Updated: OmniRide runs regular service today, cancels emergency plans

Updated

OmniRide told us today just before 2 p.m. that the transit agency was able to operate regular service and did not active its emergency service plan, as it had planned to do on Friday, December 11, 2020.

“OmniRide ran regular service today because we determined early this morning that we had a sufficient number of bus operators to run regular service,” said OmniRide spokeswoman Christine Rodrigo.

The emergency service plan was a precaution after OmniRide had witnessed other regional transit agencies experience a high volume of drivers call out sick, including the Greater Richmond Transit Company in Richmond.

Original post

Some OmniRide bus drivers aren’t showing up for work less than two months after being awarded a new five-year contract.

Today, the transit agency will run all of its buses under its emergency service plan on Monday, December 14.

• Buses that operate in the eastern section of Prince William County will take passengers to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station on the Blue line.
• Buses that operate in western Prince William County and Manassas will take all passengers to the Tysons Corner Metro station on the Silver line.

OmniRide stated the service changes.

“We have observed absenteeism combined with regional COVID-19 concerns. We are following the lead of other agencies such as GRTC in Richmond in letting our passengers know of possible service impacts at the same time we are planning our service launch.  We are hopeful that we will have enough operators to deliver services and continue to ensure our buses are clean, our employees have PPE, and we require face coverings and passenger capacity limitations,” said OmniRide spokeswoman Alyssa Ludwiczak.

The sick-out comes as OmniRide was set to enact sweeping changes to its service schedule. If buses were running normally today, starting today, there would no longer be service for commuter bus routes in Dale City, Lake. Ridge, and an express route to Tysons Corner.

Time tables for all routes were revised to operate on a reduced Friday service schedule until further notice. Trips noted Monday through Thursday, with more frequent service, have been removed from bus schedules.

Ridership on all OmniRide services is down more than 70% from this time last year.

Ridership on OmniRide Express and Metro Express buses was down 76% in October compared to the prior year.

• Ridership on these buses increased slightly by 9% from September 2020 to October 2020.

Ridership on OmniRide Local buses (service within Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park) was down 43% over this time last year.

• Ridership on these buses increased 6% from September 2020 to October 2020.

Participation in the OmniRide’s Vanpool Alliance Program is down by 73% from this time in 2019.

Ridership on routes serving the Pentagon sees the most rebound in ridership.

In July, the OmniRide Board of Directors, chaired by Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin, awarded a contract to Keolis Tranist Services, LLC, valued at $25 million in its first year over operations OmniRide buses.

Keolis took over operations from First Tranist, Inc., whose drivers had gone on strike multiple times over the past three years, and as most recently as September.