Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission

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Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission
Logo of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission.png
PRTC OmniRide.jpg
A PRTC OmniRide bus in Arlington, Virginia operating the Lake Ridge express route.
Founded1986
Headquarters14700 Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge, Virginia, U.S.
Service type Bus service
Routes13
Fleet168 buses
Daily ridership4,300 (weekdays, Q2 2023) [1]
Annual ridership925,900 (2022) [2]
Fuel typeDiesel
Website omniride.com

Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) is an American public transportation system in Prince William County, Virginia, Stafford County, Virginia, and Spotsylvania County, Virginia, plus two adjacent independent cities, Manassas and Manassas Park. Services provided by PRTC include OmniRide, OmniRide Local, and OmniRide Ridesharing Service operating in Prince William County, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Stafford County. Spotsylvania County's membership is solely based on a membership requirement due to the VRE operations in the county and the state aid that comes with the VRE. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 925,900, or about 4,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

Contents

Organization

The Commission was established in 1986. It consists of representatives from each local jurisdiction, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Transportation Board and two members of the House of Delegates and one member of the Senate from the related legislative districts. [3] Together with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission PRTC operates the Virginia Railway Express. By 1986, it became apparent that the jurisdictions outside of NVTC could not reach agreement on how to support VRE by joining NVTC so PRTC was created. Legislation established a 2% motor fuels tax to support VRE expenses and other transportation investments.

PRTC operates a carpooling and vanpooling project called "OmniRide Ridesharing Service" (formerly "OmniMatch"). [4] PRTC participates in the SmarTrip rechargeable fare card program with other public transportation agencies. [5]

Fleet

The PRTC bus fleet consists of the following models (As of November 2023):

OmniRide

YearBuilderModelFleet Number
(Quantity)
Length (ft.)Fuel typeNotes
2002–05 MCI D4500300-360 (61)45 Diesel
  • Many units are now in storage, some units retired
  • 327, 328, and 336 were sold to DASH
2007–08D4500CL361-383 (23)
2010 Gillig Advantage 189 (1)40
2011 MCI D4500CT384-387 (4)45
2012GilligAdvantage190-199,
1000-1002 (13)
40
2012 MCI D4500CT388-392 (5)45
2014393 (1)
2016GilligAdvantage1003-1009 (7)40
2017 MCI D4500CT394-398 (5)45
2018–193000-3036 (37)
2019Gillig Low Floor BRT 1010-1012 (3)40
2021 MCI D4500CT3037-3042 (6)45

OmniRide Local (formerly OmniLink)

YearBuilderModelFleet Number
(Quantity)
Length (ft.)Fuel type
2010 Gillig Low Floor 272 (1)29 Diesel
2013273-288 (16)29
2016289-294 (6)29

Fares

As of August 1,2019 fares are: [6]

Regular Fares

OmniRide Metro Express (formerly OnmiRide Metro Direct)

$4.25 (using cash); $3.45 (using SmarTrip)

OmniRide Express (between Northern Virginia and Washington, DC)

$9.20 (using cash); $6.90 (using SmarTrip)

OmniRide East-West Express

$1.55 (using cash or SmarTrip)

OmniRide Local

$1.55 (using cash or SmarTrip); $3.60 (Day Pass, SmarTrip Only)

Routes

Local

Metro Express (formerly Metro Direct)

  • 60 Manassas Metro Express: This route operates between the City of Manassas and the Tysons Corner Metro Station. Service to Tysons Corner began July 2014.
  • 61 Linton Hall Metro Express: This route operates between Gainesville and the Tysons Corner Metro Station. Service began in late 2004. Service to Tysons Corner began July 2014. Route was eliminated in January 2023.
  • 62 Western Express Connector: This route operates between Limestone Drive Commuter Lot in Gainesville and the University Commuter Lot in Manassas in the mornings and between the Balls Ford Cummuter Lot in Manassas and the Linton Hall Commuter Lot in Gainesville in the afternoons and evenings. Service began on January 30, 2023.
  • Prince William Metro Express: This route operates between Woodbridge and the Franconia–Springfield Metro Station (with weekend service).

