News

GRTC Statement on Downtown Transfer Station Incident

August 27, 2026

Press Releases

RICHMOND, Va. – GRTC’s thoughts remain with the riders and employees affected by Tuesday’s incident at the Downtown Transfer Station. On Tuesday morning, a GRTC bus was involved in an incident that resulted in 10 non-life-threatening injuries and damage to two passenger shelters. We are grateful that all reported injuries were non-life-threatening and that the GRTC operator who was injured has been released from the hospital. We continue to wish a full and speedy recovery to everyone affected.

Following the incident, GRTC temporarily closed the Downtown Transfer Station and established a transfer area nearby to maintain service while emergency responders and staff worked at the site. After the area was assessed and cleared, GRTC safely reopened the station later that afternoon, allowing customers to continue accessing transit services with minimal disruption.

We are grateful for the quick and coordinated response from Richmond Police, VCU Police, Richmond Fire Department, Richmond Ambulance Authority and other first responders, as well as GRTC employees who assisted riders, supported emergency response efforts, and helped maintain service throughout the incident.

“Safety is at the center of what we do, and we understand the concern an incident like this can create for our riders, employees and community,” said Sheryl Adams, Chief Executive Officer of GRTC. “We are grateful for the quick actions of first responders and our employees who stepped in to help Tuesday. Our focus remains on supporting those affected, fully understanding what occurred, and identifying opportunities to further strengthen safety across our system. We want our riders to know that GRTC remains committed to providing safe, reliable, and accessible transit service every day.”

GRTC continues to coordinate with the appropriate local, state and federal agencies, including the Federal Transit Administration, as the investigation remains ongoing. We will continue to support the investigative process and will not speculate on the cause while the investigation continues.

Separately, the Downtown Transfer Station is scheduled to close August 31 through September 11 for a repaving project planned prior to Tuesday’s incident. During the paving project, buses will serve temporary transfer locations along 9th Street between E. Leigh and E. Marshall streets. A detailed rider map and additional information is available online.

GRTC and the City will also use the paving closure opportunity to assess the site and identify any additional safety measures that may be appropriate for implementation.

GRTC remains committed to providing safe, reliable and accessible transit service while working closely with our partners throughout the investigation and review process.