Transit Advisory Board Business Meeting - May 14, 2026

The Transit Advisory Board (TAB) held its regular business meeting on May 14, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Transit & Commuter Services Office in Leesburg, Virginia. The meeting covered approvals of prior minutes and bylaws, staff updates on ridership and upcoming service changes, discussion of board vacancies, and rider requests for expanded service.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of March 11, 2026 Business Meeting Minutes: A motion by Member Fred Shwaery, seconded by Vice-Chair Vlad Ovchynnikov, was approved unanimously.
• Approval of Bylaws Amendment for Virtual Meetings: A motion to adopt the revised TAB bylaws to allow all-virtual meetings was made and seconded, then approved unanimously. This is an annual requirement under the new bylaws.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Ridership and Service Updates (Stephen Pairo): Staff reported that ridership is recovering from the federal appropriations lapse and typical winter decline, with numbers approaching last summer’s levels. Key July 1, 2026 service changes include:
  • Leesburg–Washington, DC Direct Commuter Bus: An I-66 Inside the Beltway Commuter Choice grant funded one direct trip, but staff reorganized schedules to create three new morning direct trips from Leesburg to DC and one afternoon return trip. A bus previously serving Harmony–Leesburg–Gateway was changed to direct, providing a 10-minute faster trip for Harmony riders.
  • Leesburg Microtransit Expansion: Weekend service will begin July 1, 2026 (7 AM–7 PM), and the service zone will expand to include the Wegmans area on Russell Branch.
  • Sterling Microtransit Pilot: Launching July 1, 2026, with four buses operating Monday–Friday 6 AM–8 PM and weekends 8 AM–10 PM. The zone covers Sugarland, Route 7, Kincora, Innovation Metro (disconnected island), and extending east to the Fairfax County line.
• Marketing and Awards: Staff will receive two awards at the Virginia Transit Association conference: one for the travel training program and one for the highest year-over-year ridership growth among Virginia transit agencies. Marketing for July 1 changes will begin after the Commonwealth Transportation Board vote on June 18.
• Board Vacancies: Five vacancies exist: Broad Run and Sterling district seats, plus Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Advisory Commission, and Human Services Agency representatives. Staff has emailed inquiries but received no response; members were encouraged to contact supervisors to fill vacancies.
• Rider Requests and Concerns:
  • New Board Member Kevin (previously a public commenter) requested more weekend bus service, specifically at least one bus from the transfer station on weekends.
  • Vice-Chair Ovchynnikov echoed the need for more weekend service and noted that input from TAB will be included in an upcoming consultant study on transit needs.
  • Member Fred Shwaery requested information on Senior SmarTrip card distribution events to share with veterans’ organizations. Staff reported over 200 cards issued (approaching 300) and upcoming events at libraries and the Leesburg Senior Center.
  • Discussion on Long-Haul Commuter Services: Ridership on pilot services from Frederick County, MD, and Prince William County, VA, remains very low. Challenges include competition from free parking, tolls, and dispersed employment centers.
• Driverless Taxis: A brief discussion concluded that the technology and regulatory environment are not yet impacting local transit operations.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the March 11, 2026 meeting minutes and the bylaws amendment for virtual meetings.
• Staff noted that July 1 service changes will proceed, with marketing to begin after June 18.
• Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8, 2026, as an all-virtual meeting. A WebEx link will be provided.
• Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:58 PM on a motion by Member Shwaery, seconded by Member Shah.