Express

543 Stafford-Washington express commuter bus along G Street NW, Washington D.C. OmniRide 543 Stafford-Washington express commuter bus along G Street NW, Washington D.C.jpg
543 Stafford-Washington express commuter bus along G Street NW, Washington D.C.
  • D-100/200/300 Dale City: This route operates between Dale City, Pentagon/Rosslyn/Ballston and); between Dale City and Downtown Washington; between Dale City and Washington Navy Yard; and between Dale City and Mark Center.
  • L-100/200 Lake Ridge: This route operates Lake Ridge, Pentagon and Crystal City; between Lake Ridge and Downtown Washington; between Lake Ridge and Mark Center.
  • 601/602 Manassas: This route operates between Manassas, Pentagon and Downtown Washington, with connections to Crystal City.
  • MC-100/200 Montclair: This route operates between Montclair, Pentagon and Downtown Washington.
  • RS South Route 1: This route operates between Triangle, Dumfries, Woodbridge, Pentagon and Downtown Washington.
  • T Tysons Express: This route operates between eastern Prince William County and Tysons Corner. Service began November 9, 2009.
  • H Haymarket: This route operates between Haymarket and Rosslyn/Ballston. Service began December 17, 2018.
  • 543 Stafford-Washington: This route operates between Stafford and Downtown Washington. Service began November 4, 2019. [7]
  • 942 Stafford-Pentagon: This route operates between Stafford and Pentagon. Service began November 4, 2019. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince William County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodbridge, Virginia</span> Census-designated place in Virginia, United States

Woodbridge is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William County, Virginia, United States, located 20 miles (32 km) south of Washington, D.C. Bounded by the Occoquan and Potomac rivers, Woodbridge had 44,668 residents at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Railway Express</span> Commuter rail service in Virginia and the District of Columbia

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter rail service that connects outlying small cities of Northern Virginia to Union Station in Washington, D.C. It operates two lines which run during weekday rush hour only: the Fredericksburg Line from Spotsylvania, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run station in Bristow, Virginia. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,172,700, or about 6,200 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SmarTrip</span> Contactless transit card system used in the Washington, D.C. metro area

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway</span>

The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway, often shortened to Shirley Highway, consists of a 17.3-mile (27.8 km) portion of Interstates 95 and 395 in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. Shirley Highway was the first limited-access freeway in Virginia. Begun in 1941, the road was completed from U.S. Route 1 in Colchester, Virginia, just north of Woodbridge, to the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River between Virginia and Washington, D.C. in 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfax Connector</span> Public bus service serving Fairfax County, Virginia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">DASH (bus)</span> Public bus system

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Washington, D.C.</span> Overview of the transportation in Washington, DC

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Transit</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manassas Park station</span> Rail station in Manassas Park, Virginia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 784 (Prince William County)</span> Highway in Prince William County, Virginia

Virginia State Route 784 in Prince William County, Virginia, United States is a 7.95-mile (12.79 km) secondary state highway officially named Dale Boulevard for its entire route. It is a divided highway and acts as a major northwest-southeast thoroughfare through the southeastern area of Prince William County, serving Dale City as well as the Potomac Mills community and southern Woodbridge area.

The Alexandria–Pentagon Line, designated as Routes 10A, 10E & 10N, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Huntington station of the Yellow Line of the Washington Metro (10A), Hunting Point (10E), or Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro and Pentagon station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. This line provides service within the neighborhoods in Fairfax County, Alexandria, and Arlington County. Alongside the neighborhoods, it also brings service through the marketplace, businesses, and offices within the counties.

References

  1. "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. Virginia Code § 15.2-4507.
  4. "OmniMatch" . Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  5. "SmarTrip" . Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  6. "Omniride: Fares and Transfers" . Retrieved 2019-08-01.
  7. 1 2 "OmniRide Stafford Service".