Woodbridge, Va. –– More money will offset the impact of proposed fare increases for OmniRide commuter buses, transit officials say.
Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission has presented its proposed 2012 operating budget, which has the agency spending $36.2 million dollars to maintain service. No new services will be added as part of the proposed budget.
Of the annual subsidies PRTC receives, Prince William taxpayers will be responsible for $9.85 million of the transit agency’s operating cost in the coming year, according to proposed budget documents filed with the county.
In addition to the 2012 proposed budget, the transit agency also filed two six-year plans with the county. One budgets for a $1.9 million one-time supplement from the county’s general fund and the other doesn’t budget for the additional funding.
With the supplement, fares on PRTC buses are anticipated to go up by eight percent in 2013, 2015 and 2017, respectively, and most buses could be retired after 14 years in service, said PRTC Director Alfred H. Harf.
Without the supplement, fares would increase by 10 percent every other year between 2013 and 2017 and buses would have an average of 15 years in service.
Transit officials point to some recent accomplishments in recent years, like the completion of a park and ride lot outside PTRC’s Woodbridge headquarters, overhauling buses and purchasing 17 new ones, adding surveillance cameras on their entire bus fleet, and new roadside bus shelters.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the amount of local subsidy PRTC receives from Prince William County.
