Dear Virginia WABA Members and Supporters:

The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is proposing to return to its former policy of disallowing full-size bikes and allowing only folding bikes on its train cars. Currently, VRE--whose lines provide service from Manassas and Fredericksburg, VA to Union Station in DC--allows full size bicycles on the last three trains on each line, both mornings and evenings. This current policy promotes multi-modal commuting and allows cyclists to forego the use of motor vehicles at each end of their commutes. While we recognize capacity constraints, the encouragement of multi-modal commuting has contributed to the success of the VRE model, and the prevention of many cyclists from using the system with their bicycles is an ill-conceived response to such success.

VRE is holding several public hearings on the matter, and accepting comments in numerous forms. WABA encourages all cyclists in northern Virginia--and especially those who would be directly impacted by this change--to attend a hearing or provide comments to VRE objecting to this regressive proposal and encouraging a more creative solution to capacity concerns that will not harm cyclists and turn-back-the-clock on multi-modal transportation in the region.

If you are unable to attend one of the hearings, click here to send comments through the WABA Action Center.

Thank you for your support,

WABA