing the tourist business. Tourists are likely to want the narration of a guide, and when you think about it, tourists faced with two buses side by side, one saying it does tours and the other looking like a standard mass-transit bus, are likely to pick the tour bus. They are, after all, tourists.