Northern Virginia commuters will face another day of reduced service on Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission’s OmniRide as a work stoppage continues into a new week.
Anticipating reduced staffing, OmniRide announced its buses will again operate on a modified service plan Monday, announcing the following changes:
- OmniRide Express buses in the Interstate 95 corridor will take riders to and from the Pentagon Metro Station approximately every 30 minutes until 8:30 a.m.
- OmniRide Express buses in the Interstate 66 corridor will take riders to and from the Tysons Corner Metro Station approximately every 30 minutes until 8:30 a.m.
- Fares on OmniRide Express buses will be free.
- OmniRide Local buses will not make off-route trips.
- Virginia Railway Express Shuttle Service will not operate, allowing OmniRide to divert those resources to other trips.
“This plan is based on expectations for the number of bus operators who will report for work on Monday morning and could change,” OmniRide said in a news release on Sunday.
OmniRide’s mobile app is unable to track buses that are not operating on its standard routes. For the latest service information, OmniRide encourages riders to check its website and sign up for Rider Express alerts.
Alternatives include Virginia Railway Express trains along the I-95 and I-66 corridors, as well as carpooling and ridesharing services such as Sluglines.
Last Tuesday, OmniRide officials learned the union representing its drivers had rejected an extension of the current contract beyond July to the end of September.
Shuttle bus services from Haymarket, Montclair and U.S. 1 south resumed in Northern Virginia on Friday, but contract disputes continue between the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and First Transit, the company which hires OmniRide’s bus operators and maintenance workers.
WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report.
