This spring, PRTC Executive Director Alfred Harf has been reaching out to customers via PRTC’s Rider Express subscription service to answer questions and comments. This is a compilation of all past messages in that series.

------Message from 5/31/2011 – SmarTrip®

As you may know, for the past several weeks I’ve been answering questions that were generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today’s topic is SmarTrip®.

SmarTrip® is the rechargeable electronic farecard used by many of the transit agencies in our region, including PRTC and WMATA. By accepting a standard farecard, transit agencies make it easier for commuters to travel because they don’t have to worry about having exact change – whether for one mode of transportation or for multiple buses and/or trains – or worry about having adequate money on separate farecards. Electronic farecards also help to reduce boarding time because passengers simply tap their card instead of feeding money into the farebox.

Passengers frequently want to know what’s coming next for SmarTrip®. I’m pleased to say there are several improvements planned for the near future. Of course, because WMATA is the lead transit agency in the Washington Metropolitan Region, they are the first to roll out new products. Once the technology is proven on WMATA trains and buses, the partnering agencies in our region, such as PRTC, follow behind. Because of this arrangement, I can’t provide specific dates for these improvements, but rest assured that they are in the works.

SmartBenefits Autoload About 2/3 of the passengers on PRTC’s commuter bus services receive the federal transit benefit known as SmartBenefits, which provides up to $230 per month to encourage people to share their commute. Currently, those who receive SmartBenefits must download the benefit to their SmarTrip® card at a Metrorail Passes and Farecards Machine. With the new SmartBenefits Autoload feature, the SmartBenefits will automatically become available when the SmarTrip® card is used – passengers won’t even have to push the Add Value button on the farebox! This feature is being rolled out on an employer- by-employer basis, and some riders have experienced the change already. The roll-out should be completed over the next several months.

Credit Cards Passengers occasionally ask why they can’t use credit cards on PRTC buses – either to load value onto their SmarTrip® cards or by using the contactless Radio Frequency ID (RFID) chip in the card to pay their fares. First, PRTC buses are not equipped with credit card readers, so anyone who needs to add value to their SmarTrip® card at the farebox must do so with cash. However, credit and debit cards are accepted at locations with a SmarTrip® value-loading machine, such as the PRTC Transit Center. Second, because WMATA was among the first to use contactless Smart Card technology, RFID technology for credit and debit cards was not widely available at that time. WMATA and the regional carriers plan to move in that direction in the future.

OmniLink Pass Products Another long-anticipated improvement to the SmarTrip® system is the introduction of discounted weekly passes for OmniLink passengers. The new passes, which will be launched in FY 2012, will allow unlimited rides on OmniLink and Cross County Connector buses for seven consecutive calendar days at a discounted price. The weekly pass will help passengers who are frequent riders save money and help to reduce boarding time because passengers will simply tap their card instead of feeding money into the farebox.

In addition, when SmarTrip® passes are introduced in FY 2012, PRTC will move its existing daypass to the SmarTrip® card. Currently, passengers pay cash for a paper pass that allows unlimited rides for one day on OmniLink and Cross County Connector buses. Passengers keep the paper daypasses with them and show it to the bus operator each time they board to prove that they have already paid their fare. In the future, a SmarTrip® card will be required when purchasing a daypass. Moving the daypass onto the SmarTrip® card is expected to be more secure for passengers who are less likely to lose the electronic fare card than a thin slip of paper, reduce fraudulent use of daypasses, and reduce PRTC’s printing costs.

I hope this message has helped you learn more about SmarTrip® and the improvements that are planned. Although today’s message is the final in the current series, you will continue to hear from me in the future to address topics of interest to PRTC’s customers.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 5/23/2011 – Emergency Service Plan (ESP)

Hello and welcome to the sixth in a series of messages answering questions generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today’s topic is PRTC’s Emergency Service Plan (ESP).

When an emergency situation will impact PRTC’s ability to serve its passengers, the ESP is implemented. Usually, bad weather and road conditions prompt PRTC to put the ESP into effect, but it also may be implemented for general emergencies, such as when major roads are shut down, or for regularly scheduled events such as the National Christmas Tree Lighting.

