As county and regional leaders gathered yesterday (Wednesday) to mark the 40th anniversary of the Fairfax Connector bus service, nearly everyone wanted to get a photo taken with John Ashford.
Ashford was one of the original drivers when the local bus system began operations in September 1985, and he remains behind the wheel today.
He and others with long tenures on the buses and behind the scenes were honored at the ceremony, which was held at Fairfax Connector’s headquarters off West Ox Road.
“This feels a lot like a family reunion,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said as he surveyed the scene.
McKay said the large turnout for the festivities “speaks volumes to the importance of transit, not only in Fairfax County but all of Northern Virginia.”
“It’s not about the buses, it’s about the people: the mechanics, the operators,” he said, calling them “heroes in my mind.”
“They are literally — literally — an important part of our economic success,” the board chair said. “I respect them every day.”
Fairfax Connector was established to complement Metrobus service in the county, and provide service at a lower cost.
The original 10 routes have since expanded to more than 90 that carried over 9 million riders in 2024. The Connector even operates outside the county’s boundaries, connecting Fairfax with other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, Maryland and D.C.
Gregg Steverson, director of the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, said the service has evolved into what he views as the best transit system of its kind.
Steverson thanked leaders of the county government and agencies such as the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation for support in the “daily fight to fund transportation solutions” for ever-more-congested Northern Virginia.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation recently partnered with Transdev, which holds the Fairfax Connector operating contract, to restore one of the system’s original buses.
More than 31 feet long and 96 inches wide, the 1985 Orion 1 model has long since been retired but serves as a rolling ambassador linking the transit network’s past to its present.
As it was on display at the anniversary ceremony, FFXnow asked Ashford to hop behind the wheel for an interview and photos.
He proved to be a man who got to the point as he settled in, responding with a succinct “yes, sir” when asked if stepping into the throwback bus brought back “good memories.”
McKay noted that he was 10 years old when Fairfax Connector buses began rolling in his neighborhood in southeastern Fairfax County. Before the ceremony, he spent some time chatting with Ashford about the early days.
“Not many people can say they were here on Day 1,” McKay said. “We’re proud of you.”
The bus network has weathered a number of strikes, most recently in February and March 2024. But the focus on Oct. 1 was on the shared contributions of all who have worked there over the past four decades.
“Strong leadership and bold decisions” helped the system grow and prosper, Steverson said.
