OmniRide

Manassas

OmniRide Ridership Surges, Prompting Overcrowding Concerns on Key Commuter Routes

By Uriah Kiser

WOODBRIDGE, Va. –A surge in riders across OmniRide commuter bus routes is triggering overcrowding issues on several key lines, prompting officials at the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) to weigh how and where they can expand service — especially as the region heads into a busy fall season.

Speaking during the June 5 PRTC Board of Commissioners meeting, Executive Director Dr. Bob Schneider said ridership dipped slightly in May due to seasonal factors like Memorial Day and rainy weather, but overall remains strong.

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Stafford

Stafford Loses a Seat on VRE Board as Ridership Math Shifts

By Potomac Local News
A Virginia Railway Express train pulls into the Fredericksburg train station. [Photo: Uriah Kiser/PLN]

Stafford County will lose one of its two seats on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board beginning July 1, 2025, after new ridership data showed other jurisdictions posted slightly greater gains in boardings. 🚉

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Fairfax

Surging Ridership on VRE and OmniRide Buses Strains Capacity Amid Funding Challenges

By Uriah Kiser

Public transportation in Northern Virginia is seeing a significant rebound as ridership continues to climb on both Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains and OmniRide commuter and local buses. However, transit leaders warn that increased demand may soon outpace available resources, especially for locally funded services.

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News

OmniRide Expansion Marks New Era Following State Law Change

By Uriah Kiser

OmniRide, the public transit agency operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), is entering a new era of service expansion thanks to a newly passed state law.

The passage of Senate Bill 1317, unanimously approved by the Virginia General Assembly and currently awaiting the Governor’s signature, officially grants PRTC the authority to expand transit service beyond its founding jurisdictions. The move clears the path for the agency’s recent expansion into Front Royal, in Warren County, marking the first time PRTC has offered service outside its original member localities.

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News

COG Director: Don’t Expect Metro to Expand to Prince William Anytime Soon

By Uriah Kiser
Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Despite renewed interest in expanding Metro to Prince William County, the region’s top transportation planner says it’s unlikely anytime soon.

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News

OmniRide Sees Ridership Surge, But Funding Challenges Loom

By Uriah Kiser

The is experiencing a surge in ridership, with a 36% increase in February compared to January, despite one fewer service day. Early data from March indicates the trend is continuing, with ridership levels already outpacing previous weeks.

The boost in ridership was discussed at the March 6 Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) meeting and has been particularly strong on express routes, following a pattern seen across the region. Southern commuter routes, including Route 611 (Front Royal-Gainesville-Washington), Route 612 (Warrenton-Gainesville-Pentagon-L’Enfant Plaza-Navy Yard), and Route 622 (Haymarket-Rosslyn/Ballston), recorded their highest monthly ridership total yet, surpassing 11,000 trips combined.

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Press Release

OmniRide Bus Catches Fire on I-95 in Woodbridge After Flat Tire

By Uriah Kiser
[Photo: Prince William Professional Firefighters Facebook Page]

The incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. on March 4, 2025, when OmniRide coach number 3005, returning to Washington, D.C., after dropping off passengers in Spotsylvania County, experienced a flat tire. There were no passengers on board at the time.

According to OmniRide, the bus operator safely pulled over and contacted dispatch for further instructions. However, the flat tire wrapped around the axle and began to smoke, ultimately leading to a fire that spread throughout the vehicle. By the time fire services arrived, the coach was engulfed in flames.

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Fredericksburg

Commuting Resurgence in the Region: Increased Demand for Ridesharing Services

By Uriah Kiser
Looking south along the I-95 E-ZPass Express Lanes near Springfield. [Photo courtesy of Transurban]

Surge in Commuting Demand

According to GWRC’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program, GWRideConnect, inquiries about ridesharing options have increased substantially. Commuters from Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford are turning to ride-sharing to ease their daily travel.

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Breaking News

OmniRide Adjusts Service for January 7, FXBGO! Suspends Operations

By Uriah Kiser

 

OmniRide has announced adjusted operations for Tuesday, January 7, in response to anticipated inclement weather conditions. Fredericksburg Regional Transit (FXBGO!) has also confirmed the suspension of all transit services on Monday, January 6, due to the weather, with plans to resume operations on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

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News

OmniRide Announces Service Changes Effective December 9

By Dalila Conde

OmniRide will introduce significant service changes starting Monday, December 9, affecting all Express, Metro Express, and Local routes.

As part of these updates, the organization will begin serving the newly opened Neabsco Commuter Garage in Woodbridge, replacing the OmniRide Transit Center for several routes. Additionally, two western Express routes will be extended: the Gainesville-Washington route will now originate in Front Royal, and the Gainesville-Pentagon-L’Enfant Plaza-Navy Yard route will start in Warrenton. However, the Gainesville-Dulles/Herndon/Reston route will be discontinued.

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