Transit and Commuter Assistance
Transit planning activities include route planning, analysis, and performance evaluations, identification of gaps in the connectivity and hours of transit service, evaluation of workforce mobility needs, provision of Park and Ride lots, and other transportation demand management (TDM) needs region-wide.
SAWMPO plays a role in the following:
Transit
BRITE Transit Program
Public transportation service in the SAWMPO area is administered by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) and provided through a contracted service provider, Virginia Regional Transit (VRT). Funding comes from federal and state grants, as well as local match provided by the City of Staunton, Augusta County, City of Waynesboro, Augusta Health, Blue Ridge Community College, Shenandoah Valley Social Services, Staunton Downtown Development Association, and Wilson Workforce & Rehabilitation Center. Learn more at britebus.org, or the Commonwealth’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) website at drpt.virginia.gov.
Afton Express
Afton Express is a BRITE route that provides public commuter bus transportation between Staunton, Waynesboro, Fishersville, Charlottesville and the Fifth Street Station in Albemarle County. Free Wi-fi, comfortable seating and affordable pricing make it a smart choice for individuals commuting over Afton Mountain. Learn more about Afton Express.
Routes & Schedules
There are multiple options for riding a BRITE Bus in the Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro area and beyond. The most up-to-date schedule and fare information, downloadable schedules, and an interactive map highlighting each route and stop is available on the BRITE website under the “Bus Routes” tab.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
The CSPDC’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program began in 2009 with the receipt of a Rideshare Transportation Demand Management grant for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). TDM programs throughout Virginia promote ridesharing and other transportation alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles to assist individuals seeking transportation options to their workplaces and other destinations, mitigate congestion on Virginia’s roadways, and reduce environmental impacts caused by vehicle emissions, roadway expansion, and other transportation-related factors.
The CSPDC adopted the region’s first Long-Range TDM Plan in October 2017. The TDM Plan provides an overview of the region’s TDM program, details existing services, and identifies program resources.
The TDM Plan provides 23 strategic initiatives that were developed in an effort to augment the CSPDC’s existing TDM program and implement new projects. Theses initiatives are broken into five categories – marketing and community outreach; carpool/vanpool/ride matching; employer services; alternative travel mode promotion; and TDM and regional planning and coordination.
DRPT requires all Commuter Assistance Programs (CAPs) that receive state funding to maintain a Strategic Plan to identify mobility needs in their region and provide programming to meet those needs. The plan has a 5-year horizon, with minor updates occurring on an annual basis and a complete rewrite required every 5 years. Rideshare’s current strategic plan (previously referred to as a Transportation Demand Management Plan) was written in 2017. In FY24, Rideshare staff will work with consultants and stakeholders over the course of six months to develop a new plan. The plan must be completed by November of 2024.
Rideshare
RideShare is a program of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission in cooperation with the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission that works to reduce traffic congestion and increase mobility throughout Central Virginia and the Central Shenandoah Valley.
RideShare offers free carpool matching, vanpool coordination, and operates a Guaranteed Ride Home program to provide free rides home in an emergency. RideShare also works with employers to develop and implement traffic reduction programs, and we market the region’s Park and Ride lots.
For more information regarding the CSPDC’s RideShare program, please visit the RideShare website at rideshareinfo.org, or contact Paula Melester at 540-688-3043 or paula@cspdc.org.