If it wasn't for Virginia Railway Express new traffic lanes would have to be added to I-95 and I-66. That's how many commuters ride the trains every day between Fredericksburg and Manassas to reach their Washington metropolitan jobs.
"VRE carries the equivalent of one lane of traffic every day that would otherwise be using I-95 and I-66," Dale Zehner, CEO, VRE, told those attending the "25 Millionth Rider Celebration" last Thursday at Alexandria railway station.
"In just a few short years we have come from the little engine that could to the tenth largest commuter railway system in the nation," Zehner said. "We are growing four times faster than any other commuter rail line in the United States. We have experienced an 18 percent growth each year."
In recognition of those facts, VRE held a drawing to honor the 25th million riders on both its Fredericksburg and Manassas lines. "It would have been impossible to identify the individual passengers so we asked riders to submit their names over the Internet," said Jon Pawlow, VRE, Public Affairs.
"Each entrant had to also submit a validated VRE ticket to make sure they were a viable rider," he said. "Then we randomly chose four first place and 30 second place winners."
Each first place winner was awarded a stay at one of four premier Virginia resorts — Boar's Head Inn, Homestead Resort, The Tides and Wintergreen Resort. Prizes were presented by Virginia Governor Mark Warner who noted, "One of the things that is so important to VRE's success is customer service."
Warner said, "VRE has grown from 6,500 to 16,000 riders each day. I hope we will be able to celebrate the 50th and 100th millionth passengers and that rail will expand to Dulles."
REFERRING TO THE recent budget battles in the General Assembly, Warner emphasized, "My initial budget called for $400,000 for mass transportation, but we didn't get it. VRE's Fare Box Recovery Ratios, meaning those costs covered by passenger fares, is one of the highest in the nation."
Introducing the governor to the assembled audience was John Jenkins, chairman, VRE Operations Board. "VRE has promised opportunity and we have delivered. Our trains carry the equivalent of four jets everyday. We hope to carry an additional 25,000 people every day by 2010," he said.
"VRE riders who take the train daily skip the stressful congestion that plagues the Northern Virginia area, and instead, are relaxed and stress-free as they make their commute. As we herald this milestone, VRE is fast becoming a "sold out show," Jenkins warned.
"With more and more people taking the train, we must look for ways to accommodate them in ways that continue our tradition of safe, reliable, customer-friendly transportation. Security is a very high priority of ours. I, along with the VRE staff, pledge to do everything we can to keep VRE part of the engine that helps grow Virginia," he said.
ACCEPTING PRIZES were Robert Beattie, Thomas Spillane and Lt. Commander Jose Cervantes, all of the Manassas area, as well as Karen Owens of Fredericksburg.
"I was really surprised when I was told I was a winner. I won a trip to Bermuda 10 years ago given by a developer. But I never won anything else," Owens said. She has been riding VRE for the past year and half to her Department of The Army office in the Hoffman Building in Alexandria. She won the Wintergreen package.
"I would rather have won the Mega Millions, but this will do. I was pleasantly surprised," said Spillane, who works for the U.S. Marshall service in Crystal City. "I've never won anything else in the past." His was the Boar's Head package.
Spillane admitted, "The reason I bought the house in Manassas Park was because the VRE station was very close. I've been riding it off and on for the past eight years. When I saw the announcement on their e-mail list I thought, 'why not enter.'"
U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Jose Cervantes, recipient of the Homestead award, also picked the location of his home based on its proximity to the VRE station. "My house is only a five minute drive from the station. It was a primary factor in my decision," he acknowledged.
"I knew I couldn't afford anything close to my work in Crystal City so mass transit became a major consideration in my choices," he explained. Cervantes has been a VRE commuter for the past one and one half years. "I'm also very excited to meet the Governor."
IN PRESENTING The Tides prize to Beattie, Warner played up Virginia as a "great vacation spot." He urged everyone to take advantage of the state's many resorts.
Sponsoring the event and providing refreshments was Starbucks, who, according to Zehner, "Is our first corporate sponsor." The 30 second place prizes were donated by Clyde's Grill, Vermillion Restaurant, Claiborne's, Sam and Harry's, Great American Restaurants, Jake's Restaurant, Bittersweet, Hard Times Cafe, Bowl America of Burke and Woodbridge, Barnes and Noble, AMC Potomac Mills 15, Tyson's Corner Center and Pentagon City Mall.