Regional Transit News Service Alerts | ART News | Subscribe Latest News Climate Protection: Ride the bus to stop burning gasoline You have a choice about how you commute. You can sit behind the wheel of a car, vigilantly avoiding getting killed in high-speed, stop-and-go, rush-hour traffic, or you can sit on a bus and read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a movie, answer email or play games. Nick Maxwell, April 6, 2025, My Edmonds News Purple Line dynamic testing of light rail cars to begin in Maryland The testing will be adjacent to the project’s operations and maintenance facility along Veterans Parkway in Glenridge, Maryland, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration. Valerie Bonk, April 6, 2025, WTOP Spring traffic enforcement campaign launches next week in Arlington The region-wide Street Smart campaign, which runs from Monday, April 7 through Sunday, May 4, focuses on reducing traffic-related crashes and educating drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists about the law. Dan Egitto, April 4, 2025, ARLNow Maryland Purple Line enters dynamic testing phase as project reaches 76% completion The testing involves eight light rail vehicles on a one-mile track, aiming to simulate real-world conditions. Purple Line Transit Operators will conduct dynamic testing during both daytime and nighttime hours, officials said. April 4, 2025, ABC7 News Virginia will be 1st state to order reckless drivers to install speed-limiting devices While the bill doesn’t provide specific technologies that must be used, the small devices will use smart GPS technology, which can see where a car is being driven, gauge how fast it’s going and limit further acceleration. Neal Augenstein, April 3, 2025, WTOP Richmond's zero-fare bus funding could run out soon Faith Walker, executive director of RVA Rapid Transit, said her group spoke to 100 bus riders about how zero fare transit plays a critical role in their lives. Their report shows a funding need of $6.8 million for next year. Ian Stewart, April 2, 2025, Virginia Mercury Transportation Department announces nearly $1B in road safety funding The SS4A program was created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which allocated $5 billion in funding for the program between 2022 and 2026. Liz Carey, April 3, 2025, Transportation Today Alexandria, VA, Transit Riders Enjoying 'The DASH Difference' “The absence of fares has been a huge benefit for our passengers and has greatly helped our ridership numbers to increase,” Baker said. “Due to these increases in ridership, we continue to monitor and work on improving our frequency of service involving different routes and geographic regions. Harrell Kerkhoff, April 2, 2025, Bus Line New signs coming to Tysons will point out trails, Metro stops and other amenities According to Palchik, Tysons has added 41 acres of public park space, and 41 transit, bicycle and pedestrian mobility improvement projects have been completed since the county adopted its 2010 comprehensive plan, which guides the 2,100-acre urban center’s future growth and development. Angela Woolsey, April 2, 2025, FFXNow Transportation authorities to lay out plans for new road diets and bike lanes around Fairfax According to FCDOT, there are also plans to add bicycle lanes and crosswalk improvements on Dellwood Drive near the Vienna Metro Station in Oakton, along with four streets in the Franconia District. Vernon Miles, April 2, 2025, FFXNow Sean Duffy defends pause on transportation grants He promised to follow Congress’s mandate to fund environmental initiatives such as electric vehicle charging but told lawmakers that when grant programs don’t explicitly include climate or equity goals, “I’m following your will, which is pulling out the green and the social justice.” Rachel Weiner/Ian Duncan, April 2, 2025, The Washington Post How the Trump administration is targeting green transportation in blue states The moves represent an emerging pattern in the DOT’s approach to transportation under President Donald Trump: target the highest-profile climate-friendly programs in states with Democratic leadership. Benton Graham, April 2, 2025, Grist Go green: Ride transit this Earth Month! Public transportation is one of the most effective ways to reduce your environmental impact and support a more sustainable future. This April, try swapping a car commute for a train trip, a bus voyage or a bike ride. Katie Metzger, April 1, 2025, Sound Transit Insights: How public-private transportation partnerships create innovative solutions, boost the economy Investment in transit also means investing in goods and services needed to run systems and keep roads clear — which benefits everyone. When transportation is cut to lower costs, ridership decreases, so those who need it most may experience less reliable service, creating a downward spiral. April 1, 2025, Washington Business Journal A Faster Future: Unbreaking passenger rail to deliver the rapid service we need Widespread implementation of this framework would allow passenger rail services to finally meet the Congressionally mandated goal of modern, fast and efficient service that provides a viable