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New rail authority in Va. could revolutionize connections for riders throughout the state

After decades of railroad corporations’ stranglehold on Virginia’s rail expansion plans, the Commonwealth will now join the elite handful of states featuring a legal entity with a mandate to own, manage, and expand rail infrastructure for the public good and the benefit of businesses across the region.
Wyatt Gordon, March 31, 2020, GGWash

Arlington to get state grant to keep ART buses running

The Arlington County Board voted Monday to accept $420,000 in funds from the state to support Arlington Transit.
March 31, 2020, dcist

Facing stay-at-home orders, Metro says it will close more stations, scale back service

Metro is warning that it could scale back essential rail and bus service even further now that stay-at-home orders have been issued in all the jurisdictions it serves – Maryland, D.C. and Virginia.
Pete Muntean, March 30, 2020, WUSA9

Metro board will decide on service, fare changes this week

Metro’s board of directors is set to vote on a final version of its fiscal year 2021 budget this Thursday, likely bringing changes to Metro’s fare structure and service. Once passed, the budget could take effect as early as July.
Margaret Barthel, March 31, 2020, WAMU

Amtrak makes more service cuts, extends waiver on change fees

To help reduce the spread of the virus, Amtrak said Monday it would temporarily reduce bookings in coach and business class by 50 percent “to help maintain CDC recommendations for social distancing onboard our trains.”
Luz Lazo, March 30, 2020, Washington Post

WMATA on track for budget compromise that achieves key rider asks

Most but not all of Metro’s proposed cuts to bus service are off the table, under a draft budget proposal the WMATA Board will vote on Thursday. So is an extra charge for riders using cash on buses, which advocates had opposed.
David Alpert, March 30, 2020, GGWash

Metro to provide free shuttles during summer shutdown

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will provide free shuttle service at Metro stations on the Orange Line that will be closed throughout the summer for construction work, the transit agency announced on Mar. 13.
Angela Woolsey, March 27, 2020, Fairfax County Times

D.C. Circulator rolls back late-night weekend service on three routes

The D.C. Circulator suspended late-night weekend service starting Friday until further notice, the District Department of Transportation said.
March 27, 2020, Washington Post

Metro to close front and rear cars of trains to riders to protect employees from COVID-19

Metro announced it will shutting the front and rear cars of its trains in order to protect its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic starting Monday, March 30.
Samantha Mitchell, March 29, 2020, WJLA

Alexandria's DASH bus makes additional changes due to coronavirus

A modified Sunday schedule and the suspension of the King Street Trolley are just two of the biggest new changes to Alexandria’s DASH bus that take effect Monday.
Matthew Delaney, March 29, 2020, WTOP

Local public transit agencies cut service in wake of coronavirus

As cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the Washington region, transit agencies are adapting their schedules in an attempt to balance the virus’ impact on ridership and public health.
Margaret Barthel, March 27, 2020, WAMU

Van Ness and Tenleytown Stations reopen after contractor tests positive for COVID-19

Metro temporarily closed the Van Ness and Tenleytown Metro stations after it says an overnight contractor tested positive for COVID-19. The stations have since been reopened.
Samantha Mitchell, March 26, 2020, WJLA

Coronavirus bill would provide $114 billion to prop up faltering transportation networks

A federal bailout bill aimed at keeping the economy afloat during the coronavirus pandemic would provide $114 billion to prop up transportation networks that have been financially battered as passengers have stayed home.
Ian Duncan, March 25, 2020, Washington Post

Dramatic drop in traffic and congestion as Fredericksburg region stays home

The spread of the COVID-19 virus and extreme changes to how people work have combined to cause a severe drop in transit riders, mirroring what Fredericksburg-area drivers are seeing on local roads and interstates.
Scott Shenk, March 25, 2020, fredericksburg.com

Transportation options available in Montgomery during pandemic

Montgomery County transportation and health officials have compiled a list of transportation resources for residents -- but particularly for adults over 50 and people with disabilities -- during the coronavirus pandemic.
Alessia Grunberger, March 24, 2020, Takoma Park Patch

