OmniRide Marks 40 Years of Service Across Northern Virginia

OmniRide is celebrating 40 years of public transportation service in Northern Virginia with community open houses, contests, a time capsule event, and other activities planned in the months ahead.

Operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, or PRTC, OmniRide has grown from a regional commuter service into a broader transit network connecting riders with jobs, schools, medical care, recreation, and other destinations.

“OmniRide’s 40th anniversary is not only a milestone for us but also a reflection of four decades of connecting people and supporting the region’s growth and prosperity,” Executive Director Dr. Bob Schneider said.

Schneider credited the agency’s growth to the direction of its Board of Commissioners and the work of bus operators, mechanics, staff members, and community partners.

“As both the region and our organization have evolved, we’ve expanded our services beyond Prince William County,” he said. “We have introduced microtransit, weekend operations, and faster, more direct routes.”

The organization traces its history to August 1986, when PRTC held its first meeting as part of efforts to establish the Virginia Railway Express.

In 1990, PRTC took responsibility for the CommuterRide bus service and ridesharing program in Prince William County. The OmniLink local bus service followed in the mid-1990s, expanding transportation options within the community.

In 1997, operations were consolidated at the OmniRide Transit Center in Woodbridge, creating a central hub for regional service.

OmniRide has continued adding routes and services as Northern Virginia’s population and transportation needs have changed.

Since February 2020, local bus routes, microtransit, and paratransit services have remained fare-free. The PRTC Board of Commissioners has extended that policy through June 2027.

In December 2023, OmniRide expanded its commuter network with service to Stafford, Falmouth, and Spotsylvania.

More recently, the agency introduced an Express Monthly Pass, expanded paratransit service, and launched Express routes from Front Royal and Warrenton. It also partnered with the Transit app to give riders access to real-time arrival information and trip planning.

The service changes have been accompanied by rising ridership.

OmniRide surpassed 2 million passenger trips in August 2025. During Fiscal Year 2026, which ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the system recorded 2,532,167 trips.

According to OmniRide, that was its highest annual ridership since Fiscal Year 2017 and reflected the region’s continued recovery from pandemic-era declines in public transportation use.

In May, the agency was named runner-up for the Virginia Transit Association’s Hill Turner Ridership Award in the category for transit systems serving more than 2 million riders.

As part of the anniversary celebration, OmniRide will hold two community open houses this fall.

The first will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the OmniRide Transit Center, 14700 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge.

A second open house is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the OmniRide Western Maintenance Facility, 7850 Doane Drive in Manassas.

For the first time, members of the public will be able to tour both facilities and learn more about how the transit system operates.

The events will include guided tours, interactive exhibits, buses, maintenance displays, community vendors, food trucks, and raffle prizes. Visitors will also have an opportunity to meet OmniRide employees and learn about the work behind daily transit operations.

OmniRide provides local bus service in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park. Its Express routes serve commuters traveling along Interstate 95 and Interstate 66 to employment centers in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The agency also operates Metro Express connections, paratransit service, and OmniRide Connect microtransit in Manassas Park and the Dumfries, Triangle, and Quantico areas.

Additional information about anniversary activities is available at OmniRide.com.