Our Mission

VRPI's mission is to strengthen and improve public policy with respect to both freight and passenger rail in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through objective and rigorous research, publication, education and outreach, VRPI strives to increase public understanding of freight and passenger rail and to promote public policies that will secure the future of inter-city rail as a cost-effective, sustainable and essential element of Virginia's 21st Century transportation system.
 

Our Founding

VRPI was conceived in 2002 by a group of citizen rail advocates affiliated with Virginians for High Speed Rail (VHSR) who believed there was a need for an independent, academically-oriented rail policy research and development center to support public policymaking for rail in Virginia.

In 2004, VRPI sponsored a forum on Transportation Connectivity, attended by representatives from all major transportation modes and transportation user-groups. As an outgrowth of the forum, VRPI was formally incorporated and established as a 501 (c) (3) organization in 2005.

The original Directors and Fellows of VRPI represented a wide range of backgrounds in public policy and transportation, including members from Virginia's major university-based transportation research centers.