Arlington projects remain in regional transportation package

There were no nasty unexpected surprises for Arlington officials as the National Capital Regional Planning Board on March 18 approved a 500-project, $16 billion capital-spending plan covering the next four years.
March 25, 2020, Inside NoVa

How coronavirus could impact Metro commuters for months after a cure

This pandemic’s impact on public transit systems will be felt by commuters for months after a cure. That's according to transit advocates, who warn that without an influx of federal money, coronavirus could cripple systems like D.C.'s Metro.
Pete Muntean, March 25, 2020, WUSA9

Transit agencies grapple with cutting service during pandemic

“Metro wants to provide bus service for essential trips in the region, but if continued usage for non-essential trips becomes a public health concern, Metro may consider discontinuing all bus service,” the agency said in a statement.
Margaret Barthel, March 25, 2020, WAMU

Fairfax Connector detours bus routes from closed Metro stations

Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) announces that due to the temporary closure of the Mclean and Van Dorn Metrorail Stations beginning Thursday, March 26, 2020, Fairfax Connector bus routes that serve those stations will be re-routed to serve open Metrorail stations.
March 25, 2020, Fairfax Connector

Alternative routes for Alexandria Metrorail closures & service updates

The following routes may assist passengers impacted by the Van Dorn and Eisenhower Metrorail closures.
Debby Critchley, March 25, 2020, Zebra

Metro temporarily shuts down Potomac Yard Metroway

In addition to a series bus line closures due to coronavirus, Metro is suspending service of Metroway-Potomac Yard -- a bus line running between Pentagon City and Braddock Road.
Vernon Miles, March 25, 2020, ALX Now

Multiple Metrobus routes in Northern Va. stop running

Metro canceled more service on Wednesday -- this time, with no warning to riders.
Max Smith, March 25, 2020, WTOP

Mass transit systems desperate for financial relief as riders stay home

A sharp decline in ridership and revenue is forcing some of the largest transportation systems in the country to seek bailouts from the federal government as money dries up during the coronavirus pandemic.
Rachel Bucchino, March 25, 2020. The Hill

Metro to close 17 more stations, several entrances amid coronavirus rider drop

Metro is closing more than a dozen stations for an indefinite period beginning Thursday morning.
Max Smith, March 24, 2020, WTOP

Nearly 80 airlines cut capacity by 100 percent over coronavirus

A majority of airlines worldwide have cut capacity by 100 percent as a result of the coronavirus shutting down travel and grounding most flights.
Zack Budryk, March 24, 2020, The Hill

Arlington Transit - ART buses changing service due to coronavirus

ART is asking all riders to board its buses using the rear doors only, in order to protect its drivers and prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
Michael O'Connell, March 24, 2020, Arlington Patch

Metro's cuts and messaging leave some riders who still need transit confused

Although local leaders stopped short of a formal “shelter in place” order, WMATA, the region’s transit agency, has taken extraordinary measures to keep people from gathering.
Ron Thompson, March 24, 2020, GGWash

The coronavirus takes a toll on Virginia's transit

Facing the worst pandemic in at least a century, transit agencies throughout Virginia and the nation are struggling to balance the needs of their riders, the safety of their operators, and the implications of the coronavirus for their finances.
Wyatt Gordon, March 24, 2020, GGWash

Nation's transit agencies ask Congress for $25 billion in coronavirus aid

The nation’s largest public transit agencies said Monday that they need at least $25 billion in federal aid to survive the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on their systems.
Justin George, March 23, 2020, Washington Post

Wiehle tie-in: How the Silver Line got held up

A few circuit boards at a Silver Line station that has been open for years are now the biggest single obstacle to getting trains running beyond Wiehle-Reston East to Dulles International Airport and Ashburn -- at least if coronavirus concerns don’t pose their own problems.
Max Smith, March 23, 2020, WTOP