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VRE an attractive option in next Metro maintenance blitz?

By Kristi King

WASHINGTON — Metro’s maintenance plan is putting more drivers on Northern Virginia roads, which has local leaders suggesting other commuting options.

“We’re very reliable. Our on-time performance is around 95 percent,” said Virginia Railway Express CEO Doug Allen. “It’s clean. It’s comfortable.”

VRE might be an especially attractive option for Metrorail commuters when the maintenance push first begins to impact Metro’s Blue line service on June 18.

The Franconia-Springfield VRE Station is next to Metro’s Franconia-Springfield Blue Line station. The parking garage there is managed by Metro and serves commuters using both rail lines.

Metro charges $4.85 to park all day. Parking at all other VRE stations is free.

VRE’s Manassas and Fredericksburg lines go to Union Station and run during rush hours.

“A lot of our riders go in very early and come back pretty early, so we do have some capacity,” Allen said.

He estimates those later trains have about 30 percent capacity open.

The last evening train, which leaves Union Station at 6:50 p.m., is designed to serve commuters who’ve missed their usual earlier trains.

Find additional VRE information on their website.

In major change, Metro to no longer allow negative SmarTrip balances

By Max Smith
WASHINGTON — Metro will no longer allow riders to exit the rail system or board a bus if it would lead to their SmarTrip card having a negative value, Metro announced Friday. The change, to begin Jan. 8, means riders boarding a bus with $1.75 or less on their card will have to add value, or riders with less money on the card than the full cost of their rail fare will have to add cash at an Exitfare machine just before most fare gates. The Exitfare machines and bus fareboxes only accept cash and coins.
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