VRE Warns of Fare Hikes, Service Cuts

Riders at Manassas Forum Ask Chief to Make Increase 'as Small as You Can'

Service cuts and fare increases could be in store for Virginia Railway Express riders as rail officials work to recover a projected $10 million budget shortfall over the next two years.

"This is much larger than anything we have ever done," VRE spokesman Mark Roeber said of the proposed fare increase. But VRE chief executive "Dale Zehner is doing everything he can to mitigate the impact on riders and the local jurisdictions."

On Tuesday, Zehner briefed 10 local residents during a public hearing at Manassas City Hall about the possibility of reducing service and raising fares up to about 25 percent next year to cover rising fuel costs and other added expenses in fiscal 2009 and 2010.

Riders at the meeting were not pleased with the news, but many said they would probably shell out the extra money.

"The fare increase far outpaces my salary increase," said Manassas resident Donna Murray, who has taken the train for six years into the District for work. "Can I find a cheaper alternative, though? No. I don't like the fare increase, but it's not going to stop me from riding."

VRE is proposing a fare increase of up to 15 percent in January and another one up to 10 percent in June. Zehner said that the VRE generally raises fares about 3.5 percent a year and that this would be the company's largest fare increase in its 16 years of service.

"If you do a fare increase in January, make it as small as you can," Haymarket VRE rider Suzanne Blagg told Zehner, noting that the holidays are always expensive. "I don't want to lose VRE, but if it was up 10 to 15 percent in January, I would have to look at my alternatives."

If fares were to go up 15 percent in January, a monthly pass between Manassas or Manassas Park and Union Station in Washington would go from $206.50 to about $237.50. A monthly pass between the Woodbridge station and Union Station would go from $191.30 to about $220. If the fares then increased the additional maximum of 10 percent, the monthly pass would be about $261 from Manassas and about $242 from Woodbridge.

Zehner, however, said he hopes to keep the January increase to less than 10 percent.

"When I make a recommendation to the VRE board, I will probably say between 6 and 10 percent, but that's not final," Zehner said. "My feeling is if we go above 6 percent, we will start to lose people. I'm going to watch fuel closely and make a last-minute decision."

In addition to the fare increase, Zehner said, the two midday trains might be cut. The trains serve about 200 to 300 riders a day but are used by almost every rider at some point. Cutting those trains, he said, is a last resort.

"I don't want to pay more, but I also don't want to put gas in my tank and drive to D.C.," said Manassas resident Gayle Babcock, who began riding VRE last year. "But what I really don't want to see proposed is to eliminate the noon-day trains."