Under the ESP, OmniRide buses make most of their regular local stops but travel only to and from the Franconia-Springfield and the West Falls Church Metrorail stations. If the weather changes during the day, PRTC may implement the ESP for afternoon commuter service, even if regular service was operated in the morning, or return to regular service. However, when the ESP is implemented on OmniLink buses, it is in effect for the entire day and all off-route trips are cancelled.

When the ESP is implemented with no advance warning, PRTC does not charge passengers a fare. If there is advance notice of the event, OmniRide passengers pay the Metro Direct bus fare (since they’re receiving Metro Direct-like service) and all other passengers pay regular fares.

We sometimes hear comments from OmniRide passengers who travel to/from areas not impacted by an emergency situation who wonder why we can’t serve their stops. The reason is that consistency is the key to ensuring that the ESP operates as smoothly as possible. When the ESP is in effect, our regular OmniRide passengers know that OmniRide buses will not travel to the Pentagon, Crystal City, Rosslyn, D.C. or Tysons Corner, just to name a few locations, and instead will serve only the Franconia-Springfield and West Falls Church Metrorail stations. If we made exceptions to that policy, it would create confusion among passengers who would wonder if their stop was affected by this particular emergency and prompt a flurry of phone calls to our Customer Service agents.

Also, if PRTC staff had to evaluate multiple ESP alternatives, it would take longer to determine which one to implement, slowing decision-making and communications when time is of the essence. Moreover, by running our commuter bus service only to and from the two Metrorail stations, PRTC can continue operating service without stretching available equipment and bus operators beyond their capabilities. Of course, our goal is to provide our passengers with full service whenever possible. But when emergencies occur, our aim changes a bit and instead we try to provide passengers with the safest, most efficient, and clearly communicated transportation possible under those challenging conditions.

Look for the final message in this series next week.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 5/16/2011 – Manassas/Gainesville Commuter Service and OmniLink Off-Route Trips

Hello and welcome to the fifth in a series of messages answering questions generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today’s topics are PRTC’s future plans for commuter bus services in the Manassas/Gainesville area and why OmniLink buses sometimes go off the standard route.

Manassas/Gainesville Commuter Services PRTC has had plans to offer direct service to D.C. from Gainesville for quite a while, but has been unable to do so because of financial constraints. However, PRTC’s Planning Department has figured out a way to add this service in FY 2013 without requiring a large additional subsidy from Prince William County. How is this possible? Through a combination of shifting existing resources and securing additional federal formula funding stemming from the use of the recently-extended HOV lanes on I-66.

Planning staff conducted surveys on all Manassas area OmniRide and Metro Direct trips in May and June of 2010. Based on these surveys PRTC staff determined that not only was there interest in a Gainesville- Washington service, but that a substantial number of Manassas OmniRide passengers actually live in Gainesville, Haymarket or other areas to the west but drive to Manassas to board the bus. There also are riders on PRTC’s Linton Hall Metro Direct service who would prefer a one-seat ride into D.C. rather than having to transfer to Metro at West Falls Church. The surveys further indicated that this new service would capture enough of the current ridership to allow PRTC to slightly reduce the number of trips serving the Manassas OmniRide and Linton Hall Metro Direct routes and shift those resources to a new Gainesville-Washington OmniRide service. This will help to offset the cost of the new service and allow PRTC to offer residents of western Prince William a more convenient ride to their destinations.

I’ve referred to additional federal formula funding as part of what makes this plan possible, and that deserves further elaboration. The additional federal formula funding is a consequence of the fact that the I-66 HOV lanes were recently extended to Route 29. When buses travel in HOV lanes, PRTC qualifies for special federal funding. As you may know, in late 2010 PRTC’s Linton Hall Metro Direct service added one AM and one PM express trip designed to capture these funds by travelling in the recently- extended HOV lanes. PRTC expects to receive federal funds in FY 2013 as a result of these two trips, and this federal funding will be used to help offset the cost of the new service.

