OmniRide’s Service Change will take effect on Monday, July 29. Schedules for Express, Metro Express, and Local routes will change on that date.

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OmniRide has reported ridership changes for its Express and Local bus services for May 2024.

OmniRide Express, which provides commuter bus services from Prince William, Stafford, and Spotsylvania counties to the Pentagon and Washington, D.C., saw its average daily ridership increase by less than one percent in May compared to April. This indicates a stable ridership pattern, with no significant changes observed over the month.

In contrast, OmniRide Local, which serves local routes within Prince William County and Manassas, experienced a six percent decrease in average daily ridership from April to May. Factors contributing to this decline included the impact of a holiday and the completion of the college spring semester. Despite the decrease in weekday ridership, weekend ridership significantly increased, exceeding expectations for both Saturdays and Sundays.

Overall, both OmniRide Express and OmniRide Local have seen significant increases in ridership, particularly in February and March, indicating a strong recovery and growing demand for public transportation services in the region.

For OmniRide Express, ridership in January 2024 was 87,867, a slight decrease of 0.6% from 88,408 in January 2023. February saw a substantial increase of 188.7%, with ridership rising to 103,123 from 35,718 the previous year. This upward trend continued in March, with a 109% increase to 106,030 from 50,721 in March 2023. April ridership increased by 47.4%, reaching 113,746 compared to 77,180 in April 2023. In May, ridership grew by 25.1%, with 113,932 riders compared to 91,101 in May 2023.

For OmniRide Local, January 2024 saw a ridership of 52,642, marking a 10.2% increase from 47,789 in January 2023. February ridership surged by 130.1%, rising to 56,967 from 24,758 the previous year. March ridership increased by 57.2%, reaching 54,235 compared to 34,508 in March 2023. In April, ridership grew by 24.8%, with 58,583 riders compared to 46,946 in April 2023. However, the growth rate slowed in May, with ridership increasing by 7.4% to 56,135 from 52,266 in May 2023.

The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (OmniRide) will meet on Thursday, July 11, 2o24, at 7 p.m. at the OmniRide Transit Center, 14700 Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge. The meeting is open to the public. Here’s the agenda.

OmniRide, the leading public transit provider for Northern Virginia, is poised to expand its services to new regions, pending final budget approvals. Bob Schneider, CEO of OmniRide, shared the plans in a recent interview, highlighting the organization's efforts to connect more communities along expanding transit corridors.

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Memorial Day Events

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Howdy, folks! It’s that time of year again when the good folks over at OmniRide and Prince William County are dusting off their bikes and gearing up for Bike to Work Day! Yeehaw!

Partnering up with the sharpshooters at Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, this annual hootenanny aims to rustle up some awareness about pedaling to work instead of hoofing it in your trusty automobile.

Now, listen up, cowpokes! The first 15,000 riders who mosey on over to one of their pit stops scattered across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia will nab themselves a free T-shirt and some grub to fuel their journey. Ain’t that a deal sweeter than a slice of homemade apple pie?

Roundin’ up the local pit stops for ya:

• Dumfries – Swing by the Simpson Community Center on Main Street from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• Manassas – Head on down to George Mason University, Freedom Center Boulevard & University Boulevard, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• Manassas – Swing by the Manassas VRE station on West Street, bright and early from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Manassas Park – Don’t forget the Manassas Park VRE Station on Manassas Drive, open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
• Woodbridge – If you’re in Woodbridge, hit up the Rippon Landing VRE station or the Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center, starting at 6 a.m.
• Woodbridge – Or hitch your wagon to the Woodbridge VRE station, Tackett’s Mill Park & Ride Lot, or Minnieville Rd, all from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

OmniRide’s hitchin’ their wagon to the Rippon Landing Pit Stop, and their folks’ll be hanging around the Downtown Manassas VRE station, ready to lend a hand.

But hold onto your hats, folks, ’cause the fun don’t stop there. OmniRide’s rustlin’ up a whole month of Bike Exploration! Throughout May, they’re spreadin’ the word about mixin’ bikes and buses like peas and carrots.

They’re showin’ folks how to hitch their trusty steeds to an OmniRide bus and roll into work with the wind at their backs. Them buses even come equipped with bike racks, so you can keep your wheels close by at no extra cost.

Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors easily approved the fiscal year 2025 budget with a few changes on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, to take effect on July 1.

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OmniRide: In support of national Take Your Child to Work Day, children aged 17 and younger can ride any OmniRide bus for free on Thursday, April 25.

OmniRide Local and Metro Express are already currently free and will be until at least June. Children can ride any OmniRide Express commuter bus for free on this day, which currently costs $9.00 one way, when accompanied by a paying adult.

This is an opportunity to introduce students, not only to the working world, but also to the many travel alternatives our region has versus driving alone. Riders are encouraged to bring their children along for the ride on an OmniRide Local, Metro Express, or Express commuter bus on April 25 and show them the basics about using public transportation so they can gain confidence as they mature and become independent travelers.

Take Your Child to Work Day, also termed Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, is a national public education program that aims to connect what children learn at school with the actual working world.

For more information on OmniRide services visit OmniRide.com.

OmniRide: OmniRide hosted the 2024 Virginia State Bus Roadeo April 5 – April 7 at the organization’s Western Facility near Manassas. Thirty-four bus operators and seven maintenance teams from across the state took part in this safety and operations competition

The top operator was Nathan Harris from the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company (GLTC). The maintenance team winners were from Fairfax Connector: Oscar Matamoros, Mario Llanos, Martin Lopez. They will now test their skills at the national competition in Portland, Ore., on April 26-30.

OmniRide bus operator Mohamed Elatrebi won fourth place. This was the fifth time Mr. Elatrebi has competed at the statewide roadeo; previously his best finish was first place in 2023. Along with Mr. Elatrebi, two other OmniRide operators placed in the top 30: Frank Cardona (13th place), Eugene James (15th place), and Patrick Daley (30th place). OmniRide’s maintenance team won fourth place and included Alberto Morales, Doug Scott, and Nelson Zaragoza. All the OmniRide competitors work for Keolis, which is the contract operator of OmniRide’s bus services.

OmniRide is the operating name for the mobility services offered by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). The organization provides Local bus service in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park; Express service for commuters along the I-95 and I-66 corridors to employment centers in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.; and Metro Express which connects riders with Metro Stations. In addition, OmniRide’s Employer Services assists local employers who wish to establish or expand an employee transportation program.