The 83, 83X, and 86 operate out of Landover division 7 days a week. Both 83 and 86 originally operated out of Bladensburg Division from February, 1973, all the way up until June, 2019 when they were shifted to make room for other routes at Bladensburg Division when Northern division closed due to structure failures. During the week, Route 83 operates every 30-60 minutes between 4:30 AM and 12:35 AM with service continuing until 2:00 AM on Fridays, while Route 86 operates every 30-60 minutes between 5:00 AM and 9:45 PM. On Saturdays, the 83 provides service on a 60-minute headway from 5:30 AM to 2:00 AM, while the 86 provides service also on a 60-minute headway from 8:25 AM to 7:35 PM. On Sundays, the 83 runs from 6:35 AM until 12:20 AM and the 86 runs from 7:11 AM until 5:00 PM every hour. Route 83X only operates three trips between Cherry Hill Park Campground and College Park station during the morning hours from the third Monday in June through the second Friday of August each year. The 83 is shortened to operate daily between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and Mt. Rainier terminal only during early morning and late night service. These shortened trips were originally under Route 82 which was renamed the 83 in 2016. Select Route 83 trips operate between Rhode Island and College Park during Friday and Saturday late nights only.
The 81, 82, and 83 operate on portions of the old 82 Maryland Streetcar Line, which ran from West Potomac Park to Branchville until replaced by buses in 1958. The 82 streetcar line used to operate even further north of Branchville all the way up to Laurel. However, the route was truncated to terminate at Branchville during the late 1940s. 82's streetcar route was extended from Branchville to the Seven Springs Apartments and Cherry Hill Campground located on Cherry Hill Road in College Park in 1950 when the Cherry Hill Campground in College Park opened. The 82 streetcar line was eventually taken over by WMATA and officially became a Metrobus route in 1967 when WMATA bought various streetcar companies. WMATA kept the 82 streetcar line mostly the same with its successor 82 route, with the only exception was the Metrobus Route 82 was rerouted to turn left from Rhode Island Avenue N.E. onto Washington Place N.E. to serve Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station when it opened on March 27, 1976, and then head back onto Washington Place to return to Rhode Island Avenue and continue its routing all the way to West Potomac Park via Downtown Washington D.C.
Route 86
86 was created on March 27, 1976 when Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station opened operating between the intersection of Dartmouth Avenue & Calvert Road in College Park and West Potomac Park, mostly running along Calvert Road, Rhode Island Avenue, Baltimore Avenue, East-West Highway, Prince Georges Plaza, Queensbury Road and Rhode Island Avenue station. The 86 operates on portions of the old G4 Streetcar line which ran between Downtown Washington D.C. and within the city of Hyattsville, MD and the G6 Streetcar Line, which ran from Branchville to Beltsville until replaced by buses between 1949 & 1958.
1978 Changes
On September 24, 1978, WMATA truncated route 82's from West Potomac Park to Rhode Island Avenue station due to riders having an option of getting off at Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood to catch the Red Line to get downtown much faster. Riders also had the option of getting off at other Metro stops downtown where they could catch other routes to get towards West Potomac Park. This changes also affected Routes 84, 85, 86, and 88. Parts of the former route 82 routing was replaced by a new route B6 operating between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station to Metro Center station connecting Downtown. Route 83 was also created on September 24, 1978, that would travel parallel to Route 82 except make limited stops and ease crowding during weekday peak hours only.
1993 Changes
In December 1993 when the Green Line portion between Fort Totten and Greenbelt opened, Route 82 was truncated to only operate between the Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and Mount Rainier terminal at the intersection of Municipal Place & Rhode Island Avenue during early morning, late night, and rush hours only being replaced by Route 83 which was given daily service and extended to Cherry Hill keeping the same routing except serving Greenbelt station and College Park–University of Maryland station. Route 86 was also extended from its previous College Park terminus all the way to the Centerpark Office Park in Calverton Maryland, to replace parts of route R2's former routing between Prince Georges Plaza and Calverton operating along Rhode Island Avenue and Powder Mill Road.
1999 Changes
In 2000, a new route 81 was created to operate on the same routing as Route 83 except serve Greenbelt station instead of College Park–University of Maryland station on Sundays only. Route 83 discontinued service to Greenbelt and discontinued all Sunday service being replaced by route 81.
2003 Changes
Beginning on May 15, 2003, route 86 was rerouted to make a much more straight-forward turn right from Belcrest Road onto East-West Highway when operating in the direction of Calverton, Maryland and made a much more straightforward left turn from East-West Highway onto Belcrest Road, when operating in the direction of Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station due to a new Target store being built at Prince Georges Plaza which closed the former bus terminals inside the mall.
