OmniLink switch riders buses at the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Center in Woodbridge.
The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, PRTC, had a memorable year in 2011 as the agency celebrated its 25th anniversary and saw ridership increase by 7 percent – the largest annual increase in three years.
PRTC provides commuter and local bus services for residents of Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. In 2011, PRTC’s OmniRide and Metro Direct commuter bus services carried more than 2.3 million passengers – a 6% increase over 2010. At the same time, PRTC’s OmniLink and Cross County Connector local bus services carried more than 1 million passengers for the first time in its history – a 9% increase over 2010. When all services are combined, PRTC carried more than 3.4 million passengers on its buses – a 7% increase over 2010, and the largest annual increase since 2008 when gas prices surpassed $4 per gallon and area residents stepped up their search for ways to save money.
In September 2011, as PRTC was marking the 25th anniversary of its founding with a month long celebration, the agency set a ridership record by carrying more than 15,000 passengers on a single day. Since then the 15,000 mark has been exceeded eight times, reaching as high as 15,478 passengers on October 25.
In addition, PRTC’s OmniMatch ridesharing program had a daily average of 2,762 participants in 2011, helping to take even more vehicles off our congested roads.
“This continuing ridership growth demonstrates the value of public transportation and ridesharing in the communities we serve,” said PRTC Executive Director Alfred Harf.
Another source of pride for PRTC in 2011 was customers’ positive ratings of the services. While there are multiple service requests that PRTC would like to accommodate but cannot because of resource constraints, customers continue to give high marks to PRTC’s services. In the most recent satisfaction survey, 81% of OmniRide customers and 74% of OmniLink customers said the overall services are excellent. These figures reflect marked increases since remedies for overcrowded conditions on OmniRide and on-time performance challenges on OmniLink were implemented earlier in 2011.
Turning to 2012, new challenges loom. Resource constraints remain acute, and the specter of fewer riders is present because Congress did not sustain the maximum allowable federal commuter transit benefit at $230 per month. The maximum allowable transit benefit is now $125 per month, an ironic development since the monthly parking benefit was increased at the same time from $230 to $240 per month. An unintended consequence of this disparity is that it encourages more commuters to drive on roads that are already highly congested.
“While the disparity between the parking and transit benefit is now an unfortunate fact, PRTC and other public transportation advocates are urging Congress to reinstate parity,” Harf said, “because that’s what sound public policy warrants.”
Leading PRTC through the issues that arise in 2012 will be the newly-appointed Executive Board:
• Chairman Michael C. May, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors;
• Vice Chairman Francis C. Jones, Mayor of Manassas Park;
• Secretary Susan B. Stimpson, Chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors;
• Treasurer Frederic N. Howe III, a member of the Fredericksburg City Council;
• Immediate Past Chairman John D. Jenkins, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors;
• At Large Member Jonathan L. Way, of the Manassas City Council; and
• At Large Member Gary F. Skinner, a member of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors.
