#Fairfax connector bus fare driver
#Fairfax connector bus fare free

Legislators limited the fare reduction program to 25% of the initiative’s annual funding, but the General Assembly gave the program an additional $10 million in the state’s fiscal year 2022 budget, raising its total to $12.5 million for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1.ĭRPT released a draft policy last week outlining how TRIP will be implemented, including how projects will be evaluated for grant funds. Virginia has allocated a total of $129 million to the TRIP initiative through fiscal year 2027, including $88.4 million for the connectivity program and $39.6 million for the fare program, according to a presentation that DRPT delivered to the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

#Fairfax connector bus fare free

So we are really trying to use this as an opportunity,” Valentine said, according to DCist.ĭRPT has split TRIP into two programs: one focused on regional connectivity, which could include everything from integrated fare collection systems to the creation of bus-only lanes on significant routes, and one focused on reducing the impact of fares on low-income users, which could involve eliminating fares, creating zero-fare zones, or providing subsidized or free passes. “Our Department of Transportation is committed to looking into how we can provide aid to those experiencing economic hardship.”Ĭreated by the General Assembly during its 2020 session, TRIP was conceived before the novel coronavirus arrived in the U.S., but Virginia Transportation Secretary Shannon Valentine told the Commonwealth Transportation Board during a May 18 workshop that the pandemic illustrated how vital public transportation is for essential workers, DCist reported. “Access to transit is crucial in promoting equity county-wide and for many a barrier is cost,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Jeff McKay said.

4, county leaders see reducing or subsidizing trip costs as one way to encourage more people to ride the Connector, which is the largest local bus system in Northern Virginia, transporting approximately 30,000 passengers on 91 routes in ordinary times. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is one of 12 transit agencies in Virginia that have expressed interest in the Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s new Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP), which will fund projects that increase connectivity in highly populated areas or remove barriers for low-income individuals by reducing or eliminating fares.

#Fairfax connector bus fare driver

The bus system installed new polycarbonate driver shields on all buses and will continue to clean and disinfect the buses and require face coverings for all riders and drivers.įairfax Connector also announced new and enhanced services in the Springfield area and on routes between Dunn Loring and Tysons Corner metro stations.Fairfax Connector suspended fare collections last year as a temporary health measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the public bus system is considering longer-term adjustments to its fare policies with support from a new state grant program. The new stimulus package signed into law at the end of December provides $14 billion for public transit, but some people are worried it isn't enough.įairfax Connector will also resume collection of fares and front-door boarding on Jan. In November, WMATA released a statement that massive budget cuts would be necessary - including the closure of two Alexandria Metro stations - without new emergency funding.

'We also need to collect fares from every rider to keep essential Metro transit employees working and continue to provide essential service.” 'With everyone wearing masks, shields for operators on every bus and enhanced daily cleanings, front-door boarding is safe, expands our capacity for more riders and helps us resume some normalcy,' said Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that Metrobus will resume collection of fares and front-door boarding on Jan. In March, local bus services including DASH, Metrobus and Fairfax Connector discontinued collection of fares and required rear-door boarding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.