Kate Ryan, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Waiting in traffic can inspire Washingtonians to do all kinds of things, from pounding on the dashboard to venting frustration on Twitter. For Rene Moffat, the time offered a chance to get creative. He found song lyrics popped into his head.

The 32-year-old singer songwriter came up with a song about his once-daily commute on WMATA’s Route 42 — the bus that runs from Gallery Place to Mt. Pleasant.

“At first, I was like, why would I ever write a song about a bus?” he says.

But after some thought, he decided “a lot of people can relate to that.”

And they do. Moffatt says when he plays Route 42 at his D.C. shows, he inevitably gets nods of recognition or comments like “Hey, That’s my life!”

D.C.’s transit system takes plenty of heat in cyberspace. The website UnSuckMetroDC has a big following, and the hashtag crops up daily on Twitter. But Moffatt found Metro officials very helpful when it came time to shoot a video based on the song.

As part of the song, Moffatt included situations to which most who’ve taken a bus can relate to — the bus that never shows, the out-of-service buses that speed by, and the seatmate who talks loudly on their cell phone.

But there’s an added touch, while Moffatt spotlights recognizable D.C. landmarks such as the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol — he’s connected to some neighborhood landmarks, too. At Hello Cupcake in Dupont Circle, baked goods lovers can get a Route42 cupcake. At Tryst, a bar in Mt Pleasant, there’s a “Route 42” drink on the menu. Moffatt tested it and declared it delicious.

Here’s Moffat singing his song:

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