Collaborating for future of public transit in Hampton Roads
HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Three regional transit authorities are coming together to help you get to work easier.
Hampton Roads Transit, Williamsburg Transit and Suffolk Transit say they want to help bridge the gap between organizations.
HRT says 63% of riders depend on transit to get to and from work, but if you live in Suffolk and work in Norfolk, it can become complicated with all the switches. That’s why transportation leaders want to find ways to not only help you get to work or appointments easier, but also to attract choice riders out of their cars.
Whether you’re heading to work, school, or maybe to the grocery store, transit providers here in Hampton Roads are here to help get you there.
Hampton Roads Transit said 77% of their riders use public transit to get to work between four and seven times a week.
“Surveys show you live in one city, you may work in another, you may worship and play in other areas so you have to have the ability to get around,” said HRT CEO William Harrell.
Harrell said their goal is to find ways to help connect the three systems so they can work to increase the availability of transit in our area.
“We’ve done a great job with roads bridges and tunnels and we need to recognize that transit is part of that transportation ecosystem,” Harrell said.
Williamsburg Area Transit Authority Executive Director Matthew Scalia said public transportation really took a back seat during the pandemic and since then, they’ve been gaining a lot of ground.
He said they’ve been working to get their operations back to pre-pandemic levels.
“As we continue to grow then we will be able to expand our services, greater frequency to make it more convenient, so we get more choice riders and they can see how convenient public transit really is,” said Scalia.
Scalia says transit really gives a lot back to the region.
Suffolk Transit Manager Maria Ptakowski agrees. She also said it gives people independence.
“We have a very large city, it’s very spread out,” Ptakowski said. “We have a lot of people who utilize transit to get to work, to go to doctors appointments, even some use it to get to dialysis, so it’s a lifeline for the community in a lot of ways.”
Giving people more than just a ride from place to place, collaborating for the future of Hampton Roads.
Transportation leaders say community support and feedback is essential, so that’s why panels like this are important.
City leaders also had the chance to speak at Tuesday’s meeting to ask questions and share ideas.
They say this is the first regional meeting, but hope it won’t be the last.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