FY 2013 is a sensible time to start the new OmniRide service because that’s when the additional federal funding materializes, and because that’s when a new commuter lot is scheduled to open at and I-66. Having adequate parking is vital to the success of a commuter bus route, and we’re pleased that the new 400-space lot will be available for commuters from western Prince William.

OmniLink Off-Route Trips Now let’s turn our attention to a local bus issue: OmniLink off-route trips. The 1992 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that individuals with disabilities have the same access to transportation and public accommodations as the general population. To comply with this federal requirement, some transit agencies run a traditional bus service for the general population and a separate paratransit service – often with door-to-door service – for people with disabilities. (WMATA’s Metro Access service is one example of a paratransit service.) OmniLink, on the other hand, operates on a flexible routing system that combines elements of a traditional fixed route service with paratransit services.

Because of the flex-routing, all OmniLink buses can go up to ¾ mile off the standard route to pick up or drop off passengers when arrangements are made in advance and when there is adequate time in the schedule. The off-route trip privilege must be available to the community at-large rather than just those with disabilities in order for the flex-route service to fulfill the ADA requirements. There is no surcharge for off-route trips if the passenger is 60 or older, has a disability or a valid Medicare card. Those who do not meet these requirements must pay a $1 surcharge on top of their fare. In FY 2010, about 6% of all OmniLink trips were off-route trips.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is why PRTC operates its local bus service in this fashion instead of offering a separate paratransit service. The principal answer is a simple one: money. Running a separate paratransit service is very expensive. In fact, if a separate paratransit service were required, our area likely could not afford to offer local bus services at all. A second reason is that by offering off-route service to the community at-large rather than only to those who have a disability, PRTC is able to serve a larger portion of the community. As you probably know, our area has relatively low density and thus a larger proportion of residents live beyond a reasonable walking distance of the main roadways.

Virtually all transit agencies report that the subsidized cost of their paratransit services is higher than $20 per trip and, in some cases, as much as $40 per trip. In contrast, the OmniLink subsidy – the amount that has to be covered by the local governments that sponsor OmniLink services – is less than $5 per trip. That cost difference allows PRTC to keep its fares lower and requires less funding from your tax dollars. By limiting the number of times the bus goes off-route and by making such trips only within limited geographic areas, PRTC is balancing the need for off-route trips with general on-time performance.

I hope these items have given you a bit of insight into the extensive planning that’s required to offer our commuter and local bus services. Look for more from me next week.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 5/9/2011 – Bus Operator Training and Bus Maintenance

Hello and welcome to the fourth in a series of messages answering questions generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today’s topics are Operator Training and Bus Maintenance.

Bus Operator Training Because bus operators interact with passengers every day, they are in many ways “the face” of PRTC. After all, when you think of PRTC, you don’t think of the behind-the-scenes staff; you picture the operator who greets you when you board the bus and the bus itself. Knowing that the operator’s performance is instrumental to the quality of the service, prospective operators must complete a rigorous six-week training program before being permitted to transport customers. That training program includes: • Learning all rules and procedures that PRTC and our contractor, First Transit, expect all operators to follow; • Reinforcement of safe driving practices; • An assessment of driving skills; • Behind-the-wheel driving instruction; and • Learning all 21 of PRTC’s commuter and local bus routes. At the end of six weeks, the trainees take a final written test and have their driving skills evaluated; if they pass these examinations, they become ‘extra-board’ operators, meaning they’re on stand-by daily to fill-in on any route. Later they transition to regular assignments.

If you’ve been riding with us for a while, then you may be aware that the operators are permitted to change their assigned routes as often as three times a year. It’s during these times that the extra-board operators have their first chance to be assigned to a route rather than being on stand-by. Operators change routes if they wish, based on seniority. Two of the three operator change periods coincide with PRTC’s service changes in the spring and fall; the third change, which is part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated by First Transit and the union that represents the bus operators (the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; AFSCME), takes place in mid-winter.

