VRE riders averaged about a half-day of remote work a week before the pandemic, but that figure has spiked to nearly two days a week.

The free Friday ride program seems to be having the impact the Virginia Railway Express wanted when the commuter rail system decided to offer it earlier this year.

The program started on June 2 and will run through Sept. 1. The aim is to draw new and non-traditional riders to take train trips north and back home.

So far, the program has increased average daily rider trips for those Fridays by around 40%, from about 3,500 to 5,000