alternative to the automobile and air travel. Nolan Hicks, March 31, 2025, Streetsblog USA Consider a Purple Line South for Northern Virginia As local communities and agencies grapple with congestion and transit limitations in our region, we have to make tough choices about our collective future that are difficult to reverse and require large investments over many years. Ian Ollis, March 31, 2025, Greater Greater Washington Local leaders come out against proposal to merge Northern Virginia bus systems In addition to Arlington Transit (ART) and Fairfax Connector, there are several other local bus systems run by contractors for Northern Virginia jurisdictions. They include DASH in Alexandria and CUE in the City of Fairfax. Scott McCaffrey, March 31, 2025, ARLNow Surging ridership on VRE and OmniRide buses strains capacity amid funding challenges During its March 2025 meeting, the VRE Operations Board reported that ridership in February topped 152,000 trips—despite only 19 service days and early-month weather disruptions. March figures are on pace to surpass that total significantly. Uriah Kiser, March 30, 2025, Potomac Local News Cherry blossom festival breaks Metro records, brings $202 million in visitor spending The stunning sights and sounds broke a record on the Metro -- The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said March 29 was the second busiest Saturday ever with 710,000 rides. It was also the busiest day since 2019. Lianna Golden, March 30, 2025, ABC7 News Snow didn't slow Capital Bikeshare this winter Capital Bikeshare’s annual members accounted for the majority of rides in January and February (78.3%). Historically, members make up the overwhelming majority of rides in Winter and Fall, while the system’s use becomes more balanced with casual users during warmer months. Samuel Littauer, March 28, 2025, Greater Greater Washington States push to shift road funds to transit and bike projects as Trump threatens cuts As the administration targets green energy projects championed by former President Joe Biden that boosted transit, recreational trails and bicycle infrastructure, several states are banding together to advance those priorities on their own. Jeff McMurray, March 28, 2025, The Associated Press Public transit moves working families. We need to support it. Increasing access to affordable transportation options is key to improving affordability for working families in communities across the United States. Eighty-nine percent of Americans report concerns about the cost of living. You hear about it wherever you go. Vanessa Alvarez, March 27, 2025, Other Words The call to improve mass transit's appeal to be more competitive The success of these programs hinges on making mass transit more competitive than private car use. Cities that invest in advanced traffic intersection prioritization technologies and leverage data to enhance the transit experience are seeing tangible benefits. Timothy Menard, March 28, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine Metro to ban 'violent offenders' for up to a year Under the new policy adopted at Thursday’s meeting, the targeted crimes would include sexual offenses, assaults on employees and assaults on other passengers on buses, trains or on Metro property. Kate Ryan, March 27, 2025, WTOP Study: Larger vehicles lead to more congestion This is because larger vehicles reduce the capacity of driving lanes, according to researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of Hong Kong. Diana Ionescu, March 26, 2025, Planetizen Research: Walkability linked to improved public health A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents. Diana Ionescu, March 26, 2025, Planetizen Public transit infrastructure receives 'D' grade in ASCE 2025 report card Despite this added investment, ASCE is projecting a $152 billion funding gap between 2024 and 2033. This is partially due to the fact that public transit continues to deal with rising costs and added sustainability and resiliency needs, coupled with decreased ridership and a lack of operational support Megan Perrero, March 26, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine Metro proposes several cuts amid tough budget times for local governments During a meeting Monday with the regional transportation group DMVMoves, Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said he understands budgets are tight throughout the region, so he is making the moves to reduce the amount of taxpayer subsidies he’s asking for. Tom Roussey, March 25, 2025, ABC7 News I'm 84: Rider Urges VRE to Bring Back Human Touch as Station Gets Facelift The Woodbridge Station repainting is scheduled to commence in the coming months. VRE officials hope that the refreshed station will provide a more welcoming environment for all passengers. Uriah Kiser, March 25, 2025, Potomac Local News OmniRide expansion marks new era following state law change The passage of Senate Bill 1317, unanimously approved by the Virginia General Assembly and currently awaiting the Governor’s signature, officially grants PRTC the authority to expand transit service beyond its founding jurisdictions. Uriah Kiser, March 24, 2025, Potomac Local News