VRE to resume full service June 1
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will resume its full-service schedule on Tuesday, June 1, increasing commuting options for passengers. VRE has been running a reduced-service schedule since March 17, 2020, following a 90% decline in ridership due to COVID-19. Under the full-service schedule, VRE will operate 32 daily trains on its two lines.
“As people return to the office, we recognize the reduced-service schedule may not be a good fit for their commutes. Convenience is important to our riders and we are pleased to be able to accommodate them,” said VRE Chief Executive Officer Rich Dalton. “A return to full service will also allow us to maintain social distancing on platforms and railcars, even as ridership begins to increase.”
This article first appeared in the Virginia Mercury.
When former Gov. Doug Wilder sold off the state’s interest in hundreds of miles of track and rail right of way in the early 1990s, the move was applauded by some as a prudent divestment to help balance the annual budget.
Since then, though, the state has spent millions more on track improvements benefitting railroad corporations in exchange for every increase in passenger train service Virginia has sought. To avoid another such flash sale of Virginia’s rail infrastructure and to oversee an increasing focus on boosting passenger rail capacity to combat congestion, in March 2020 the General Assembly created the brand new Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.
Prince William, Manassas Park get seats on VRE executive committee
The Virginia Railway Express Operations Board today unanimously approved a slate of officers for 2021. Installation of the new officers will take place at the board’s January 15 meeting.
City of Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker will chair the 15-member Operations Board. Bennett-Parker, who joined the board in 2019, served as vice-chair this past year. She represents the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC).
Prince William County Supervisor Jeannine Lawson will serve as vice-chair. Lawson, who was first appointed to the Operations Board as an alternate in 2015, became a board member in 2019. She served as board secretary this past year. Lawson represents the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).
Virginia Railway Express recognized for safety
Safety permeates every aspect of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). It guides all actions and decisions by staff, train crews, maintenance workers, and the Operations Board. For its holistic approach to safety, VRE is the 2020 recipient of the Virginia Transit Association’s (VTA) Exceptional Safety Award.
“Safety is foremost in VRE’s mission statement,” said VRE Operations Board Chairman Gary Skinner. “If VRE service isn’t safe, being cost-effective, accessible, reliable, convenient and comfortable doesn’t matter. Safety is more than a philosophy at VRE. It is a culture.”
“To maintain our position as the safest mode of travel in the commonwealth, VRE looks for opportunities for proactive, continuous improvement,” said CEO Rich Dalton. “From positive train control implementation to first-responder training to our COVID-19 response, we use all of the tools at our disposal to ensure the safety of passengers, train