HAMPTON and NORFOLK, Va. — On October 1, 1999, two organizations – serving different communities and separated by a historic waterway – officially united in the nation’s first voluntary merger of transit agencies.
Following years of what-can-be visioning, intense conversations, lengthy negotiations and a whole lot of gumption, Tidewater Regional Transit (TRT) and Peninsula Transit (PENTRAN) joined on that day to create Hampton Roads Transit (HRT).
Before then, TRT provided transit service in the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. PENTRAN’s buses served Hampton and Newport News.
Together, a merged agency offered more clout, better connectivity, cost savings – and a shining example of regional cooperation.
The merger made possible the advent of a multi-modal agency that today includes the Tide light rail, Elizabeth River Ferry, paratransit, cross-tunnel 757 Express bus service, Peninsula commuter services, the VB Wave Trolley, Base Express, OnDemand ridesharing, and the TRAFFIX commuter options program with vanpool assistance, carpooling, biking and other transportation options.
“I want to thank the visionaries who imagined the future we are living now,” said William E. Harrell, President and CEO of HRT. “We especially salute and thank the more than 50 employees who were with us at the time of the merger and continue to serve our customers and communities today.”
Recognizing the benefits
Merger talks began years prior, when leaders on both sides recognized the benefits of one agency serving all of Hampton Roads. At the time, public transit between the Peninsula and the South Hampton Roads did not exist, and commuters had to rely on automobiles or take expensive and infrequent Greyhound bus service to cross tunnels even as the region grew.
Randy Wright, former commissioner and vice chair of the Tidewater Transportation District Commission and an advocate for light rail, along with Virginia Del. Flora Crittenden, who at the time served as chair of the Peninsula Transportation District Commission, were instrumental in starting talks to outline the merger and rallying support for what would be a first in the transit industry.
“Most transit agencies of any size have operational facilities that are miles apart,” recalls Michael Townes, PENTRAN’s general manager at the time who became HRT’s first leader. “Ours just happened to be separated by a body of water and a body of perception.”
In addition to physical barriers, the two agencies overcame organizational challenges with different bus fleets, union chapters, operating systems and traditions. Eventually, the two organizations became what many employees today call one family.
“I cannot wait to see what the next decades will bring as we continue to work together to live our mission – to connect Hampton Roads with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient and sustainable,” Harrell said. “With new services like OnDemand ridesharing starting this month, HRT continues to innovate to meet the needs of our region, just as those who supported the merger envisioned 25 years ago.”
About HRT
HRT’s mission is to connect Hampton Roads with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient and sustainable. For more information on transit services, visit gohrt.com.
Media contact:
Thomas Becher, APR
Manager, Communications
October 1, 2024
Cell: (757) 354-0564
Office: (757) 222-6010