Increased Ridership on OmniRide Express Buses
With the federal workforce returning to the office, some OmniRide Express commuter bus routes are experiencing overcrowding and many of you have contacted us requesting that we add more service. There is some good news for passengers of the 611 Front Royal/Gainesville – Washington and 981 Lake Ridge – Pentagon/Washington routes, as new trips will be added at our next service change in late April. These routes lost trips in 2024 and we are adding them back as part of our commitment to passengers.
We are also analyzing ridership on all routes to determine the best course of action; however, our options are limited. During budget deliberations with Prince William County for the current fiscal year (FY25), the County board agreed to provide an additional $10 million to fill a shortfall in annual funding for OmniRide caused by the decline in the revenues from gas taxes. As many of you experienced, OmniRide had to make service cuts to right-size service levels to match projected ridership for FY25 – for a lean but efficient service. The gas tax used to help fund OmniRide has long been in decline, resulting in the need for supplemental funding and/or service cuts. OmniRide’s proposed budget for FY26 (that starts on July 1) also has a similar deficit but we are able to maintain a relatively flat budget proposal for next year with no additional services.
OmniRide wants to offer more services and despite current high demand for more travel options there is high uncertainty concerning the future size of the federal workforce and not enough additional resources to make a significant difference in service options. The fiscal reality is that OmniRide does not currently have the funding to rapidly increase the level of Express commuter service. In addition to the lack of funding needed to increase operations, we are also constantly working to hire and train new operators in an extremely competitive market for commercial drivers. This is an ongoing struggle across the entire region; however, we will continue to seek creative solutions.
While not ideal, there are things you might consider for a less crowded commute, including shifting riding patterns to less busy travel times. Additionally, Woodbridge and Dale City riders can also park at the new Neabsco Garage instead of the Horner Road commuter lot to reach the Pentagon where there is an abundance of transfer options.
Thank you for your patronage. We ask for your vocal support of our services as we work towards sustainable solutions that meet your travel needs.