Some fear VRE fare plan

By Kipp Hanley

Published: October 1, 2008

The sentiment at Tuesday night's Virginia Railway Express public hearing in Manassas was one of concern but not alarm.

Faced with a probable rate increase—as much as 25 percent by next July—most of the 10 attendees said they would deal with it as long as service remained uninterrupted.

The midday train was a hot topic, with many of the attendees pleading with VRE Chief Executive Officer Dale Zehner to leave it be. The Manassas line has a train that leaves Union Station in Washington, D.C., at 1:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Fredericksburg line has a train that leaves the District at 12:55 p.m.

The commuters said they find the midday trains convenient in case of family emergencies or when they want to come home early for the weekend. Zehner said cutting those trains—which average around 275 people a day—would be a last resort.

"They are very critical to the comfort zone that people have [riding VRE]," said VRE spokesperson Mark Roeber.

Broad Run averages 1,000 people a day for the morning commute, while Fredericksburg draws anywhere from 900 to 1,200 during its rush hour.

VRE staff has proposed a fare increase of up to 15 percent in January and another 10 percent increase by next July. The VRE Operations Board will meet this month to determine the extent of the increase.

A 25 percent increase would mean a single ride from the end of the Manassas line at Broad Run to Union Station would go from $7.45 to approximately $9.31. A single ride from Fredericksburg to Union Station would go from $9.10 to $11.37.

Manassas resident Gayle Babcock started riding VRE downtown every day last May and the federal government subsidizes her trip by roughly 50 percent. She said if she had to drive, it would put 3,000 miles on her truck a month.

"There's a lot less stress with late trains compared with what you deal with on [Interstate] 66," said Babcock, who rode in a van pool for 30 years before trying VRE. "Nothing compares with an accident on 66."

"The stress of driving 66 or [Interstate] 95 is not worth it," added Catlett resident Joey Morley, also a regular rider.

Haymarket resident Suzanne Blagg suggested a smaller increase in January than July, so riders could have more disposable income during the holidays.

VRE cites rising fuel and maintenance costs among the reasons it needs to raise rates. The railway said those costs have risen more than $1 million annually. Another blow to the system came when the Virginia General Assembly abolished the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority's ability to collect local taxes for transit improve-ments. VRE lost an expected $25 million worth of new funding slated to go to the purchase of 10 new locomotives.

VRE also cited a settled labor dispute between Amtrak and its contractors as another cause for a possible fare increase. The settlement cost VRE a one-time payment of $3 million, which went for a lump sum of employee back pay and increased employee salaries.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.