By Erin Pittman
Sponsored by OmniRide
Amidst a pandemic, many normal daily activities now give us pause and cause us to rethink our actions. How do we safely celebrate occasions with family? Is it smart to shop as frequently as we used to? And how about taking public transportation?
There are a variety of factors to consider when deciding which activities you are comfortable with. When it comes to transportation, OmniRide is doing everything they can to allow public transportation riders to rest easier.
OmniRide is the operating name for the mobility services offered by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). OmniRide’s goal is “to provide safe, reliable and flexible transportation options while helping to reduce congestion and pollution in one of the region’s fastest growing areas.”
OmniRide’s Changes Amidst the Pandemic
OmniRide has made many adjustments amid the pandemic to increase the safety of riders and drivers. One of their first health and safety goals was reducing interactions between employees and riders, thus reducing exposure.
“We are no longer charging fares on our Local and Metro Express services to reduce the time that our passengers spend coming onto the buses and eliminating cash handling by our staff,” said Alyssa Ludwiczak, OmniRide Public Relations Specialist.
On commuter buses, OmniRide has also eliminated cash payments and requires passengers to use SmarTrip cards only. Riders may purchase SmarTrip cards at the Transit Center and at Todos Supermarket and may reload their cards at Metro Station SmarTrip vending machines or online using a credit card.
All passengers and employees are required to wear face coverings when boarding and riding in the vehicles, and OmniRide is limiting the number of passengers allowed on each bus. Riders will see signs encouraging social distancing and seats closest to the drivers roped off for their safety. Commuter lots now feature lines on sidewalks 6 feet apart, encouraging social distancing while waiting to load.
“We have also increased the cleaning of our vehicles. We do a mid-day change of buses, so when the morning operator is done with their run, they take the bus into the yard to be cleaned and the afternoon operator takes out a different bus,” said Perrin Palistrant, OmniRide Director of Operations and Operations Planning.
Operating Schedules in 2020
While ridership plummeted by 95% for commuter buses and more than 70% for local buses earlier this year, OmniRide added a significant amount of commuter service back in mid-June. There was a quick uptick in usage, but ridership remains down significantly.
“We never reduced or altered local bus service. We wanted to be sure that passengers still had the ability to travel for essential purposes. Once Virginia started advancing into Phases 2 and 3, we started seeing more people riding those buses,” said Palistrant.
Safety and Security Focused
In addition to key precautions to keep riders safe from COVID-19, OmniRide is always focused on overall safety and security. On Sept. 25, 2020, the Transportation Security Administration honored OmniRide with the prestigious BASE Gold Standard Award. This is the highest recognition TSA can give to a transit agency for demonstrating outstanding performance in enhancing their security program.
“OmniRide is the first and only bus-only transit system in the National Capital Region to earn this award,” said Ludwiczak.
OmniRide passengers include employees of the Pentagon and Navy Yard, those who work on Capitol Hill and at other federal agencies in D.C. Routes also serve stops at Metro stations that connect passengers to offices for the Department of Defense, Department of State, Office of Naval Research and more.
“Our agency is responsible for safely transporting those who keep the nation safe every day, and we take that very seriously,” said Ludwiczak.
Bus operators maintain keen focus on operating their buses in a safe manner, but also stay vigilant in watching for threats against themselves, the bus and passengers.
While 2020 has brought many new challenges for the company, OmniRide is more committed than ever to keeping riders and operators healthy and safe.
“We want our riders to feel comfortable on our buses and be able to get back to their normal commutes, feeling confident that their safety is our top priority,” said Ludwiczak.
OmniRide services Prince William County, Manassas City, City of Manassas Park, Fredericksburg City, Stafford County and Spotsylvania County. Visit their website for a full list of schedules and maps.
