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GRTC Transit System
GRTC bus operating along the GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line
Founded1860
Headquarters301 East Belt Boulevard
LocaleRichmond, Virginia
Service areaRichmond, Virginia
Service typebus service, paratransit
AlliancePetersburg Area Transit
Routes34 local routes
10 express routes
1 rapid transit line
Fleet253 buses & vans
Daily ridership36,100 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[1]
Annual ridership9,833,200 (2023)[2]
Fuel typeDiesel and CNG
OperatorFirst Transit (Care Vans only)
Chief executiveJulie Timm
Websiteridegrtc.com

The Greater Richmond Transit Company, known locally as GRTC Transit System, 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 36,100 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

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. It also maintains equipment and has other affiliations with Petersburg Area Transit, a similar agency which also serves a portion of Chesterfield County.

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.

It is managed by a private transit management company that provides the CEO, COO, and Transportation Manager, as was its predecessor, Virginia Transit Company (VTC). GRTC itself has 400 employees.

Immediately after GRTC was formed, American Transportation Enterprises, Inc., through a subsidiary, continued to provide management.

Fleet

Builder and
model name 		Model year Length Numbers
(Total) 		Amount in service Energy source Notes
Motor Coach Industries
D4500CT 		2006 45 ft (14 m) 1501–1503
(3 buses) 		3 Diesel
Gillig
Low Floor 		2008 40 ft (12 m) 301-318
(18 buses) 		18
  • In the process of being retired.
Gillig
BRT 		2010 901-913
(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 		2011 45 ft (14 m) 1504–1508
(5 buses) 		5
Gillig
BRT 		2012 40 ft (12 m) 401-408
(8 buses) 		8
  • Last diesel buses for GRTC
Gillig
BRT CNG 		2013 201-208
(8 buses) 		8 CNG
  • First CNG buses for GRTC
2014 119

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
2016–17 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.[3][4][5]
  • 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, 93
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, 93
2021 40 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.[3][4][5]
  • 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 [6]

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. Name Start End Map/Schedule Notes
Pulse GRTC Pulse Willow Lawn Rocketts Landing Pulse
1 Chamberlayne/Hull/Southside Plaza Chamberlayne Southside Plaza 1 SUNDAY ONLY
1A Chamberlayne/Hull/Midlothian Chamberlayne Spring Rock Green 1A Requires a connection at Southside Plaza for travel north on Sunday
1B Chamberlayne/Hull/Warwick Chamberlayne Giant Dr. 1B NO SUNDAY SERVICE
1C Chamberlayne/Hull/Elkhardt Chamberlayne Chippenham Mall 1C Requires a connection at Southside Plaza for travel north on Sunday
2A Forest Hill/North Ave Moss Side Stony Point Medical Center 2A Trips after 7pm will service the Transfer Plaza on weekdays and Saturday. Trips will service the Transfer Plaza all day Sunday.
2B North Ave/Jahnke/Midlothian Moss Side Chippenham Square 2B
2C North Ave/Midlothian/Belt Blvd Moss Side Circle Shopping Center 2C Trips after 7pm will service the Transfer Plaza on weekdays and Saturday. Trips will service the Transfer Plaza all day Sunday.
3A Highland/Route 1/Harwood Highland & Missouri Lone & Harwood 3A
3B Highland/Route 1 Highland & Missouri Brightpoint Community College 3B NO SUNDAY SERVICE
3C Highland/Harwood/Route 1 Highland & Missouri Food Lion – Ampthill 3C
4A Montrose 23rd & Franklin Rawlings & Government 4A
4B Darbytown 23rd & Franklin Henrico Arms Place 4B
5 Cary/Main/Whitcomb Carytown Whitcomb Court 5 All Eastbound trips service the Transfer Plaza. Westbound trips after 7pm will service the Transfer Plaza on weekdays and Saturday, and all trips on Sunday.
7A Nine Mile/Airport Downtown Transfer Plaza Richmond International Airport 7A
7B Nine Mile/Laburnum/Airport Downtown Richmond International Airport 7B
12 Church Hill Marshall & 3rd Street Downtown Transfer Plaza 12 All Eastbound trips service the Transfer Plaza. Westbound trips after 7pm will service the Transfer Plaza on weekdays and Saturday, and all trips on Sunday.
13 Oakwood Oakwood 23rd & Franklin 13
14 Hermitage/East Main Chamberlayne 23rd & Franklin 14 Trips after 7pm will service the Transfer Plaza on weekdays and Saturday. Trips will service the Transfer Plaza all day Sunday.
18 Henrico Government Center Willow Lawn Henrico County Government Center 18 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
19 West Broad Street Willow Lawn Short Pump 19
20 Orbital Prince Hall Dill 20
29x Gaskins Express Gaskins Park-N-Ride Downtown 29x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
50 Broad Street Willow Lawn Downtown 50
56 South Laburnum White Oak Village Downtown 56 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
64x Stony Point Express Stony Point Shopping Center Downtown 64x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
76 Patterson Willow Lawn DMV Drive 76
77 Grove University of Richmond Main & Laurel 77
78 Cary/Maymont Carytown Downtown 78 Trips after 7pm weekdays will serve the Transfer Plaza. Trips will serve the Transfer Plaza all day Sunday.
79 Patterson/Parham Willow Lawn Gayton Crossing Shopping Center 79 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
82x Commonwealth 20 Express Commonwealth 20 Downtown 82x NO WEEKEND SERVICE
86 Broad Rock/Walmsley Southside Plaza Banton/Dupont 86
87 Bellemeade/Hopkins Southside Plaza Downtown 87 Trips after 7pm weekdays will serve the Transfer Plaza. Trips will serve the Transfer Plaza all day Sunday.
88 Belt/Bells/Ruffin Southside Plaza Maxxim Medical 88 NO SUNDAY SERVICE
91 Laburnum Connector Willow Lawn Millers Lane 91
93 Azalea Connector Brook & Azalea Treehouse Apartments 93 NO WEEKEND SERVICE
95x Petersburg Express Downtown Petersburg, Virginia (Petersburg Transit Center) 95x NO WEEKEND SERVICE

