The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) exercised its option to extend its contract with Keolis for an additional five years to operate the VRE commuter rail trains that serve Washington D.C.’s Northern Virginia suburbs.

The contract, which also includes providing maintenance for the trains, is valued up to $21 million for the first year. Keolis has operated VRE trains since 2010, during which time customer service scores have risen sharply and on-time performance has shown continuous improvement. Under the terms of the contract, Keolis will be eligible for an additional extension up to five-years in 2020.  

“Keolis assumed operations of the VRE five years ago with a strong focus on safety, operational excellence and providing an outstanding passenger experience and they have more than delivered,” said VRE CEO Doug Allen. “Passengers often tell us how pleased they are with our service and that is due in large part to the work of the Keolis team.”

“Our commitment to the VRE was to provide passengers with an outstanding service and we are pleased that the board recognized our achievements by extending our contract,” said Gregg Baxter, president of Keolis Rail Services America. “Our strong relationship with the VRE was an important factor, and we look forward to being part of the ongoing success of the service as the VRE system continues to grow in the coming years.”