Petersburg Area Transit

  About Us

  History to the Present

The first (1883) system to start in Petersburg

was a six-horse car and two-single horse car lines. In 1891, the Petersburg Street

Railway Company was formed, and an electrified West End Line is added a year later.

In 1909 Frank Jay Gould bought the line,

now called Virginia Railway and Power Company

In 1919, two-man cars replaced the one-man

cars on June 19, 1919.

In 1923, rail-less cars began operation on June 23.

In 1925, streetcar service ended, and Virginia Electric and Power Company changed its name

to the Upper Appomattox Company.

In 1927, gasoline powered buses start operating

on the Walnut Hill and Colonial Heights lines.

In 1945 the Virginia Electric and Power Company was forced to sell the bus line to Beneficial

Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware Company.

The Beneficial Corporation of Wilmington Delaware Company then renames the Company

Petersburg Transit Company. In 1954, Amalgamated Association of Street Electric Railway employees

Union threatens to strike.

The PTC gave the city 30 days ‘notice that it would cease operation.

The city then allows Petersburg-Hopewell bus lines to take over the operation.

In 1956, Howard Brown, then the manager of Petersburg -Hopewell

Bus lines purchased the company.

Eventually Mr. Brown changed the name to

Tri-Cities Coaches.

In 1977, Mr. Brown sells the company to the city along with all of its route’s buses

and equipment in July of that year.

Petersburg is an independent City in the Commonwealth of Virginia that remains a

transportation hub, with the network area highways, including interstate highways 85,

95,295, and U.S highways 1, 301 and 460.

Both CSX and NS rail systems maintain transportation centers in Petersburg.

Amtrak serves the city with daily Northeast

corridor trains to Norfolk, Virginia and

long-distance routes from the state to the South.

The Petersburg Area Transit (PAT) is the principal public transportation provider for the

Petersburg urbanized area.

PAT was created pursuant to authority by the Governor of Virginia and the Secretary of

Transportation of Urban Mass Transportation Administration in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

for the purpose of providing public transportation service in the Petersburg, Virginia area.

Currently, PAT operates fixed-routes and Para-Transit service within the City of Petersburg and

to portions of the surroundings Cities of Hopewell, Colonial Heights and the City of Richmond,

Virginia.

PAT also provides service to portions of the counties of Dinwiddie and Prince George.

Service is provided Monday through Saturday.

     Our Mission

To provide safe, efficient, and accessible public transportation to the residents and visitors of the

Tri-City Area.

     Our Vision

Is for Petersburg Area Transit, to not only be accessible and dependable but an enjoyable transportation

option for people who live, work, and visit in the Tri-City Area.

     Priorities

      1. Safety

       2. Customer service