Route Z8 operates daily between Greencastle Park & Ride Lot and Silver Spring station mostly along Castle Boulevard, Old Columbia Pike, and Colesville Road. The route provides service for Four Corners, White Oak, Fairland to an easy access to Metrorail stations. Route Z8 currently operates out of Montgomery division.
History
Route Z8 had prior incarnations as the Old Bladensburg Road Line and the Sligo Avenue Line. The lines were at first operated as streetcars under the Capital Traction Company. The lines would later be operated by buses in 1927 and 1940. Both lines were later merged into one, later operated until DC Transit in 1956 and then acquired by WMATA on February 4, 1973. However the Z8 was later replaced by Ride On. Route Z8 would later be reincarnated as the Colesville Road–Fairland Line which would operate between Silver Spring station and Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride lot via White Oak, Greencastle Park & Ride Lot, Briggs Chaney Park & Ride Lot, and a few peak-hour trips to Verizon–Chesapeake Complex.
2004 Changes
After a series of proposals in 2004, route Z8 was shorten to operate between Silver Spring station and Greencastle Park & Ride Lot via Briggs Chaney Park & Ride Lot. Service to the Burtonsville Crossing Park & Ride Lot was replaced by a new route Z6 on September 26, 2004. The Z8 also replaced portions of the Z1, Z3, Z4, and Z5 which were all discontinued on the same day.
2015 Changes
When the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center at Silver Spring station opened, route Z8 was rerouted from its bus stop along Wayne Avenue to Bus Bay 114 at the transit center on the first level.
Proposed Elimination
In 2019, WMATA proposed to eliminate all route Z8 service as it will overlap the upcoming Ride On Flash BRT service along U.S. Route 29 that is slanted to open in 2020. Route Z6 will be extended to Greencastle Park & Ride Lot in order to replace portions of the Z8 while the Flash BRT will replace most Z8 service.
Controversy
Montgomery County expressed concerns over the proposed Z6 and Z8 changes. According to Council Vice PresidentTom Hucker, residents impact 65,000 residents of the Maryland county. Residents urged WMATA to not cut service as it will cause a lack of transportation towards the residents. At least 30 Montgomery County leaders called on WMATA not to cut Metrobus routes in the region, saying it will "disproportionately affect" students, seniors, and service workers with no other source of transportation. The letter's signatories include state senators Craig Zucker, Susan Lee, and Cheryl Kagan, Maryland State Delegates Marc Korman, Sara Love, and Julie Palakovich Carr and all nine members of the county council. In a letter to Metro Chairman Paul Smedberg, members of the Montgomery County Council and state delegation said they opposed the cuts, which are part of WMATA's proposed FY 2021 operating budget, and urged the agency to prioritize "maintaining frequent and reliable service." They also quote; The Metrobus routes currently recommended for service reductions, including the Q, J, L and Z bus lines, provide transportation for many of our most transit-dependent residents," the lawmakers wrote. "Service reductions will disproportionately affect students commuting to Montgomery College, seniors running daily errands and service workers accessing jobs. Roughly 65,000 Montgomery riders use Metrobus on a daily basis, and for many these bus routes are their only source of transportation. The 35 lawmakers ended the letter by saying cuts to Metrobus service for Montgomery County would counter their "regional goals of reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions." On April 2, 2020, the FY2021 budget was released and WMATA. In about 251 votes from customer feedback, 59% of votes were against the changes for Z6 with 18% of votes in favor with the remaining 33% uncertain. For route Z8, out of 286 votes from customer feedback, 70% of voters were against the changes while 13% were in favor of the changes with 17% uncertain. As of the revised proposal released in late March 2020, WMATA still has the Z8 elimination under consideration.
Incidents
On February 1, 2012, a Z8 bus and a truck collided along Colesville Road and Franklin Avenue during the AM peak hour. Two passengers from the bus suffered minor injuries.
