Budget language under consideration in the Virginia General Assembly would direct DRPT to evaluate the feasibility of consolidating four Northern Virginia bus systems—DASH, Fairfax Connector, ART, and CUE—into a single regional bus system. The study would examine potential cost savings, long-term financial impacts, operational efficiencies, rider and community perspectives, implementation challenges, legal and governance structures, and peer comparisons, with a report due to the House and Senate Transportation Committees by November 1, 2026. DRPT has already begun preliminary scoping due to tight timelines and plans to coordinate closely with NVTC and local partners. This sets up a significant consulting opportunity for firms with expertise in transit agency consolidation, governance, labor, financial modeling, and change management once DRPT is ready to procure external support for the mandated study.

The study’s findings could reshape bus governance and funding in Northern Virginia, influencing futu...