Greater Richmond Transit Company

Last updated
GRTC
GRTC logo.svg
GRTC Pulse travelling.jpg
GRTC bus operating along the GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line
Founded1860
Headquarters301 East Belt Boulevard
Locale Richmond, Virginia
Service areaRichmond, Virginia
Service type bus service, paratransit
AlliancePetersburg Area Transit
Routes34 local routes
4 express routes
1 rapid transit line
Fleet253 buses & vans
Daily ridership32,800 (weekdays, Q3 2023) [1]
Annual ridership8,739,400 (2022) [2]
Fuel type Diesel and CNG
Operator National Express (CARE Vans only)
Chief executiveSheryl Adams
Website ridegrtc.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 2022, the system had a ridership of 8,739,400, or about 32,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023. [3]

Contents

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.

Ownership and management

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 (VTC).

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

Fleet

Builder and
model name
Model yearLengthNumbers
(Total)
Amount in serviceEnergy sourceNotes
Motor Coach Industries
D4500CT
200645 ft (14 m)1501–1503
(3 buses)
3 Diesel
  • Possibly retired.
Gillig
Low Floor
200840 ft (12 m)301-318
(18 buses)
18
  • In the process of being retired.
Gillig
BRT
2010901-913
(13 buses)
13
  • 911 and 913 have "Silver Streak" destination signs.
  • 901 & 902 are wrapped in Woodfin Oil design
  • 903 is wrapped in the Yellow Chicken Fiesta design
  • 904 is wrapped in the Red Chicken Fiesta design
Motor Coach Industries
D4500CT
201145 ft (14 m)1504–1508
(5 buses)
5
Gillig
BRT
201240 ft (12 m)401-408
(8 buses)
8
  • Last diesel buses for GRTC
Gillig
BRT CNG
2013201-208
(8 buses)
8 CNG
  • First CNG buses for GRTC
2014119

250-259 261

263-270

362
501-508
(29 buses)

29
  • 506 is wrapped in Westminster Canterbury
35 ft (11 m)701-705
(5 buses)
5
2016–1740 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. [4] [5] [6]
  • Gillig Low Floor BRTPlus Design
20172101-2110
(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, 93
201840 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, 93
202140 ft (12 m)2300 – 2313
(13 buses)
13
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. [4] [5] [6]
  • Gillig Low Floor BRTPlus Design

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 [7]

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

Route No.NameStartEndMap/ScheduleNotes
Pulse GRTC Pulse Willow LawnRocketts Landing Pulse
1Chamberlayne/DowntownChamberlayneDowntown Transfer Plaza 1
1AHull/Midlothian via Southside PlazaSpring Rock GreenDowntown Transfer Plaza 1A
1BHull/Warwick via Southside PlazaGiant DriveDowntown Transfer Plaza 1B NO EVENING OR SUNDAY SERVICE
1CHull/Elkhardt via Southside PlazaChippenham MallDowntown Transfer Plaza 1C
2AForest Hill/North AveMoss SideStony Point Medical Center 2A
2BNorth Ave/Jahnke/MidlothianMoss SideChippenham Square 2B
2CNorth Ave/Midlothian/Belt BlvdMoss SideCircle Shopping Center 2C
3AHighland Park/U.S. 1/HarwoodHighland ParkLone & Harwood 3A NO EVENING OR SUNDAY SERVICE
3BHighland/Route 1Highland ParkBrightpoint Community College 3B NO EVENING OR SUNDAY SERVICE
3CHighland Park/Harwood/U.S. 1Highland ParkFood Lion – Ampthill 3C NIGHTS AND SUNDAY ONLY
4AMontrose23rd & FranklinRawlings & Government 4A
4BDarbytown23rd & FranklinHenrico Arms Place 4B
5Cary/Main/WhitcombCarytownWhitcomb Court 5
7ANine Mile/AirportDowntown Transfer PlazaRichmond International Airport 7A
7BNine Mile/Laburnum/AirportDowntown Transfer PlazaRichmond International Airport 7B
12Church Hill23rd & FranklinDowntown Transfer Plaza 12
14Hermitage/East MainChamberlayne23rd & Franklin 14 Route 14 serves the Transfer Plaza (Bay H) in Downtown Richmond on Weekdays and Saturday after 7:00 PM, and all day on Sunday.
18Henrico Government CenterWillow LawnHenrico County Government Center 18 NO WEEKEND SERVICE - Route 18 serves the Staples Mill Road Amtrak Station
19West Broad StreetWillow LawnShort Pump 19
20OrbitalPrince HallHighland Park 20
29xGaskins ExpressGaskins Park-N-RideDowntown 29x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
50Broad StreetWillow LawnDowntown 50 NO EVENING SERVICE
56South LaburnumWhite Oak VillageDowntown 56 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
64xStony Point ExpressStony Point Shopping CenterDowntown 64x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
76PattersonWillow LawnDMV Drive 76
77GroveUniversity of RichmondMain & Laurel 77
78Cary/MaymontCarytownDowntown 78
79Patterson/ParhamWillow LawnGayton Crossing Shopping Center 79 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
82xCommonwealth 20 ExpressCommonwealth 20Downtown 82x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
86Broad Rock/WalmsleySouthside PlazaBanton/Dupont 86
87Bellemeade/HopkinsSouthside PlazaDowntown 87
88Belt/Bells/RuffinSouthside PlazaMaxxim Medical 88 NO SUNDAY SERVICE
91Laburnum ConnectorWillow LawnMillers Lane 91
93Azalea ConnectorBrookTreehouse Apartments 93 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
95xPetersburg ExpressDowntownPetersburg, Virginia (Petersburg Transit Center) 95x NO WEEKEND SERVICE

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

Paratransit service

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. [8] [9]

Facilities

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

  1. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  3. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Richmond protest of George Floyd's death turns violent; GRTC bus lit on fire". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  5. 1 2 "GRTC Pulse bus destroyed during overnight protests; service delayed Saturday". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Rioters torch Richmond bus". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  7. "GRTC Press Kit | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  8. "GRTC CARE Service | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  9. ZULLO, ROBERT. "GRTC to end contract with paratransit provider over 'unacceptable' service". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.