So often have I been on a bus, traveling to another city, and dared to dream the tiniest of dreams that the driver might play “The Gift” by Velvet Underground on loud speakers as I talked to a person with a neck tattoo about our tweets.
Such is the buzz behind a new Brooklyn to D.C. travel bus service officially named The Know it Express, but colloquially known as “The Hipster Express.”
The new shuttle service runs once a day, Friday through Monday, between U Street Metro in D.C. and Atlantic terminal on Flatbush and 4th avenues in Brooklyn. Fares are $25 one-way with a $5 roundtrip student discount. Included is free wi-fi, bike storage, and a laptop borrowing service that lets riders share a laptop during the four-hour trip.
Know It Express makes a big deal about clientele. The aim is to attract young riders with disposable income who populate the neighborhoods near U Street and Brooklyn. Traveling the Hipster Express means no stops in midtown Manhattan or K Street. You know, where the suits hang?
It might also mean letting riders make DVD choices for the overhead televisions. So if you happen to have, oh I don’t know, the 2-hour documentary Gates of Heaven about a pet cemetery business in California, and ridership approves, then the bus driver will play it!
The point being, you ride with eclectic people who like to share similar interests. It’s encouraging community on a bus trip, and if that sounds more like a nightmare, you’ve never seen Gates of Heaven.
Know It Express offers low cost and convenience without sacrificing good service. No need being a hipster to appreciate that value. Visit knowitexpress.com for schedules and more information.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram