The House Appropriations Committee provides funding to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) to support the operation of public transportation systems in Virginia, including subways, commuter trains, light rail and bus systems.
The VPRA was created by legislation during the 2020 General Assembly session as a separate agency dedicated to the specific goal of growing passenger rail services in Virginia.
Budget Overview
Resources to support the work of both the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority come from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. The Commonwealth Transportation Fund receives dedicated revenues from the federal government, state taxes on fuel and motor vehicles, and bonds among others to support highway, transit, rail, port, and airport operations and improvements. The FY 2026 appropriation to support the work of the DRPT totals $975.3 million of which 83% or $813.7 million comes from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. This annual funding goes to support 40 transit agencies in the Commonwealth to increase ridership and move freight throughout Virginia. A dedicated 3.5% funding in DRPT goes to support the Virginia Railway Express, which is Virginia’s only commuter rail service.
The General Assembly can provide general funds to support public transit in addition to Commonwealth Transportation Funds. For example, in FY 2025, the General Assembly provided $136.9 million in additional operating assistance for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from the general fund, which accommodates 84 million trips per year in Virginia for commuters.
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s FY 2026 appropriation totals $368.7 million, which supports intercity passenger rail projects, operations and marketing efforts.
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