Assigning a different bus operator to a route sometimes generates passenger complaints – after all, no two operators will drive a route exactly the same way and each route has its peculiarities – but the assignment changes have multiple benefits. First, it gives operators an opportunity to work on routes that best suit their schedules; and second, it reduces complacency. Imagine doing the same task at work over and over again; eventually you would get bored and might start missing important details. This system allows operators to challenge themselves and bring a fresh perspective to the route.

Despite the rigorous six-week training program operators go through at the outset of their employment, sometimes operators need retraining on the routes, behind-the-wheel skills, courtesy, etc. PRTC and First Transit identify retraining needs in a variety of ways, including a review of complaints, spot-checking by PRTC personnel, and reviews of the footage gathered by on-board cameras. The cameras record bus operator performance, and footage is reviewed in certain circumstances such as sudden braking or a collision. If retraining is deemed necessary, the operators work with First Transit’s Training staff to improve their skills and return to service. If an operator is involved in an accident, retraining in driving skills and classroom knowledge is required whether or not the operator is at fault.

Finally, there are also monthly safety meetings that all operators are required to attend, so safety can be reinforced.

Here are some specific operator concerns that passengers addressed in their survey comments: 1. Safe, non-aggressive driving – Operators are trained that safety always comes first. They learn how to properly merge and maneuver the buses, which can be up to 45-feet long and weigh as much as 48,000 pounds. Driving such a large vehicle can be difficult under the best conditions and is more challenging when, for example, other drivers speed up to pass a bus or don’t allow a bus to merge. 2. Bus kneeling – Operators are trained to ‘kneel’ or lower the front of the bus to allow easier boarding and disembarking if there is no curb, if the bus can’t get close to the curb, if the operator observes someone with a mobility impairment, or at a passenger’s request. Except for the nine oldest buses in PRTC’s fleet, all buses are able to kneel. 3. Boarding at timepoints while the bus is idling – Operators are trained that if they arrive at a timepoint early, they should allow waiting passengers to board and inform them of the time the bus is scheduled to leave. Time permitting, operators are allowed to step away from the bus (e.g., to place a phone call or smoke) once the bus is properly secured. 4. Seating for elderly individuals and persons with disabilities – While front seats on all buses have been designated for passengers with disabilities and elderly customers, bus operators cannot insist that non-eligible passengers move from priority seating, and can’t require that eligible passengers use those specific seats. 5. Enforcement of PRTC’s cell phone policy – Operators may ask passengers to be considerate of others and keep any conversations quiet and brief. PRTC’s policy states that cell phones should be used “only when truly necessary.” 6. Bus temperatures – Buses have separate climate controls for the driving area (which can be up to 45 feet from passengers in the rear), and temperatures within a bus can vary significantly (e.g., when the front door is open for boarding and alighting or when the sun heats one side of the bus). Because bus operators may not know that some passengers are uncomfortable, customers are encouraged to let their operator know when the bus becomes excessively hot or cold.

Bus Maintenance PRTC and First Transit have a multi-pronged approach to keeping the buses in a state of good repair, including daily inspections by the operators, periodic “condition” audits, periodic preventive maintenance, mid-life overhauls on specified buses, and timely vehicle replacement purchases. Each of these is described more fully below.

Before leaving the bus yard, all operators are required to do a pre-trip inspection of their bus. During this inspection, the operator thoroughly reviews the bus looking for leaks, listening for odd noises and checking items including the lights, seats, wheelchair lift and kneeling capability. If a problem that could impact safe operation of the vehicle or its climate control capabilities is detected, the bus will not be used for service and another bus will be assigned. At the end of a trip, the operator returns to the bus yard and performs a post-trip inspection to verify that no problems have arisen during the earlier service.

PRTC has 18 full-time technicians working on three shifts at the Transit Center, which includes six bus maintenance bays. All preventive maintenance and most repairs are done on site. Preventive maintenance is performed every 6,000 miles, which means each bus is serviced every four to six weeks. During this service, technicians follow a check-list of more than 150 items to keep the buses in good working order and fix any minor problems that have been discovered by operators. When problems that do affect safety, comfort, or reliability are found, repairs are performed in a timely manner between the preventive maintenance services.

