New bus routes will connect Danville to D.C., Martinsville to Richmond

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will launch two new Virginia Breeze intercity bus service routes connecting Danville to Washington, D.C., and Martinsville to Richmond in spring 2020, the department announced Tuesday.

The 2-year-old Virginia Breeze, funded by the federal Rural Transit Assistance 5311 Program and ticket sales, currently runs from Blacksburg to Washington, with stops in Christiansburg, Lexington, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Front Royal, Dulles International Airport and Arlington. The Federal Transit Administration provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems, and these paths were identified in a study to be high-need areas, according to the DRPT.

The approximately 250-mile route from Danville to Washington Union Station will travel on U.S. Route 20 and Interstate 66, with potential stops in Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Dulles. The 190-mile bus ride from Martinsville to Richmond will potentially stop in South Boston, Hampden Sydney and Farmville.

The DRPT is engaged in the procurement process and is collecting proposals from prospective service providers, which will choose exact stops and routes soon, according to the press release. Fares currently range from $15 to $50.

“Our goal is to ensure that all Virginians, regardless of where they live, have access to safe, affordable and reliable transportation. Virginians have shown immense support for the Virginia Breeze, with ridership increasing year over year,” DRPT Director Jennifer Mitchell said in a statement.