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GRTC
GRTC 2021 Gillig BRT CNG 2304 On Route 5 To Whitcomb Court
Founded1973
Headquarters301 East Belt Boulevard
LocaleRichmond, Virginia
Service areaRichmond, Virginia
Service typebus service, paratransit
AlliancePetersburg Area Transit
Routes34 local routes
4 express routes
1 rapid transit line
Fleet253 buses & vans
Daily ridership33,100 (weekdays, Q1 2024)[1]
Annual ridership9,833,200 (2023)[2]
Fuel typeDiesel and CNG
OperatorNational Express (CARE Vans only)
Chief executiveSheryl Adams
Websiteridegrtc.com

The Greater Richmond Transit Company, known locally as GRTC, is a local government-owned public service company which operates an urban-suburban bus line based in Richmond, Virginia. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 9,833,200, or about 33,100 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024.[3]

GRTC primarily serves the independent city of Richmond and a very small portion of the adjacent counties of Henrico, Hanover, and Chesterfield with a fleet of over 157 diesel-powered and CNG-powered transit buses operating approximately 45 routes.

GRTC uses government-funded equipment and resources principally provided by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT), and local funds.

History

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The GRTC is descended in a long line of transportation companies in Richmond. The first was established in 1860 as the Richmond Railway, a horse drawn trolley system. This line failed and was bought in 1881 by the Richmond City Railway. In 1888, a new, electrified system was built by the Richmond Union Passenger Railway. This was the first effective electric trolley system in the United States. The two companies were merged together along with three other electric and lighting companies to form the Richmond Railway and Electric Company in 1890, later reincorporated into the expanded Richmond Passenger and Power Company in 1900. One year later, the name was altered to the Virginia Passenger and Power Company, which defaulted in its payment in 1904 and was bought in 1909 by the Virginia Railway and Power Company. In 1925, ownership changed hands again and the company became the Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO). By 1944, the Securities and Exchange Commission had determined that VEPCO had too much monopoly power and ordered its transportation and electric businesses to be split up. As a result, VEPCO (later rebranded to Dominion Energy) sold the streetcar business to the Virginia Transit Company (VTC). In 1949, the last streetcars stopped operating and were succeeded by gas powered buses. In 1973, the city of Richmond purchased the VTC and created the Greater Richmond Transit Company. A one half ownership interest was purchased by Chesterfield County in 1989. The Pulse, a rapid transit route running along Broad Street, was initiated in 2018.[4][5]

Ownership and management

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As a public service company, GRTC is owned equally by the City of Richmond and neighboring Chesterfield County. Henrico and Hanover counties currently purchase services from it, but hold no ownership interest.

Immediately after GRTC was formed in 1973, American Transportation Enterprises, Inc., through a subsidiary, continued to provide management. It was managed by a private transit management company that provided the CEO, COO, and Transportation Manager, as was its predecessor, Virginia Transit Company.

GRTC itself has about 500 employees including bus operators, repair shop mechanics, customer service, support, and other administrative staff.[citation needed]

Fleet

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Builder and
model name 		Model year Length Numbers
(Total) 		Amount in service Energy source Notes
Motor Coach Industries
D4500CT 		2011 45 ft (14 m) 1504–1508
(5 buses) 		4 Diesel
  • 1504 retired due to an accident
Gillig
BRT 		2012 40 ft (12 m) 401-408
(8 buses) 		3
retiring
  • 401 is a training unit
  • 405-407 are retired
Gillig
BRT CNG 		2013 201-208
(8 buses) 		8 CNG
  • First CNG buses for GRTC
2014 250-270
501-508
(28 buses) 		27
  • 255 retired due to an accident
35 ft (11 m) 701-705
(5 buses) 		5
  • Used On Low Ridership Routes: 18, 20, 76, 77
2016–17 40 ft (12 m) 2001–2013
(13 buses) 		12
  • Used for the Pulse Bus Rapid Transit line
  • 2001 is a 2016 model
  • 2002–2013 are 2017 models
  • 2004 was destroyed by rioters on May 29, 2020.[6][7][8]
  • Gillig Low Floor BRTPlus Design
2017 2101-2110
(10 buses) 		10
35 ft (11 m) 2121 – 2124
(4 buses) 		4
29 ft (8.8 m) 2131-2134
(4 buses) 		4
  • Used on low ridership routes: 18, 20
2018 40 ft (12 m) 2201-2217
(17 buses) 		17
29 ft (8.8 m) 2231 – 2236
(6 buses) 		6
  • Used on low ridership routes: 18, 20
2021 40 ft (12 m) 2014
(1 bus) 		1
  • Used for the Pulse Bus Rapid Transit Line
  • 2014 is a replacement for 2004 which was destroyed by rioters on May 29, 2020.[6][7][8]
  • Gillig Low Floor BRTPlus Design
40 ft (12 m) 2300 – 2313
(13 buses) 		13
2022 40 ft (12 m) 2314-2319
(6 buses) 		6
2023 29 ft (8.8 m) 2401-2410
(10 buses) 		10
2024 40 ft (12 m) 2320-2333
(14 buses) 		14
35 ft (11 m) 2411-2415
(5 buses) 		5

