Recent Blog Posts
While many riders may not think of what goes on behind the scenes to make their commutes happen, dozens of committed officials and professional staffers are committed to maintaining and growing public transportation in Northern Virginia.
NVTC and VRE's History
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) was founded in 1964. While it would be nearly three decades before VRE trains started rolling down the tracks, discussions surrounding a commuter rail system in Northern Virginia began soon after the General Assembly created the Northern Virginia Transportation District. The founding jurisdictions included Arlington and Fairfax Counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax. Loudon County joined in 1990.
A 1984 feasibility study kicked off the formal planning stage. Two years later came the origination of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), created, in part, to join with NVTC in launching VRE.
NVTC and VRE Today
To this day, NVTC and PRTC support and appoint members to the VRE Operations Board. The two Commissions jointly own all the assets, including the rolling stock and stations.
The creation and ongoing support of VRE is an example of how NVTC (and PRTC) bring together elected officials from across Northern Virginia to make regional decisions to improve transportation. NVTC gives communities a voice and promotes cross-jurisdictional cooperation. That cooperation is evident in how Northern Virginia manages its relationship with Metro, speaking with one voice to ensure high-quality service across the region. NVTC is also active in planning for regional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and, through comprehensive data analysis, helps local systems find the best routes for their buses.
- Onboard Restrooms
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We have received comments and complaints regarding water washing onto the tracks from our restroom cars. We feel it may be helpful to clarify what exactly is occurring when this happens.
- Standing Means Detraining (or, Please Don't Queue)
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What we really want is to allow detraining passengers an easy exit, and since you can still stand just before your stop, you'll still manage to get off your train in a timely manner. However, if the conductor asks you to find a seat, please do so.
- Leaf Oil
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When the leaves begin to fall, those that land on the damp surface of the rails are crushed under thousands of tons of steel.
- Mobile Ticket and Ticket Machine FAQs
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Have questions or issues with either mobile tickets or tickets from our vending machines? Here are some of the more frequent questions we get from riders with our responses: