Press Releases & Media Kit
See menu on the right for the most recent press releases.
Introducing OmniRide
OmniRide is the operating name for the wide variety of mobility services offered by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).
Our story started in 1986 when the Virginia General Assembly authorized the creation of PRTC as a regional transportation district. The elected officials recognized that some transportation problems transcend borders and that creating a framework for multiple jurisdictions to work together would be the best way to resolve those issues.
Initially, PRTC was tasked with partnering with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) to create and oversee the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) commuter rail service. In 1991, Prince William County asked PRTC to take over the operations of its commuter bus and ridesharing programs – services that now are among the most successful of OmniRide's offerings.
Today, PRTC is comprised of six jurisdictions: Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties and the Cities of Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg. All six localities play a role in VRE operations, but OmniRide's mobility services are available only in Prince William, Manassas and Manassas Park. OmniRide's services include:
- OmniRide Express buses to destinations including the Mark Center, Pentagon, Rosslyn-Ballston, Tysons, Washington, D.C., and the Washington Navy Yard;
- OmniRide Metro Express buses to nearby Metro stations;
- OmniRide Local buses with routes in eastern Prince William County and the Manassas area;
- OmniRide East-West Express which connects eastern Prince William with the Manassas area;
- OmniRide Ridesharing which promotes carpools and vanpools; and
- OmniRide Employer Services which works with area businesses to create and expand incentives for people to find alternatives to commuting alone.
In addition, PRTC administers the regional Vanpool Alliance program in partnership with NVTC and the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC).
And PRTC also continues with its first mission – to oversee VRE operations in cooperation with NVTC, which represents these jurisdictions: the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church.
In FY 2018, OmniRide had more than 150 buses in its active fleet and made more than 2.5 million passenger trips. OmniRide-affiliated carpools and vanpools made an additional 1.5 million passenger trips in FY18.
Important Numbers
PRTC's funding comes from several sources including OmniRide passenger fares and exterior bus advertising as well as federal, state and local government subsidies. All six of PRTC's member jurisdictions rely on revenues from a 2.1% motor fuels tax to subsidize PRTC and pay for VRE; however, only Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park sponsor OmniRide bus services.
| $59.71 million | PRTC's proposed FY2024 operating budget. |
|---|---|
| 1.5 million | Number of passengers carried by OmniRide buses in FY2023. |
| 4,259 | Average daily ridership on OmniRide Express and OmniRide Metro Express services in FY2023. |
| 18 | Number of commuter routes (OmniRide Express and OmniRide Metro Express) operated by OmniRide in FY2023. |
| 2,258 | Average weekday ridership on OmniRide Local services in FY2023. |
| 8 | Number of local routes (OmniRide Local and OmniRide East-West Express) operated by OmniRide in FY2023. |
|
See menu on the right for the most recent press releases.
|