The efficiency of our preventive maintenance and repair programs can be seen in the results of audits that are conducted every four months. During the weeklong maintenance audits, an independent company inspects approximately one-third of the fleet, selecting buses at random. Recent audits have found fewer than three defects per PRTC bus; anything less than four defects per bus is considered to be “exceptional” based on similar audits conducted by the auditor nationwide.

In addition to the preventive maintenance, PRTC last year awarded a contract to a Florida company to perform mid-life overhauls on 61 OmniRide buses built between 2002 and 2006, spanning a period of four years. By 2014, these PRTC OmniRide buses will be outfitted with new engines and transmissions and will have their suspension, brakes, lighting, seats, electrical, and air conditioning systems rebuilt or replaced, as needed. Mid-life overhauls of this sort minimize future maintenance problems and extend the life of the buses several years longer than the standard lifespan. Mid-life overhauls are not a new practice at PRTC; there have been three previous campaigns.

Despite these efforts, buses sometimes break down or have to be taken out of service. When that happens, PRTC tries to minimize the inconvenience to passengers by having a few spare buses located in key locations in our service area and extra operators who can quickly respond to assist passengers and continue the route.

Last but not least, new buses are purchased to replace buses reaching retirement age. Four such buses are scheduled for delivery this summer.

Thank you for your continued support of PRTC and your suggestions to improve our services. Look for more from me next week.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 5/2/2011 – Timepoints and On-Time Performance

Hello and welcome to the third in a series of messages answering questions generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today’s topics are timepoints and on-time performance.

Timepoints First, let’s establish the meaning of the word ‘timepoint.’ In the transit world, that’s a bus stop where a bus operator who is in ‘pick-up’ mode and is running ahead of schedule must wait until a specific, scheduled time to depart. Not all bus stops are timepoints. At bus stops that are not timepoints, bus operators are free to leave as soon as all passengers have disembarked and/or boarded.

By designating certain bus stops as timepoints in our bus schedule timetables, we give passengers a sense of assurance that if they arrive about 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled departure time (this allows for variance in people’s watches), they will not miss the bus. Of course, buses sometimes run behind schedule for various reasons. If a bus is running late, the operator is to serve the timepoint and immediately move on to the next bus stop.

How can you tell if a bus stop is a timepoint? Simply take a look at one of our printed schedule brochure maps, or view a schedule online. You’ll notice that our bus stops are represented by black circles, and some of the circles are larger and contain a number. These larger, numbered circles mean that those particular bus stops are timepoints. Now look at the timetable below the map. You’ll see that each column lists the times that the bus is scheduled to be at that particular timepoint.

Allow me to make an important distinction. OmniRide bus operators are in ‘pick-up’ mode during the morning rush hours when they are picking up commuters from the Prince William County area, and in the afternoon / evening when they are picking up passengers in D.C., Arlington and Fairfax counties. Once the bus operators have picked up their passengers and reached the part of the route where most passengers are getting off, they are in ‘drop-off’ mode, and operators are not required to wait at any of the stops, including timepoints. Why? Because the OmniRide buses generally are not picking up additional passengers at that point, and passengers that are already aboard the bus are anxious to reach their destinations as soon as possible. OmniLink, Cross County and Metro Direct bus operators, on the other hand, are always in pick-up mode and must always wait at stops marked as timepoints if the operator arrives earlier than scheduled.

In the newly revised schedule brochures, which will be available in mid-May, we are adding a notation that OmniRide buses in ‘drop-off’ mode may leave timepoints as soon as the bus stop has been served. Be sure to get new schedule brochures for all the routes you use, or download the brochures you need from our website before the Spring Service Change, which will take place on May 23!

On-time performance Keeping the buses running according to schedule is one of the most important things for a transit agency to do. It’s also one of the hardest! It’s difficult to estimate what time the bus will arrive at specific timepoints in the face of challenges that vary daily, such as weather, traffic congestion, roadwork and the differing time that it takes passengers to board, pay their fares and disembark.

