PRTC service change and fare increase for buses take effect July 5

A fare increase and changes to routing and timetables will take effect on Tuesday, July 5 on buses operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).

PRTC updates its bus schedules twice a year to reflect changes in routing and travel times. These service changes and the fare increase were the subject of a series of public hearings held in February.

PRTC currently operates 17 commuter routes and 7 local bus routes serving Prince William County, the City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park. In FY16, PRTC buses have carried an average of 11,200 passengers daily.

“PRTC takes thousands of cars off our roads every day, making it an integral part of our transportation infrastructure,” said PRTC Board Chairman Frank J. Principi, who represents the Woodbridge District on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

As of July 5, fares will increase an average of 5%. The one-way fare on OmniRide commuter buses will increase from $6.20 to $6.50, Metro Direct commuter buses will rise from $3.10 to $3.25, and OmniLink local buses will increase from $1.40 to $1.50.

In another change, OmniRide commuter bus routes will offer fewer trips on Fridays and will no longer operate on these holidays:  Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Friday, and Christmas Eve.

Other notable changes taking effect July 5:

The Capitol Hill OmniRide route is eliminated.

Dale City OmniRide buses no longer service Crystal City. Instead, passengers going to Crystal City must ride a Lake Ridge OmniRide bus, or transfer to one.

Many OmniRide buses no longer serve neighborhood routing; instead service begins and ends at area commuter lots.

Manassas Metro Direct buses no longer offer all-day round-trip service between Manassas and the Tysons Corner Metro Station. In the morning, buses travel only from Manassas to Tysons, and in the afternoon/evening, buses travel only from Tysons to Manassas.

Manassas OmniLink local bus route is split into two separate routes: Manassas OmniLink-North and Manassas OmniLink-South. The buses meet at Manassas Mall at specific times to enable passengers to transfer.

Manassas Park OmniLink offers service only on the counter-clockwise Loop A routing, and buses meet up with the Manassas OmniLink North and South routes at Manassas Mall to enable passengers to transfer.

Online versions of the new schedule brochures – showing new routing and timetables – are available at PRTCtransit.org. Fo