Two new OmniRide commuter bus routes serving Warrenton and Front Royal and traveling into Washington, D.C., will be considered in a series of upcoming public hearings that will also involve discussion around the proposed elimination of the Gainesville-to-Reston route.
The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, which operates Manassas-based OmniRide, will host three separate public hearings next week, on Oct. 21, 22 and 23.
Both new routes would be funded by grants from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which does not entail any additional cost to Warrenton and Front Royal.
A proposal to cut the bus route that runs from Gainesville to Reston is also on the table due to low ridership, though OmniRide is considering alternatives such as carpools or van rides to accommodate riders along that route.
Reducing congestion is a key priority for the commission, which is a multi-jurisdictional agency representing Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and the cities of Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg. The agency provides commuter bus service north along the corridors of Interstates 95 and 66, as well as commuter rail service via the Virginia Railway Express along the Manassas and Fredericksburg lines.
Bob Schneider, the agency’s executive director, said the new routes are meant to target traffic issues on I-66 and U.S. Route 29 specifically.
“We are excited to offer these potential new services from Front Royal and Warrenton, as we have a number of existing riders who are already traveling to the University Lot in Gainesville to ride our services,” Schneider said in an emailed statement to InsideNoVa. “These extra trips can alleviate overcrowding and reduce congestion along the outlying areas of I-66 and US 29. OmniRide can reduce the number of cars traveling to Gainesville and increase the number of people using transit to further access the Pentagon, Rosslyn, and Washington, D.C. — all from the University Lot.”
Schneider added the agency is planning to shut down the route from Gainesville to Reston primarily because it is no longer marketable on a week-to-week basis.
“At the same time, we have learned that the market for our 618: Prince William to the Reston/Silver Line Corridor isn’t ready for full-fledged mass transit,” Schneider said. “Despite two years of marketing and operations, there isn’t enough four or five days-a-week ridership at consistent times to justify commuter bus service.”
Regarding the future of the soon-to-be defunct route, Schneider did not rule out any possibilities.
“As we build up the vanpool services and ridership, we’ll revisit reinstating the service,” he said. “Right now the data is clear—the demand for transit use isn’t there.”
The first public hearing on Oct. 21 will take place in Front Royal’s Warren Community Center. The Manassas Mall Community Room will be the site of the second meeting Oct. 22, followed by the Old Town Hall Building in Warrenton on Oct. 23. All hearings are set for 5 p.m.
The new routes to Warrenton and Front Royal could open as soon as December following the public hearings.
