By GEORGE
It’s Expensive

The City of Falls Church has 11,200 residents in its 2.2 square miles.

It also has GEORGE. 

GEORGE is a city-owned bus system that began in 2002 as a grant funded demonstration project. A 50-cent per trip fare was introduced in 2005.

GEORGE carried about 70,000 passengers in FY 2004. It carries about the same today.

GEORGE works three routes, five days per week (Monday-Friday), 13 hours per day.

GEORGE transports about 10 riders per hour.

GEORGE pays the City about $18,000 per year from the farebox (after deducting various Metro transfers and discounts. Metro operates GEORGE).

GEORGE costs taxpayers about $600,000 per year or $8.00 for every 50-cent fare. (The longest cab trip within the City is $6.00 - $7.00)

A March 26, 2009 Northern Virginia Transportation Commission memorandum states:

“(GEORGE’s) ridership has not been strong… (but) “the image of Falls Church is enhanced with the presence of such a resource.”

Image aside, options presented by the City Manager include terminating GEORGE to help eliminate a $4.3 million budget shortfall. Other options include reduced hours of operation and a higher city property tax rate.*

The City Council Will Determine
GEORGE’s Value on April 27th.

Source: GEORGE Service Options FY2010, presented to the Falls Church City Council on March 19, 2009. To view this presentation, click here.

*The March 19th presentation does not endorse a higher tax rate.