Metro introduced an online tracker Wednesday that offers riders real-time information on how crowded a bus or train is before it arrives.

Customers accessing the data will see a bus or trainโ€™s capacity in one of the following categories:

โ€“ Many seats available โ€” When a bus is less than 25% occupied or a rail car is less than 20% occupied.
โ€“ Few seats available โ€”A bus is 25-49% occupied or a rail car is 20-32% occupied.
โ€“ Full โ€” A bus is 50% occupied or a rail car is at least 33% occupied.

Metro officials said data crowding could be suspended because of large-scale events, unplanned service disruptions and heavy track work.

The tool is designed to ensure social distancing is practiced, a worry of Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.

โ€œMetro is doing our part to help Metro customers feel safe when traveling, and weโ€™re proud to release this new tool to help customers make more informed travel decisions,โ€ Wiedefeld said. โ€œSocial distancing is a top concern as we all navigate this public health crisis, and we hope customers find this information valuable when deciding when to ride.โ€

This correspondent is a guest contributor to The Washington Informer.

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