GRTC offers convenient and free Park ‘N Ride lots that run along Express service routes to the downtown Business District. All Park ‘N Ride lots are safe, well-lit, and easily accessible. Hop from your car to work, without wearing out yourself or your car!

  • 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 - EFFECTIVE SEPT 12, 2021
  • 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

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. [7] [8]

Facilities

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

Incidents

  • On September 21, 2007, a woman was struck by a GRTC bus along 8th and Marshall. The women was seriously injured and would later file charges against GRTC.
  • On December 5, 2012, a car rear-ended a GRTC bus and caught fire along Broad Street. One person was sent to the hospital.[9]
  • On September 24, 2015, A GRTC bus struck a utility pole in the Randolph neighborhood leaving hundreds without power.[10]
  • On June 27, 2018, multiple people were injured when an GRTC bus and a car collided head in eastern Henrico County.[11][12][13]
  • On July 10, 2018, a GRTC bus collided with a pickup truck when it was making a left-hand turn through the dedicated bus lane on West Broad Street, at the intersection of Broad and N Allen Ave.[14]
  • On January 5, 2019, a GRTC bus and an SUV collided along Broad Street. Multiple people were injured.[15]
  • On March 5, 2019, a GRTC bus was involved in a minor collision with a car along the intersection of Crutchfield and Roanoke.[16]
  • On October 8, 2019, a GRTC bus struck and killed a woman along Broad Street. The driver was also taken to the hospital.[17][18][19]
  • On November 11, 2019, a GRTC bus was involved in a head-on collision along West 33rd Street and Midlothian Turnpike. Four people were injured.[20]
  • On February 24, 2020, a man attempted to hijack a GRTC bus along Brook Road and Azalea Ave. The man was later arrested.[21][22]
  • On May 20, 2020, a driver spun out of control and crashed into a GRTC bus along East Broad Street. The driver of the car was killed and three passengers on the bus were injured.[23]
  • During the overnight hours of May 29 into May 30, 2020, rioters vandalized and set fire to a GRTC Pulse bus in Downtown Richmond following protests and riots over the murder of George Floyd. There were no passengers or a driver on board at the time. The bus was destroyed in the ensuing protests.[3][4][5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Richmond protest of George Floyd's death turns violent; GRTC bus lit on fire". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "GRTC Pulse bus destroyed during overnight protests; service delayed Saturday". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Rioters torch Richmond bus". WTVR. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  6. ^ "GRTC Press Kit | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  7. ^ "GRTC CARE Service | GRTC". ridegrtc.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  8. ^ ZULLO, ROBERT. "GRTC to end contract with paratransit provider over 'unacceptable' service". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  9. ^ Chappell, Marcos. "Car catches fire after collision with GRTC bus". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  10. ^ Daudani, Ray. "GRTC bus goes off road, knocks out power to 600". nbc12.com. Retrieved Nov 23, 2020.
  11. ^ HOFFMEYER, DEAN. "GRTC BUS CRASH". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Charges expected against car driver in crash with GRTC bus that injured 8 in Henrico". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Charges expected against driver accused of hitting GRTC bus head-on". WTVR.com. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  14. ^ Streever, David (11 July 2018). "First Crash Involving GRTC Pulse Bus". RVA Mag. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  15. ^ "GRTC supervisor rear-ended while responding to crash involving Pulse bus". 8News. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  16. ^ "GRTC bus involved in minor crash". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Police: No charges in GRTC Pulse bus crash that killed 32-year-old woman". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  18. ^ Tabackman, Lia (8 October 2019). "Woman crossing Broad Street killed by GRTC Pulse bus". WTVR. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  19. ^ Gordon, Wyatt. "After a pedestrian dies in a bus crash, Richmond sees renewed calls for better infrastructure". Greater Greater Washington. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Head-on crash with GRTC bus leaves 4 injured". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  21. ^ "UPDATE: Man charged with abducting Richmond school employee before bizarre incident on GRTC bus | Crime | richmond.com". www.richmond.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  22. ^ Manzanares, Keyris (24 February 2020). "Police: Newport News man tries to hijack GRTC bus". WFXRtv.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Midlothian 18-year-old killed after crashing into GRTC bus". www.nbc12.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
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