The East Capitol Street–Cardozo Line, designated Route 96, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Tenleytown-AU station of the Red Line of the Washington Metro and Capitol Heights station of the Blue and Silver Lines of the Washington Metro.

Route 96 originally operated as part of the East-Capitol Hill Streetcar Line under the Washington Railway & Electric Company, which began service in 1922.

Route 96 operated between Duke Ellington Bridge in Northwest and the Capitol Building.

The line was later acquired by the Capital Traction Company and replaced by buses in 1962 operating under DC Transit.

[citation needed] WMATA later acquired DC Transit and three other private bus companies that operated throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and merged them all together to form its own, Metrobus System on February 4, 1973.

[2] On March 27, 1976, 96 was rerouted from the Capitol Building, and instead terminate at the Washington Union Station.

Route 97 would operate on a different pathway between Stadium Armory and Union station mostly remaining along East Capitol Street, and turned on 1st Street, Constitution Avenue, and Louisiana Avenue.

[6] In 2014, WMATA proposed to shorten 96 back towards Duke Ellington Bridge and reroute the line along Massachusetts Avenue NE between 11th & East Capitol Streets and Washington Union Station instead of via 1st Street and Louisiana Avenue NW.

[7] On June 21, 2015, WMATA rerouted route 96 along Massachusetts Avenue between East Capitol Street and 1st Street NE and directly serving Station Park in order to improve reliability of service.

[8] During 2017, WMATA proposed to eliminate 96's segment between McLean Gardens and Tenleytown-AU station as it operates parallel with the 30N, 30S, 31, 33, 37, and H3, H4.