CEO Doug Allen, VRE agree to part ways

His departure from Virginia’s only commuter rail network divided its Board of Commissioners, sources tell me.

• His separation comes after a regular meeting of the railroad’s operations board held Friday in Woodbridge.
• He’s led the organization since 2012.

At the time of his departure, Allen was making a $310,648 annual salary with benefits.

• He had worked for VRE for two years before he was appointed CEO.
• Prior to VRE, he worked for a public transit agency in Dallas.
• “Doug has done an excellent job leading VRE through a period of significant growth,” said Operations Board Chair Katie Cristol in a press release. “He helped professionalize the organization, added important staff, led the development of strategic and finance plans to guide the organization over the next decade, and has been a leading voice for transit in both the Commonwealth and throughout the country. We thank Doug for his service and wish him well.”

Multiple sources told me Allen’s departure from the organization, while presented as amicable, was not supported by all.

• Some members of the VRE Operations Board wanted Allen to stay, while others wanted him out.
• Multiple sources confirm that this past summer, the CEO had been placed on an employee improvement plan.
• The details of or the impetus for the plan were not provided to Potomac Local.

Allen’s departure comes after multiple months of the system’s on-time performance ratings have been trailing those of years past.

• In May, the system’s on-time rate was at 56% — the lowest of the past 12 months.
• The system’s on-time rate had been 82% a year before.
• The May 2019 lower on-time rate was blamed on delays due to postive train control, an advanced system designed to prevent train collisions, as well as weather delays.
• VRE has seen a systemwide on-time average of 77% over the last year.
• Recent on-time performance ratings show signs of improvement.

VRE Commissioners have recommended that Deputy CEO/Chief Operating Officer Rich Dalton serve as acting CEO while they search for a new CEO.

• Dalton has been with the system for 10 years and served as acting CEO during VRE’s prior to Allen’s hiring.
• Dalton had also applied for the CEO job at the time Allen was hired, I’m told.
• Both the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (OmniRide) and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission must approve the recommendation.