An added challenge is the occasional incident that requires a bus to be temporarily removed from service. To keep incident-related delays to a minimum, PRTC dispatches a few spare buses around our service area every day so that these ‘strategic’ buses can fill-in if necessary. For example, if a Manassas-area bus has a mechanical problem or is in an accident, a strategic bus can be dispatched from its location in Manassas to assist the passengers and continue the rest of the route. By placing the strategic buses in locations away from the PRTC Transit Center, the buses can arrive more quickly than if they had to be driven from Woodbridge.

Of course, the most serious threat to on-time performance is traffic congestion, particularly in D.C. While traffic congestion is a fact of life and is accounted for in scheduling bus service, it is not the same day in and day out so no matter how well services are scheduled, buses will not always remain on time. PRTC periodically measures times to assess how long it takes to travel a route under “normal” traffic congestion and adjusts its schedules accordingly, but that alone simply ensures schedule reliability under “normal” congestion conditions. To help improve OmniRide on-time performance under normal traffic conditions even more, PRTC is continuing to work with DDOT in seeking solutions to chronic problems. Already this year, multiple OmniRide routes have been re-routed away from several blocks of 14th Street – something that benefits most of our passengers as well as all drivers in D.C.

Unfortunately, we can’t count on normal traffic congestion every day. When abnormal conditions arise (e.g., large throngs of tourists during the Cherry Blossom season), schedule reliability takes a hit, frustrating customers and management alike. While buses running late are frustrating enough, buses running late without information about when they will arrive adds to passenger frustration, and that’s something that we’re also intent on addressing. PRTC has received grant funding to upgrade its current GPS bus tracking system to more sophisticated equipment that will allow passengers to get real-time information. Imagine waiting at a bus stop and automatically getting a text message with an update about your trip, or being able to call a phone number, enter the bus stop identification number and find out – based on GPS tracking – when the next bus will arrive!

As anxious as we are to implement this new real-time program, it’s still a ways off. In the meantime, I’d like to remind you that everyone can subscribe two email addresses and a phone number to receive Rider Express emails and text messages. By subscribing in multiple ways, you can stay on top of the latest news about PRTC and issues that could affect your commute. Look for more from me next week.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 4/25/2011 – BRAC

Hello and welcome to the second in a series of messages answering questions generated by the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. Today, I’ll address a very timely topic: public transportation to the Mark Center, and Quantico in light of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) plans.

By September 2011, most of an estimated 21,000 people are expected to be working in new locations in Northern Virginia as a result of BRAC. The most significant changes will be at the Mark Center off the I- 395 Seminary Road exit in Alexandria, which will bring in 6,400 employees; Fort Belvoir, which will add 3,300 employees plus another 8,500 employees at the nearby new National Geospatial Agency (NGA) facility; and Quantico, which will add 2,800 employees.

Soon after the BRAC-related plans to relocate personnel were decided several years ago, PRTC and other transportation providers in the area began consultations with Department of Defense (DOD) officials responsible for preparations. Transportation was a recognized major issue from the outset, and the transportation providers expressed their willingness to augment services provided that the costs for such services were defrayed by the DOD. While there were encouraging indications early on that DOD support would be forthcoming, in the end there was little financial support, so transportation providers are doing only as much as their own scarce resources allow.

While PRTC has no direct service to the Mark Center or Fort Belvoir at the present time, PRTC buses and (VRE) trains do offer connecting services to bus services that in some cases already are serving, or are planned to serve, both of these facilities. (Details on the connecting services are provided below.) PRTC’s OmniLink local buses and VRE trains do offer direct service to Quantico.

An added challenge to providing public transportation to the Mark Center is the fact that there is no direct access to and from the south when travelling in the HOV lanes. The state’s plan to build new HOV ramps at Seminary Road will remedy this, but not for a while because the Federal Highway Administration recently announced that it would require VDOT to conduct a more thorough study to confirm that the ramps will have no adverse environmental impacts. This will extend the time line for the prospective project by an estimated 18 months.

