Government Affairs

Better Reliability, Faster Commutes & New Connections

The Government Relations Department develops and implements government relations plans and outreach to achieve strategic agency goals and objectives. The purpose of these efforts is to positively influence public policy, including legislative and regulatory actions, to obtain and maximize resources necessary to achieve HRT’s vision and mission. Department staff also provide support to the External & Legislative Affairs Committee of the TDCHR.

Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles for Hampton Roads Transit Public Policy Initiatives

• Support HRT’s mission to connect with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient, and sustainable.
• Achieve and maintain a State of Good Repair.
• Balanced and equitable investments across modes and areas of the Commonwealth.
• Encourage effective project and service delivery methods to efficiently connect communities across the region with transit infrastructure and services.
• Ensure flexibility and diversity of funding sources and financing options with the ability to strategically leverage resources to make each available dollar go farther.
• Foster innovation and data-driven decision-making, incorporating new technologies, and using equitable methods to evaluate and prioritize investments based on the broad range of inputs, outcomes and value that public transportation provides.
• Integration of transportation and land-use policies, plans and projects that foster private investments and expand equitable access to safe and reliable transit for more segments of the Hampton Roads region.
• Connecting more workers to jobs, customers to businesses, and access to educational, retail, medical, recreational and other opportunities that support quality of life, a healthy environment, and thriving local and regional economies.

HRT Highlights

• 84% of trips taken on HRT are for essential needs like traveling to/from work, school, medical appointments and home.
• Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic HRT services were supporting over 20,300 jobs, $548 million in employment income, and $93 million in consumer spending annually in Hampton Roads. Transit will play an important role in economic resilience and long-term growth of the region.
• 92% of trips start by walking to bus stops, and most commuters walk to their final destination once exiting the bus, ferry, or light rail.
• HRT provides life-line services for many citizens. About 62% of riders are low-income. About 65% have no other options and depend on transit regularly (71% of riders use HRT between 4-7 days per week).
• 76% of HRT riders are employed, mostly full-time.
• HRT services also provide safety and environmental benefits to Hampton Roads, such as reducing total vehicle miles traveled on roadways and harmful emissions.