2004 Changes
Route 86 managed to keep its original routing in the city of College Park via College Avenue, Dartmouth Avenue, and Calvert Road even after College Park–University of Maryland station opened up. But route 86 didn't directly serve College Park station, instead having a stop within close proximity to the western end of the station on Calvert Road. Passengers wishing to board and alight at College Park–University of Maryland station on route 86 would had to board/alight at the intersection of Dartmouth Avenue & Calvert Road as it was the closest 86 bus stop to the western entrance of the station on Calvert Road. On June 27, 2004, route 86 was permanently rerouted at the request of the city of College Park to serve College Park–University of Maryland station by operating along the 83's routing along Baltimore Avenue, Paint Branch Parkway, and River Road instead of operating along College Ave, Dartmouth Ave, and Calvert Road.
2007 Changes
When the construction of a new curb next to the new Mosaic Apartments built right next to Prince George's Plaza station, All Metrobus Routes that have previously exited Prince George's Plaza station from the northbound side, had to do so by exiting the Prince George's Plaza station via a right turn onto East-West Highway and left onto Belcrest Road. Route 86 was in the direction of Calverton to exit Prince George's Plaza station northbound, right onto East-West Highway and remain straight on East-West Highway to past Belcrest Road but was able to keep its entire routing in the direction of Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station the same as the route was still allowed to turn left from East-West Highway onto Belcrest Road, make a right turn from Belcrest Road to enter Prince George's Plaza station, and make a right turn southbound on Belcrest Road.
2011 Changes
On June 20, 2011, WMATA added a new route to the College Park Line called "83X" as a plot route during the summer in order to provide additional direct service from Cherry Hill Campground to College Park–University of Maryland station operating four weekdays trips only from 8:30 am to 10:00 am only from the third Monday in June through the second Friday through August.
2014 Proposed Changes
During WMATA's Fiscal Year of 2015, WMATA proposed to split Route 83 and 86 into four routes. Route 83 and 86 would terminate at College Park station from Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and be renamed Route 83S and 86S or keep their same names. The second portion was to be named route 83N and 86N or route R6 and R8 and will operate between College Park station and Cherry Hill and Calverton keeping the same routing with route 83 and 86. All existing service would still be covered but passengers will have to transfer at College Park station in order to continue their trips. If the proposal had gone through, it would mark the return of the R6 and R8 service as they haven't operated since 1993 under the "Queens Chapel Road Line" and "Riggs Road Line".
2015 Proposed Changes
During WMATA's FY2016 budget, it was proposed for route 83 to be given Sunday service replacing route 81 and discontinuing Sunday service to Greenbelt station. Routes 83 and 86 would replace route 81 in College Park while route C2 would replace route 81 between Greenbelt station and University of Maryland. The reason of the changes was for WMATA making the College Park Line easier to understand towards riders.
2016 Changes
On March 27, 2016, route 81 service between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and Cherry Hill Campground was discontinued and replaced by route 83. Route 83 also added Sunday service replacing the 81 but no longer serving Greenbelt station where it was replaced by route C2. Route C2 also added Sunday service to replace Route 81 portion between Greenbelt Road and Greenbelt station.
December 2016 changes
On December 18, 2016, Route 82 was discontinued and was replaced by the 83. Short trips between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and Mount Rainier were made 83 routes instead during late nights and early mornings. Also, due to Metro closing at midnight during that time period because of SafeTrack maintenance, select Route 83 trips were introduced to operate between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood and College Park–University of Maryland station on Friday and Saturday late nights only.
March 2017 Changes
On March 19, 2017, route 83 short trips between Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood station and Mount Rainier during weekday peak-hours were discontinued and replaced by route G9.
September 2019 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 83 and 86 were temporarily rerouted along River Road having to turn around on the roundabout along Haig Drive to return to its regular route going both directions.
April 2020 Changes
Beginning on April 20, 2020, parts of Calvert Road was closed due to the ongoing construction of the Purple line. Routes 83, and 86 were temporarily rerouted to turn on Calvert Road to serve the west side of College Park–University of Maryland station since vehicles cannot travel along parts of Calvert Road. The routing was similar to route 86's routing from 2004 before it was rerouted to College Park station.
June 2020 Changes
In May 2020, WMATA announced that route 83X will not operate during for the 2020 summer season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Metro's reduced service since March 16, 2020. Alternative service would be provided by routes 83 and 86.
