Metrobus operators will stop announcing the $2.25 fare unless their bus has a fully enclosed protective shield, WMATA announced Thursday, Sept. 10.

The policy, developed with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689, pairs the new rule with an $18 million commitment to retrofit every bus in the fleet with floor-to-ceiling operator workstations by May 31, 2027, WUSA9 reported.

The agreement settles a dispute between the transit agency and its largest union over driver safety and fare collection.

WMATA had required operators to greet every passenger with "Hello, the fare is $2.25" starting May 12, 2026, reversing a decade-old ban on fare announcements. A 2017 WMATA notice had identified fare disputes as the primary cause of operator assaults, The Washington Post reported.

On Aug. 1, a passenger in Montgomery County maneuvered around a partial shield and repeatedly punched a driver who had quoted the fare and told the man he could not bring an open alcoholic beverage on board, according to DC News Now. The driver was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

ATU Local 689 President Raymond Jackson led a protest outside the Silver Spring Metro station on Aug. 12, demanding WMATA withdraw the policy. "Your partial bus shields didn't do anything when we needed them most. We need real safety," Jackson said at the Aug. 12 protest, according to PoPville. Union members flyered bus garages advising operators not to comply.

Metro reported 152 assaults involving bus operators in fiscal year 2026, according to The Washington Informer.

Under the new agreement, the union acknowledged that fares help fund the transit system, even as ATU Local 689 maintained its broader position that transit should be fare-free. The union also committed to supporting WMATA's push for legislation authorizing additional fare enforcement personnel beyond the Metro Transit Police Department.

WMATA said in a statement it appreciated the union's support and reiterated thanks to its employees. Separately, the agency has said it will remove riders who do not pay, according to NBC4 Washington.

As of August, about 450 Metrobuses had fully enclosed operator shields, with the rest roughly 85% enclosed, WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke told NBC4. The total fleet size and exact number of buses still awaiting full enclosure were not disclosed.

The stated investment has shifted over time. Clarke cited more than $15 million in August. WMATA told DC News Now $17 million around the same period. The Sept. 10 announcement put the figure at $18 million.

WMATA has tied the fare-quoting policy to revenue losses. About 70% of bus riders did not pay in 2024, and the agency estimated it lost more than $40 million in fare revenue across bus and rail in fiscal year 2022, according to The Washington Post. Since launching a bus fare enforcement campaign, Clarke said evasion dropped 10 to 12%, bringing in roughly $200,000 more per week. Bus fare enforcement citations rose from seven in 2023 to 9,600 in 2026.

The full fleet retrofit is scheduled for completion by May 31, 2027. No interim milestones have been announced.