Direct Bus Service between Gainesville, D.C. Starts November 4

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Gainesville OmniRide, a new express commuter bus route between Gainesville and Washington, D.C., will launch on Monday, Nov. 4, providing the first direct bus service to the nation’s capital from rapidly-expanding western Prince William County.

To celebrate the start of a new route, Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) will offer free fares on Gainesville OmniRide buses during the first week, Nov. 4-8, 2013.

The expansion of OmniRide coincides with other changes that will be made; starting Nov. 4., PRTC will also be restructuring its other commuter bus services in the Manassas and Gainesville areas and thus will no longer lease commuter parking spaces at the Manassas K-Mart.

In addition, PRTC will make minor changes to other routes throughout the service area on Nov. 4, when the agency’s Fall Service Change takes effect. New schedule brochures will be available and all timetables will be posted at PRTCtransit.org starting Monday, Oct. 28.

PRTC updates its schedules twice a year to reflect changes in travel times, routing and bus stops.

PRTC has provided the following details about its upcoming changes:

Gainesville Services

Locally, the new Gainesville OmniRide route will pick up and drop off passengers at the Cushing Road Commuter Lot at I-66 and Prince William Parkway. Destinations include the State Department, stops along 14th Street, including the Commerce Department and L’Enfant Plaza.  There will be four trips to D.C. in the mornings and four return trips to Gainesville in the afternoons/evenings. See the map and timetable for Gainesville OmniRide buses.

PRTC currently offers the Linton Hall Metro Direct service, which connects Gainesville residents to the West Falls Church Metro Station where passengers can board a Metro train to complete their commutes. PRTC surveys have shown that some Linton Hall Metro Direct passengers will choose to ride the Gainesville OmniRide service instead. As a result, one Linton Hall Metro Direct morning trip and one afternoon trip will be eliminated as of Nov. 4. See the new map and timetable for Linton Hall Metro Direct buses.

Manassas Services

The Fall Service Change will also affect Manassas area commuter bus services. The Manassas OmniRide route, which offers direct service to Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., will have two fewer morning trips and two fewer afternoon trips starting Nov. 4. Once again, this change is being made because some who currently drive to Manassas to catch an OmniRide bus will use the new Gainesville OmniRide route instead. See the new map and timetable for Manassas OmniRide buses.

In addition, PRTC is terminating its parking agreement with Sudley Manor Square at Sudley Road and Sudley Manor Drive, and the bus stops at that location will be removed as of Nov. 4. This change will affect Manassas OmniRide and Manassas Metro Direct bus routes. Those who currently park at that location, commonly referred to as the Manassas K-Mart lot, are encouraged to park instead at the Portsmouth Commuter Lot on Williamson Boulevard, near the intersection of Sudley Road and Portsmouth Road.

A PRTC representative explained that they have chosen to change lots since the cost of leasing the 295 parking spaces at Sudley Manor Square has increased by 57 percent over the past three years. Meanwhile, the Portsmouth Commuter Lot, which is owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation, is just 1.3 miles away and has more than 550 unused parking spaces. Now that some passengers will be parking at Cushing Road to catch the new Gainesville OmniRide service, PRTC has concluded that termination of the Sudley Manor Square lease is appropriate, saving $44,000 annually. The Portsmouth lot is already served by Manassas commuter buses, and PRTC will reroute afternoon/evening trips on Manassas OmniRide buses to serve the Portsmouth lot prior to serving Manassas Mall.

Other Services

Additional changes scheduled for Nov. 4 include:

  • Dale City-Navy Yard OmniRide - p.m. trips renumbered to incorporate a trip added in June;
  • Montclair OmniRide - a.m. and p.m. trips rescheduled to incorporate new trips added in June;
  • Woodbridge-Lake Ridge OmniLink - Minor timetable changes;
  • Dale City OmniLink - Minor timetable changes;
  • Dumfries OmniLink - Minor timetable changes; and
  • Manassas Park OmniLink -  Timetable changes

For more information about PRTC’s transportation services, readers can call (703) 730-6664 or visit PRTCtransit.org.

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