Even if funding for direct bus service to the Mark Center were available (which it is not), there would be little benefit to providing such service before the new ramps are built. Why? Because buses traveling from Prince William would have to exit the HOV lanes at the Beltway and use the regular lanes for the rest of the trip, with PM access to the HOV lanes at Edsall Road. Such service would offer no timesavings for Mark Center-bound commuters, so few could be expected to ride, and that, in turn, would make the service very expensive to operate.

In lieu of DOD financial support, why can’t PRTC add direct service to Fort Belvoir or to the Mark Center at this time? Simply stated, because all of PRTC’s buses are operating during the rush hours and because PRTC’s proposed FY 2012 budget will allow us simply to maintain existing services. Any new services would require additional subsidies from Prince William County and given the current economic climate that’s just not possible.

So, if your job is being relocated by BRAC, what are your options? You can try teleworking, slugging, or ridesharing. PRTC’s free OmniMatch program will search for a carpool or vanpool to meet your ridesharing needs. You can also make the following public transportation connections.

Mark Center • Note: all connecting shuttle services to the Mark Center are in the planning stages, so no details are available at this time. The current plan will allow for the following: • At the Pentagon, transfer from an OmniRide bus to shuttles. • At the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station, transfer from PRTC’s Prince William Metro Direct bus or from VRE’s train to shuttles. • At the King Street Metro Station, transfer from VRE’s Fredericksburg or trains (using VRE’s Alexandria station stop) to shuttles. • At the West Falls Church Metro Station, transfer from PRTC’s Manassas Metro Direct bus or from the Linton Hall Metro Direct bus to shuttles.

Fort Belvoir • At the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station, transfer from PRTC’s Prince William Metro Direct bus or VRE’s Fredericksburg line train to the , which offers regularly scheduled service to Fort Belvoir. • At the King Street Metro Station, transfer from VRE’s Fredericksburg or Manassas line trains (using VRE’s Alexandria station stop) to the Richmond Highway Express (REX) bus service, which offers regularly scheduled service to Fort Belvoir.

NGA • Note: NGA currently operates shuttle buses from the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station and the Backlick Road VRE station. Shuttles run every 10 minutes from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. During non-rush hours, shuttles run every 20 minutes. • At Franconia-Springfield, transfer from the Prince William Metro Direct bus or VRE’s Fredericksburg line train to shuttles. • At Backlick Road, transfer from VRE’s Manassas line train to shuttles.

Quantico • Note: Quantico currently operates a shuttle from the Quantico VRE Station to facilities on the main base. • At the Quantico VRE station, transfer from PRTC’s Route 1 OmniLink local bus or from VRE’s Fredericksburg line train to shuttles.

Adding so many employees to area facilities will obviously bring more traffic to Northern Virginia roads. You can help to lessen the traffic congestion by considering one of the listed options. Public transportation, ridesharing, slugging and teleworking can help everyone’s commute. I hope this information answers the many questions we have received about BRAC and PRTC’s plans for the future. As more information about BRAC-related transit services becomes available, we will be sure to pass it along to you. Look for more from me next week.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director

------Message from 4/18/2011 – Overcrowded Commuter Buses and Commuter Parking

I want to thank everyone who participated in the recent quarterly on-board and online survey. At PRTC, we take such surveys seriously because we want to provide you with the best travel experience our resources will allow. Many of you took the time to write additional comments at the end of your survey that clearly deserve a response. Rather than overwhelm you with a single very lengthy message, I’ll address two or three topics in a series of messages over the upcoming weeks, Even if there isn’t a ready solution to an issue, I want you to know that you’ve been heard.

Today I’ll address the many comments we received about overcrowded buses and the commuter parking challenge along the I-95 corridor.

Overcrowded OmniRide Commuter Buses Over the years, commuters have told us that they choose OmniRide in order to save time and money. If you’ve ridden with us for a while, then you have witnessed the growth in our ridership first-hand. When gas prices hit all-time highs in 2008, PRTC ridership increased to then-record highs. Shortly afterward gas prices fell, but ridership remained high because riders were pleased with our services and because in January 2009 the federal transit benefit was increased to $230 per month, enabling benefit recipients (including federal workers, who account for more than 60% of OmniRide passengers) to ride for free.