142 transit vehicles, 96 CARE vehicles, and 27 support vehicles (vans, wreckers, trucks, SUVs, etc)
95 fixed-route transit vehicles use CNG fuel
88 CARE vehicles use CNG fuel [9]

In June 2020, the GRTC Board of Directors approved to purchase a replacement bus for #2004 that was destroyed during the riots. The bus should be placed into service on the GRTC Pulse route sometime in January 2021. This bus will be a 40 ft Gillig Low Floor CNG BRTPlus model.

In August 2020, the GRTC Board of Directors approved the purchase of 29 buses to replace older buses to keep the fleet in a state of good repair, as well as to keep up with demand increases in the Richmond Area. All 29 of these buses will be 40 ft Gillig Low Floor CNG BRT model. 14 of the buses will be put into service in the 1st Quarter of FY2022, and the last 15 will enter service in the 3rd Quarter of FY2022.

Routes

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GRTC offers Park-N-Ride lots that run along express service routes to downtown Richmond.

  • Glenside/Parham Express - 23x - (Glenside lot) 4100 Glenside Drive, Henrico, VA 23228; (Parham lot) 8525 Fordson Rd, Henrico, VA, 23229 - TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED EFFECTIVE SEPT 12, 2021. USE 29X!
  • Parham Express - 26x - 8525 Fordson Rd, Henrico, VA, 23229 - TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED EFFECTIVE SEPT 12, 2021. USE 29X!
  • Glenside Express - 27x - 4100 Glenside Drive, Henrico, VA 23228 - TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED EFFECTIVE SEPT 12, 2021. USE 29X!
  • White Oak Village Park ’N Ride - 28x - 4521- 4571 S Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23231 - TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED. USE ROUTE 7A/B!
  • Gaskins Express - 29x - 2900 Gaskins Rd, Henrico, VA, 23233
  • Bon Air Baptist Church Park-N-Ride - 64x - 2531 Buford Rd, Richmond, VA 23235
  • Commonwealth 20 - 82x - 4600 Commonwealth Centre Pkwy, Midlothian, VA 23112
  • Petersburg Transit Center Park-N-Ride - 95x - 24 S Union St, Petersburg, VA, 23803
  • Kings Dominion (Seasonal) - 102x - Ashland lot 109-121 Junction Drive, Ashland, VA, 23005 - TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED.

Paratransit service

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GRTC Transit System’s CARE and CARE Plus services provide origin-to-destination service under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for the citizens of the Richmond Region. CARE and CARE Plus provide public transportation access to individuals with disabilities who may not be reasonably able to use GRTC fixed route bus service. All CARE trips are identified as either CARE or CARE Plus service. CARE and CARE Plus services are available in the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and portions of Chesterfield County. [10] [11]

Facilities

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The GRTC Headquarters and bus garage is located near the intersection of Belt Boulevard and Midlothian Turnpike in South Richmond.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Lutz, Earle (November 27, 1949). "You've Missed the Last Trolley: Just Waiting for a Street Car?" (PDF). Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Our History". ridegrtc.com. GRTC. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Richmond protest of George Floyd's death turns violent; GRTC bus lit on fire". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b "GRTC Pulse bus destroyed during overnight protests; service delayed Saturday". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Rioters torch Richmond bus". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  9. ^ "GRTC Press Kit | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  10. ^ "GRTC CARE Service | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  11. ^ ZULLO, ROBERT. "GRTC to end contract with paratransit provider over 'unacceptable' service". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
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