The Prince William County-based transit provider started running new buses from the Staffordboro Commuter Lot to L’Enfant Plaza and the Pentagon.
Why it matters: It is the first time OmniRide has operated service outside Prince William County, Manassas, or Manassas Park.
- The buses provide four morning trips and five evening trips back to the Stafforboro lot via Interstates 95 and 395, giving more options for commuters looking to get to Washington, D.C.
- The buses between Staffordboro and the L’Enfant Plaza also serve the 7th and 14th street corridors in Washington, D.C.
The new service comes with new funding from the state, as the last remaining HOV lanes on 395 to E-ZPass toll lanes.
- It’s free to ride the new buses between now and December 31.
- Afterward, it’s a $9.20 one-way fare, $6.90 one-way SmarTrip fare
- “We’re pleased with how things went this morning. The first two trips to D.C. and the Pentagon were about half full, and later trips ranged from 1/3 – 1/4 full. Those are amazing numbers for a new service on Day #1 and will be sure to grow as the services become more established,” said OmniRide Director Bob Schnieder.
This is the first of many new OmniRide services Stafford County leaders hope to see in their county.
- “We cannot pave our way out of our congestion on I-95 or Route 1. Our only way is to decrease the amount of traffic. This pilot project is step one for Stafford. Other initiatives are multimodal paths through Stafford to connect neighborhoods and weekend mass transit opportunities,” Aquia District Supervisor Cindy Shelton told Potomac Local.
Photo: Cindy Shelton