PRTC was able to add trips to accommodate that growth but now that gas prices are rising again, chronic overcrowding is an issue on many OmniRide trips - particularly during the rush hours. Unfortunately, PRTC is unable to add more trips at this time. Why? • Every available bus in PRTC’s fleet is in service during the rush hours. • PRTC cannot buy or lease more buses without additional funding from Prince William County and, given the current economic climate, that’s simply not possible. • Even if PRTC had more buses, there is little money in the current budget to pay for the staffing, fuel and other costs necessary to run additional bus trips. • Although our buses are carrying more passengers, that doesn’t mean that PRTC is making a profit. In fact, PRTC’s commuter bus fares cover only 56% of commuter bus operating expenses, and the ratio is only 10% on the local buses. The reliance on subsidies is true of public transit everywhere.

Some options that OmniRide passengers may want to consider are traveling on earlier or later bus trips that are not overcrowded if your schedule allows,teleworking, ridesharing or slugging. By working remotely – either from home or a telework site, even if only for one or two days a week – your time- savings and cost-savings will be substantial. PRTC’s free OmniMatch ridesharing program can also assist those who might be interested in joining a formal carpool or vanpool. To learn more about slugging, visit www.slug-lines.com.

The Commuter Parking Challenge Although there are many commuter parking lots in PRTC’s service area, those in the I-95 corridor are the most popular because they provide easy access to and from the highway and HOV lanes. The recent reduction in commuter parking at Potomac Mills has had a cascading effect, causing other popular lots to fill up earlier in the mornings. The good news is that a long-term fix is underway. Prince William County is poised to begin work to construct a new 600-space commuter lot near the intersection of Telegraph and Caton Hill Roads to be completed in late 2012.

In the meantime, there are some short-term solutions if you are having difficulty finding a parking space at the most popular lots. You could consider starting your commute from: • A neighborhood lot – many of which have available spaces. (See the Commuter Lots page on our website.) • The lot at I-95 and Route 123, which not only has space but also offers direct access to and from I-95 and is served by OmniRide buses traveling to the Pentagon, Crystal City and Washington, DC. • The recently leased commuter parking lot at First Baptist Church at Minnieville and Elm Farm Roads.

As you know, Prince William County is leasing part of the parking lot at the First Baptist Church in order to compensate for parking spaces that were lost at Potomac Mills Mall. Since opening in March, the First Baptist lot has been underused, and some believe that’s because there are too few OmniRide bus routes serving the lot. PRTC’s Rosslyn/Ballston OmniRide buses offer direct service to the lot, but PRTC is unable to re-route additional buses without causing major disruptions to large numbers of passengers already using our services. While only Rosslyn/Ballston buses offer direct service to the First Baptist lot, commuters can use the Rosslyn/Ballston buses to transfer to other OmniRide routes at Horner Road or the Pentagon to reach other destinations.

In addition, starting May 2, PRTC will introduce a new evening shuttle service between Horner Road and the First Baptist lot. The ride will be free for those transferring from another OmniRide bus or $1.20 for others payable with cash or SmarTrip card. Shuttles will leave Horner Road at 7:05 p.m., 7:26 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and arrive at First Baptist approximately 10 minutes later. This shuttle service will use buses that normally would be going out of service for the night, and will cost PRTC just $15,000 annually thanks to the creative use of resources. The shuttle will make it more convenient for commuters to park at the First Baptist lot because they will be able to reach their vehicles in the afternoon either by slugging, catching a Rosslyn/Ballston OmniRide bus, or riding a bus that serves Horner Road. A timetable showing the times that buses serve the First Baptist Church lot is available on our website.

Also beginning May 2, slug lines to Rosslyn and the Pentagon will be established at the First Baptist lot. A flyer with additional information is available for viewing and download at Slug-Lines.com, where you can also find general information about slugging.

I hope that this information has provided some insight into why PRTC has not supplemented service to ease overcrowding and has also offered some useful parking alternatives. Look for more from me in the near future.

Regards,

Alfred Harf Executive Director