Virginia Railway Express
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S
REPORT
February 2011
MONTHLY DELAY SUMMARY
System wide
Total delays
Average length of delay (mins.)
Number over 30 minutes
Days with Heat Restrictions/Total days
On-Time Performance
Fredericksburg Line
Total delays
Average length of delay (mins.)
Number over 30 minutes
On-Time Performance
Manassas Line
Total delays
Average length of delay (mins.)
Number over 30 minutes
On-Time Performance
October
November
December
January
65
19
10
0/20
88.9%
80
31
17
0/20
86.4%
68
27
16
0/21
88.7%
64
27
12
0/20
89.1%
35
18
4
87.5%
34
28
9
87.6%
22
25
3
92.2%
37
27
7
86.5%
30
20
6
90.1%
46
34
8
85.3%
46
28
13
85.6%
27
28
5
91.4%
SYSTEM RIDERSHIP
The total number of January trips in 2011 was 1.9% higher than in January 2010. After
removing the “S” Schedule day outliers, average daily ridership for January 2011 compared to
January 2010 indicates an increase of 5.3%; while year-to-date ridership is 7.5% higher than last
year.
January 2011 is the first month ever that the average daily ridership is over 18,000. The middle
weekdays (e.g., not Mondays and Fridays) are typically the highest ridership days and are all
over 18,000, excluding Thursday, January 27th when inclement weather forced many area
residents to stay home. Also contributing to the high ridership average is the fact that seven out
of the top ten ridership days have occurred in 2011. The chart of top ten days is below:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
January 6, 2011
January 19, 2011
November 16, 2010
November 9, 2010
January 11, 2011
January 20, 2011
January 5, 2011
February 3, 2011
October 13, 2010
January 4, 2011
1
19,912
19,710
19,540
19,526
19,463
19,454
19,445
19,356
19,322
19,277
SYSTEM ON TIME PERFORMANCE
System wide on-time performance (OTP) was 89.1% in January with an OTP of 86.5% on the
Fredericksburg Line and 91.4% on the Manassas Line. We continue to see improvement in the
reduction of mechanical delays as January only had seven mechanical compared to nineteen in
December. However, winter weather directly affected our service on January 26th and 27th and
indirectly by delaying Amtrak trains coming off the Northeast Corridor causing congestion
delays in Union Station on January 14th and 28th.
On the evening of January 26th we had a train delayed for over four hours on the Manassas line
due to downed trees across the tracks from Burke Centre to Manassas Park resulting from the
winter storm that plagued our area. Luckily, only 26 people were on-board that train after
Burke Centre.
GAINESVILLE-HAYMARKET EXTENSION
The Commonwealth's Attorney and Norfolk Southern legal counsel have requested changes to
the Addendum to the Rail Enhancement Fund (REF) agreement for the Gainesville-Haymarket
Extension project. The proposed changes are under review by VRE legal counsel. The award of
the consultant contract for environmental review and preliminary engineering is pending the
execution of this Addendum.
BROOKE AND LEELAND ROAD PARKING LOT EXPANSION
The Brooke and Leeland Road parking lot expansion projects are currently in the final design
phase and are under review by Stafford County. VRE plans to bid both projects in the coming
months, pending approval from Stafford County regarding landscaping requirements. The
projects are currently being scheduled for public hearings at the Stafford County Planning
Commission in March 2011. Depending on bid results and funding availability, VRE will be
able to construct one or both parking lots beginning in the summer of 2011.
BROAD RUN PARKING GARAGE
VRE is proceeding with the garage project and issued an RFP for engineering services.
Proposals were due on December 10, 2010. VRE staff expects to bring a recommendation to the
Board for engineering and environmental services consultant in March 2011.
WOODBRIDGE STATION EXPANSION/KISS AND RIDE
VRE has received review comments from VDOT and Prince William County on the concept
design for the Woodbridge Station Kiss & Ride facility. Through a task order with HDR,
Dewberry is proceeding with the design. VRE anticipates design completion this spring, with
construction to begin in the summer.
2
LOCOMOTIVE PROCUREMENT
To-date, the V50, V51 and V52 have all been placed into VRE regular service. The V53 will be
placed into VRE revenue service the week of February 7th followed shortly by the V54.
Currently, MotivePower, Inc. (MPI) is on schedule for releasing new locomotives to VRE one
every two weeks from their Boise, ID manufacturing facility. The holidays and weather delays
in the Midwest have caused slight interruptions with the deliveries to VRE. We still anticipate
all VRE revenue trains to be equipped with new locomotives by the end of May 2011.
PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED
The Virginia Railway Express has scheduled public hearings to solicit comment related to
several proposed changes to the tariff, including reducing the Step-Up fare to ride Amtrak
trains by up to $5, discontinuing the group fare discount, and making changes to the VRE
bicycle policy. Upon Board approval, the proposed changes could occur as early as April 2011.
To-date, the hearings in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge have been held. The remaining are:
DATE
LOCATION
TIME
February 15, 2011
Tuesday
Manassas City Hall
City Council Chamber Room
9027 Center Street
Manassas, VA 22110
7:00 P.M.
February 16, 2011
Wednesday
The Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
12:00 P.M.
February 23, 2011
Wednesday
Burke Centre Conservancy
“The Commons” Community Center
5701 Roberts Parkway
Burke, VA 22015
7:00 P.M.
February 24, 2011
Thursday
V.R.E. Offices
1500 King Street, Suite 202
Alexandria, VA 22314
12:00 P.M.
Written comments will be accepted through Friday, March 4, 2011.
3
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE MEASURES – JANUARY 2011
MONTHLY ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
ON-TIME
PERCENTAGE
January Fredericksburg OTP Average
86.5%
January Manassas OTP Average
91.4%
VRE JANUARY OVERALL OTP AVERAGE
89.08%
RIDERSHIP YEAR TO DATE
RIDERSHIP
VRE FY 2011 Passenger Totals
VRE FY 2010 Passenger Totals
2,468,728
2,295,756
7.5%
PERCENTAGE CHANGE
RIDERSHIP MONTH TO MONTH COMPARISON
DESCRIPTION
MONTHLY RIDERSHIP
JANUARY 2011
356,961
JANUARY 2010
332,868
PERCENTAGE CHANGE
1.9% NORMALIZED
SERVICE DAYS (CURRENT/PRIOR)
20/19
4