Virginia Railway Express has broken another ridership record just a month after topping the 20,000-trip mark.
The commuter train service that shuttles riders from Virginia into downtown D.C. said Tuesday that it provided 20,573 trips last Tuesday.
That blew past the 20,133 trips it provided on Feb. 16.
Those records seem to be part of a steady trend for the agency, not outliers. Ridership on the commuter train service has increased 11 percent so far this fiscal year over last year, VRE officials said in a report issued last week. And all of the top 10 ridership days have occurred since September.
Expect those ridership numbers to continue to climb if gas prices continue to soar.
But one agency’s good news is a rider’s bad news.
More riders means more ticket revenue for the agency, but it also means even more packed cars. Already they have been dealing with crowded parking lots at stations, plus trains with standing room only.
VRE is trying to ease the pain with the unusual step of encouraging riders to take another mode. The agency’s board approved a fare reduction on Friday for riders who want to take an Amtrak train instead.
Riders will pay $5 for a step-up ticket starting on May 2, down from $10. VRE will suck up the difference, estimated to cost the agency about $300,000.
“In some cases, taking an Amtrak train may even shorten your commute,” Chief Executive Officer Dale Zehner wrote to riders in an e-mail newsletter.
