Virginia Railway Express must work harder to reduce delays to keep commuters climbing on board, its governing board said.
As more drivers keep their cars in the garage and take commuter trains to avoid rising gas prices, politicians from across the region say the rail line must improve its reliability to keep its new customers.
“We made significant gains and I think everybody just wants to be sure we don’t relent in any way,” said Chairman John Jenkins, a Prince William County supervisor.
With new parking garages opening in late June set to attract more riders in Burke and Manassas, board members expressed concern about the variety of problems producing delays.
“We have to be vigilant about that on-time performance,” said Paul Milde, a Stafford County supervisor. “Coming into summer, I just get really nervous.”
Heat-related speed restrictions will force trains to slow from 69 miles per hour to about 45 miles per hour on especially hot days, so board members want the other time-wasting issues eliminated.
“This is pick and shovel work, you can’t let up,” Chief Executive Officer Dale Zehner acknowledged, citing weather, track maintenance, rail line delay considerations, passenger issues all resulted in at least 15 delays last month.
A key concern last month were the 26 delays related to Amtrak trains leaving Union Station, often about 15 minutes late. Zehner said that if the delays persist, the commuter train should have permission to leave on time, although its repeated stops would slow Amtrak service to the Richmond and Lynchburg regions.
Track maintenance issues that delayed 22 trains have been fixed, Zehner said. Locomotion delays, once a massive headache, had fallen to nine in the month.
The board unanimously approved increasing the agency’s advertising budget from $450,000 to $550,000 next year to continue its attempts to lure more commuters.
BY THE NUMBERS
April delays
26 for other trains
22 for track maintenance
21 for passengers or operators
16 for weather
9 for mechanical
32 for other
126 total
