 RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation launched the Virginia Breeze intercity bus service in 2017 to provide a critical transportation connection between rural Virginia communities and other forms of transportation. The Virginia Breeze service, which DRPT manages, began with one route and has grown to four in five years. Today, the agency is marking the first anniversary of the Highlands Rhythm route linking Bristol with Washington, D.C.
“Intercity bus transportation provides an essential public service, especially benefiting those in rural and underserved communities,” said Jennifer DeBruhl, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. “The Virginia Breeze improves the quality of life for rural communities by allowing people to live where they want, yet still have the mobility, connections, and access to the national transportation network.”
Stops on the Highlands Rhythm route include: Bristol, Wytheville, Radford, Christiansburg, Salem, Harrisonburg, Dulles International Airport, West Falls Church, and Washington, D.C. There is one northbound and one southbound trip every day.
In its first year, 10,729 have used the Highlands Rhythm. Ridership exceeded expectations instantly upon its launch on November 15, 2021, and continues to climb. The route saw record ridership for the month of October, with 1,887 passengers using the route.
“The Virginia Breeze provides a critical transportation service between Bristol and Washington, D.C., in a way that makes Southwest Virginians feel more connected to the Commonwealth by marrying the urban and rural communities along the route,” said Bristol Mayor Anthony Farnum. “This safe, convenient, and affordable travel option has been valuable to the people of Southwest Virginia.”
The Highlands Rhythm expanded upon Virginia Breeze service along the congested Interstate 81 corridor. The route includes additional trip options for some locations already served along the corridor by the successful Valley Flyer, which connects Blacksburg to Washington, D.C. The Valley Flyer has surpassed expectations on every level, from on-time performance, total ridership, and operating costs expenses being met by passenger fares.
Since the inception of the Virginia Breeze in December 2017, the service has helped more than 131,000 passengers. The Virginia Breeze has two other routes: the Piedmont Express (Danville-Washington) and Capital Connector (Martinsville-Richmond-Washington), both of which launched in 2020. Together, all four routes set record-breaking ridership in October with a combined 6,705 passengers.
Virginia Breeze Annual Ridership
 *2017 is for the month of December only, which is when the Virginia Breeze launched. And 2022 is for the months of January to October.
Intercity bus travel was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. After a decline in passengers using the service, Virginia Breeze ridership rebounded to pre-pandemic levels by spring 2022. All the routes posted record ridership in Fiscal Year 2022, demonstrating the confidence in the safety of traveling and the need for the service.
The Virginia Breeze program is funded through the Federal Transit Administration’s Intercity Bus Program. Additionally, the Highlands Rhythm, which runs along most of Interstate 81 in Western Virginia, was among the first multimodal projects to receive funding through the Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program. The program aims to make infrastructure and safety improvements to Interstate 81 and support alternative modes of transportation to get more vehicles off of the crowded highway and reduce the number of crashes and incidents. The Interstate 81 funding offsets a portion of the Highlands Rhythm operating costs and funds improvements at some stop locations.
For more information about the Virginia Breeze, including how to purchase tickets, visit www.virginiabreeze.org.
About the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
DRPT’s mission is to improve the mobility of people and goods while expanding transportation choices in the Commonwealth through rail, public transportation, and commuter services. DRPT is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color, or national origin as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights. For more information, please visit www.drpt.virginia.gov.
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
|
