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Virginia Railway Express (VRE) recently launched Commuter Awareness for Safe Travel (CAST), a security initiative designed to inform passengers how they can help make the commuter-rail system safer.

A five-step CAST program offers ways passengers can be "safe, smart, informed, aware and prepared" when it comes to security.

"Many of our riders ride the same train every day, in many cases with the same people — there is a high degree of familiarity that comes with this," said VRE Chief Executive Officer Dale Zehner in a prepared statement. "By proactively informing and educating our riders on what to be observant of, or informing them of pertinent safety tips, they become sort of the ‘eyes and ears’ for VRE."

During the past three years, VRE has implemented several security initiatives, such as assigning undercover officers to ride trains, conducting random searches by bomb-sniffing dogs, and increasing security patrols and yard surveillance.