Higher gas prices have area commuters looking for alternatives

Date published: 9/5/2005

By KATIE TELLER

Rick Hood is feeling the effects of soaring gas prices.

Hood owns ABS Vans, a van-pool company that serves Fredericksburg-area commuters.

With prices higher and summer ending, he expects more commuters to use his van service and quit driving.

But at the same time, Hood's business is taking a hit: It costs more to fuel the vans.

This week, ABS Vans will add a gas surcharge to its rates for riding, which usually average about $175 a month. Hood doesn't know exactly how much the additional gasoline fee will be; it will vary for the company's 50-plus routes.

"People think that you're gouging them, but you have to pass on what you have to pay," Hood said.

Quick Bus Lines is having the same problem.

The company charges $90 to ride its buses to Northern Virginia and Washington for two weeks.

But manager Gary Everett said that within the next 30 days, the company is going to raise its fees to account for rising gas prices.

Like bus and van services, the Virginia Railway Express is also taking a hit from increased petroleum prices; higher fuel prices mean it costs more to power its trains.

But the VRE isn't likely to raise its rates.

"We've set our fares at this point," said spokesman Mark Roeber. "Given the current situation that we have, it puts an additional burden on us."

Roeber said the summer is normally a slow time: People go to work less because they're on vacation, and kids are out of school. The "September surge" occurs after Labor Day every year, and there's usually an 8 percent to 10 percent increase in ridership.

However, Roeber said he has seen consistently high VRE ridership this summer, a time when it normally slides.

Additionally, the VRE is taking measures to accommodate growing demand--last month's problems with railroad crossover work are over--and high prices may incite more commuters to take the train.

The company negotiated a contract to store 20 additional rail cars in the District of Columbia.

Falmouth resident Rachael Doss rides VRE to the AARP's offices in Washington every day.

Date published: 9/5/2005