Rail and Public Transportation Day

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, thirty years ago, on July 1, 1992, the General Assembly created the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to ensure that passenger and freight rail and public transportation are full participants in a multimodal system to reduce congestion, support economic development, and ensure the efficient movement of goods and people; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT has worked with its rail and public transportation partners to connect communities and businesses throughout the Commonwealth; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT oversees programs and initiatives that support freight investments and deliver data-driven planning recommendations and policies for both passenger and freight rail; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT administers public transportation funding and planning in Virginia to transit systems, including 40 bus providers as well as commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, paratransit, and ferryboat; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT manages investments in local and regional commuter assistance programs that mitigate congestion, manage transportation demand, and promote and encourage the use of transit, vanpools, and carpools; and,

WHEREAS, annually, public transportation supports 26,940 jobs and generates $600 million in taxes in the Commonwealth, and rail drives 6% of Virginia's economy; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT is committed to the transparent and accountable sharing of information with the public; and,

WHEREAS, DRPT will continue to serve the Commonwealth with success in the future;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize October 3, 2022 as RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations