Try Transit Week Encourages Virginians to Explore Public Transportation, September 14 - 18

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginians are encouraged to hop onboard their local public transportation system during Try Transit Week, a statewide celebration of Virginia’s 41 transit agencies and the connections they make possible across the Commonwealth from September 14 to 18. 

From local bus and rail service to longer-distance connections, public transportation helps Virginians reach the places and opportunities that are part of everyday life. Try Transit Week encourages those who may not regularly use transit to explore the options available in their communities and gives experienced riders another reason to ride. 

During Try Transit Week, people across Virginia who record their public transit trips in the ConnectingVA app will have the opportunity to win prizes, including Amtrak and Virginia Breeze Bus Lines tickets. Amtrak provides passenger rail service at more than 20 stations across Virginia, offering connections to destinations throughout the Commonwealth, the Northeast Corridor and beyond. Virginia Breeze complements those rail connections with five intercity bus routes that link communities across Virginia with major destinations including Dulles International Airport, Richmond International Airport and Washington, D.C. These services give Virginians more options for longer-distance trips while connecting with local transit along the way. 

“Public transportation expands access to jobs, education and essential services while strengthening connections between communities across Virginia,” said DRPT Director Maria Zimmerman. “Try Transit Week is an opportunity to experience those connections firsthand and discover how transit can provide an affordable choice in how Virginians travel.” 

DRPT’s ConnectingVA Trip Planner makes it easier to explore public transportation options across Virginia. By bringing route and service information together in one place, the Trip Planner can help Virginians identify available transit connections and plan trips with greater confidence, whether they are traveling locally or making a longer journey. 

Not familiar with public transportation in your community? DRPT’s Transit 101 page at ConnectingVA.org offers simple guidance for getting started, including how to find local services, plan a trip, understand schedules and prepare for a first ride. The resource is designed to make public transportation easier to understand for anyone who may be interested in using transit but is unsure where to begin.  

Public transportation can also help Virginians save money and spend less time behind the wheel. The average American household spends more than $12,000 each year to own, maintain and operate personal vehicles, while Virginia drivers spend more than $2,000 annually on gas alone. Congestion adds another cost, with drivers losing an average of 35 hours each year sitting in traffic. By comparison, many of Virginia’s transit systems are fare-free, and the average household spends less than $800 per year on public transportation fares. 

Whether it’s a commute to work, a trip across town or a longer journey across Virginia, Try Transit Week is an opportunity to explore the transportation choices available and see where public transportation might fit into everyday life. 

To plan a trip, learn more about public transportation in Virginia and participate in Try Transit Week, visit ConnectingVA.org.