PRTC Announces New Fares, Schedules, Routes

OmniLink bus. Photo by PRTC.

Submitted by PRTC

PRTC will implement a fare increase on Monday, June 26, and many bus schedules will change on Monday, July 3, including a mid-day OmniRide route to serve Gainesville commuters.

In past years, any fare increase took effect on the same day as schedule and routing changes, but PRTC adjusted the date of this year’s fare increase to align with other regional transit providers participating in the SmarTrip fare collection system.

PRTC provides commuter and local bus services as well as ridesharing services in Prince William County, the City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park. PRTC also co-sponsors the Virginia Railway Express in partnership with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.

Among the highlights of the coming changes: some OmniRide routes will follow new routing, many OmniRide and eastern OmniLink routes will have updated schedule times to better reflect recent traffic conditions, and fares will increase by an average of 5 percent.

“These schedule and routing changes reflect PRTC’s commitment to operate the most cost-effective and efficient services possible,” said Perrin Palistrant, PRTC Director of Operations and Operations Planning.

The changes were identified through passenger comments and discussion with PRTC dispatchers and the staff of our contractor, First Transit Inc. Among the major routing changes:

• Dale City – Washington OmniRide buses will add service to the Telegraph Road Commuter Lot on the final six trips in the mornings. This will meet demand and reduce pedestrian traffic between the Telegraph and Horner Road commuter lots.
• Dale City – Pentagon/Rosslyn/Ballston OmniRide buses will start at the Dale City Commuter Lot instead of the Lindendale Commuter Lot. Lindendale riders can catch a Dale City – Washington Navy Yard bus and transfer if necessary.
• Gainesville OmniRide passengers will be able to return to Gainesville in the middle of the day by catching the Manassas OmniRide M-201 or M-202 bus at the Pentagon. The routing on these two trips will be extended past the Portsmouth Commuter Lot in Manassas in order to serve the Cushing Road and Limestone commuter lots in Gainesville.
• Prince William Metro Direct buses will gain three new weekday trips between eastern Prince William and the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station. All three trips – two northbound and one southbound – will be added in the late morning and early afternoon to meet demand. The new northbound trips will offer express service with limited stops. Funding to add these trips was found by eliminating a late morning trip (the MX-1) on the Dale City – Washington OmniRide schedule.
• Manassas Metro Direct buses will serve stops between Manassas Junction Shopping Center and Manassas Mall only when there are no other PRTC buses operating between those locations in order to reduce duplication of services.
• Local OmniLink routes serving Woodbridge/Lake Ridge, Dumfries and Dale City will gain a new trip, departing PRTC at 5:10 p.m. to meet demand.
• Woodbridge OmniLink Loop A buses will serve the Woodbridge VRE Station as a regular stop; and the Woodbridge OmniLink Loop B bus stop at the Chinn Center will be relocated to Chinn Park Drive.

Under the new fare structure, the per trip cost when using a SmarTrip card on OmniRide commuter buses is $6.90, on Metro Direct buses to Metro stations is $3.45, and on OmniLink and Cross County Connector local bus services is $1.55.

For more information about PRTC bus and ridesharing services, visit PRTCtransit.org or call the Customer Service Office at (703) 730-6664.