When the General Assembly created the Transit Rider Incentive Program (TRIP) as part of Gov. Ralph Northam’s 2020 transportation omnibus, the lion’s share of the funding was allocated to support new regional bus routes. With COVID’s cancellation of much commuter service across the commonwealth, those dollars are now being dedicated to TRIP’s secondary goal: fare free transit pilot projects.

With large localities like Lynchburg, Roanoke, Alexandria, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Fairfax County now expressing interest in eliminating bus fares for at least three years, could the shift to zero fares in Virginia become permanent?

Nearly every transit system in the commonwealth dropped fares last year as a public health measure in response to COVID, but until recently none had announced intentions to make that move to protect riders and operators more permanent. Based on the responses to a request for ideas DRPT issued to transit providers last fall, the list of bus systems seeking to stay fare free beyond the pandemic could soon grow substantially longer.

The Chief Executive of Pilot Company testified today before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that with the right policy framework and incentive structure, fuel retailers provide the best opportunity for advancing alternative fuels, including electricity, into the marketplace.

Testifying on behalf of NATSO before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Pilot Company Chief Executive Officer Shameek Konar testified that truckstops and travel plazas are best positioned to own and operate EV charging stations and that the right alignment of policy incentives will ensure a faster, more widespread and cost-effective transition to alternative fuels, including electricity.

“A nationwide network of EV charging stations is well within our grasp, all it takes is a coherent framework of national policies that harness the core competencies of the utility and retail fuel sectors,” Konar testifie