I routinely see 4th and 5th graders riding the city bus near us.

My 10 year old takes the bus.

City bus (DC) home from school starting age 12. Planned metro trips at age 13. 10 year old sibling does both when accompanied by 13 year old sis.

I hate it when I make sexist parenting decisions. But I would have let my 6 foot plus now 15 year old son metro into D.C. Two years ag. No way I will let my petite 13 daughter metro most places alone, with the stories of women being attacked and raped on the trains in broad daylight. And my DD is the more responsible kid. But, metro has got to get it's security act together.

I started sometime between 12-13 (DC late 90s).

I was 11 in Boston.

Ride on Bus - Middle school

Metro and Uber - High school

I taught my middle school DS to ride the Ride On bus in Montgomery County - It doesn't go to all his activities but it goes back and forth from school and Bethesda if he wants to hang out.

9 for the local busses, and around 12 for the metro

My 15 year old started when she was 14, but feels more comfortable when she's with friends riding the metro. They take buses everywhere though.

at 13 and with a friend and not after dark

By age 14 they were taking both bus and metro.

We live in VA but we allow our kids to venture into DC on the metro. They're very good at the metro, but not so great with the buses there.

We allowed both to go alone at 13 as long as it was with a group of friends, but had the rule that they can't metro home in the dark.

My son was riding the Maryland Suburban bosses at 13. My daughter is a little less mature so we might wait a while on that one.

I did this starting at age 12. This was in the 80's out in the suburbs (and not in DMV). I also had to walk a lot of places and my kids are good at walking around our neighboorhood. Now I drive my kids everywhere and I wonder if my kids will ever ride the bus or metro on their own before they go off to college. Do your kids do this now? Is it just not common anymore?