The Free Lance-Star reports Fredericksburg area commuters aren’t so approving of VRE as some might wish:
During the first three months of 2006, ridership was down an average of 4.2 percent compared with the first three months of 2005.
Last year, from July through November, trains were late on the Fredericksburg line 30 percent-40 percent of the time. Then the service had its first derailment in January, which shut down service for the rest of the day. Passengers already in Washington were brought home on buses.
…
VRE knows there is a connection between the dip in passengers and delays, spokesman Mark Roeber said.
“There’s only so much people can take before they’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got to try something else,'” Roeber said.
This despite efforts of Chancellor District Supervisor Hap Connors to raise the gas tax to pay for VRE.
Add this to the stack of evidence that Spotsylvania does not want the VRE, much less wants to pay for it.