NORFOLK, Va. — COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, which means more people are returning to their pre-pandemic ways of life.
As more people head back to the office or transition into a hybrid work schedule, they are needing to hit the road and travel. However, gas prices are getting in the way of people filling up their tank.
"A lot of folks about almost exactly two years ago began working from home and left the use of public transportation behind," said acting Director of Virginia's Department of Rail and Public Transportation Jennifer DeBruhl.
DeBruhl said her department is seeing a slight increase in passengers already, and it expects to see more in the coming months as more people plan to hit the roads.
She said the department recently released its "Rediscover Your Ride" initiative to encourage more people to take public transit, including buses, trains, and rail services.
"As folks start to return to their work places, whether it's full time or hybrid, we want them to makes sure that they know public transportation is safe and ready for them when they come back to the office," DeBruhl said.
DeBruhl said she understands many people were hesitant the past two years to take public transportation because of COVID-19 concerns.
DeBruhl said the initiative aims not only to help provide rides, but to help lighten the load on the roadways as more people travel for the spring and summer season. She said it's not surprising to see people choose public transit to save some money on gas.
"We are starting to see that increase in ridership and generally, there is a correlation between gas prices and transit use and I expect we will continue to see that trend," DeBruhl said.
Coordinators with Hampton Roads Transit say they also expect to see an increase in passengers over the course of the next few months as gas prices remain high.
A spokesman says HRT is working to bring in more operators to handle the flow of passengers.
To learn more about how to best utilize public transportation in your part of Virginia, you can find more about transit agencies on the department's website.