PWC commuter bus to reduce service (Richmond, Manassas: how much, employment, neighborhoods)

[johnsonkk]

It's been in the plans for the PRTC commuter bus schedule to ramp down following the successful completion of the HOV/HOT lanes. They did have some public meetings in the spring or fall indicating they were cutting service as well as raising fares. However, these changes which take effect next week, are still not on their website;
OmniRide and Metro Direct Schedules/06

Along all the local stops, everywhere except the commuter lots, there is a small laminated note stating all local bus service ( thrust the neighborhoods) will stop this Tuesday.

This is ridiculous in light of the reduced metro situation. Clearly it is about money, that's why the fares have gradually crept up but canceling routes is nor good. How much extra time does it take the bus driver to route thru a neighborhood on their way to the commuter lots?

More cars expected on the road.

[NOVA_guy]

Transportation in this area is going more and more downhill. I guess we'll have to ride 3 to a car or pay to avoid the endless traffic.

[jeff22152]

Just of curiousity, is the PRTC just cancelling neighborhood service, or are they canceling entire routes beyond the advertised Capitol Hill route on the website? Admittedly, I always assumed those commuter buses just served commuter lots along the I-66 and I-95 corridors.

Having slugged from Fairfax into D.C., I can say it's a very effective form of ad hoc carpooling, and I think it will continue to function well even after the HOV lanes are converted to HOT lanes on I-395, and the HOT lane infrastructure is built out on I-66. I don't think commuter bus service will ever cease completely. Prince William commuters will continue to have more than one transportation option to reach employment centers inside the Beltway.

[gomason]

I hope you vote because the Prince William board is a bunch of right-wingers that are not representative of a county that voted for Obama twice and will probably never vote Republican again at the presidential level.

The Republican Congress has voted to completely end all investment in public transportation from the gas tax at the federal level. That's just the facts.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by jeff22152

Just of curiousity, is the PRTC just cancelling neighborhood service, or are they canceling entire routes beyond the advertised Capitol Hill route on the website? Admittedly, I always assumed those commuter buses just served commuter lots along the I-66 and I-95 corridors.

Having slugged from Fairfax into D.C., I can say it's a very effective form of ad hoc carpooling, and I think it will continue to function well even after the HOV lanes are converted to HOT lanes on I-395, and the HOT lane infrastructure is built out on I-66. I don't think commuter bus service will ever cease completely. Prince William commuters will continue to have more than one transportation option to reach employment centers inside the Beltway.

I think they are getting less federal funding so they cant afford to fund the current bus service and if I recall correctly, the i-95 HOT lane service from Springfield to Woodbridge is being cut. Governor McDonnell payed lip service to bus improvements on the 95 hot lanes that are now being cut. Governor Mcauliffe wrote a binding contract for guaranteed improved bus service in the I66 corridor. Thats the difference in an election.

[NOVA_guy]

Originally Posted by gomason

I hope you vote because the Prince William board is a bunch of right-wingers that are not representative of a county that voted for Obama twice and will probably never vote Republican again at the presidential level.

The Republican Congress has voted to completely end all investment in public transportation from the gas tax at the federal level. That's just the facts.

PWC, of all the NoVa counties, is by far the most dysfunctional and I definitely think this plays a hand in that.

[1969351]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

It's been in the plans for the PRTC commuter bus schedule to ramp down following the successful completion of the HOV/HOT lanes. They did have some public meetings in the spring or fall indicating they were cutting service as well as raising fares. However, these changes which take effect next week, are still not on their website;
OmniRide and Metro Direct Schedules/06

Along all the local stops, everywhere except the commuter lots, there is a small laminated note stating all local bus service ( thrust the neighborhoods) will stop this Tuesday.

This is ridiculous in light of the reduced metro situation. Clearly it is about money, that's why the fares have gradually crept up but canceling routes is nor good. How much extra time does it take the bus driver to route thru a neighborhood on their way to the commuter lots?

More cars expected on the road.

In red not completely true......while out riding my bike this morning around Manassas/Manassas Park I noticed those signs....based on the signs I saw it would seem some routes are being done away and combined with others....at least that is my understanding after looking at the sign....

[johnsonkk]

Originally Posted by 1969351

In red not completely true......while out riding my bike this morning around Manassas/Manassas Park I noticed those signs....based on the signs I saw it would seem some routes are being done away and combined with others....at least that is my understanding after looking at the sign....

First I was mistaken in the stop date, which is 1 July, not this Tuesday.

The commuter buses are not stopping their routes. They are consolidating and basically only departing from commuter lots vs doing both by departing from the commuter lots AND driving thru the neighborhoods. Slight modification to some but this will basically force more cars on the road to at least get to those commuter lots.

There is a new route starting July which will be going to the Marks Center from the PWC commuter lots. Certainly wasn't trying to throw anyone off by being less accurate. Never thought this issue would be accused of as political.

All of the transportation options are subsidized! The VRE is less than 20% self sufficient as is this commuter bus system and of course the metro too.
My point in response is that any politician could push for less federal and state funding towards a commuter option, to even include Amtrak. Certainly not trying to take our current governor's halo for deciding to fix I-66.

Overall a sight bump in funding was needed to pay the drivers an extra 30 min per day to drive thru the neighborhood routes vs only departing from commute lots.

[Fundman]

The service reductions and fare increase go into affect July 5. While the end of the neighborhood routes will force me to drive to the commuter lot to catch the bus it is still better than the worse case scenario which was to end service into DC entirely and just drop people off at Franconia-Springfield metro station. I don't think it is fair to blame the PW County officials. They were successful in getting more money out of the legislature in Richmond to at least preserve the DC routes. Despite charging $6.20 each way, the fares still only cover a fraction of the operating costs.