MARYLAND (DC News Now) -- The Purple Line in Maryland is one step closer to opening. On Thursday, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration announced the start of dynamic testing for all eight light rail vehicles. The testing will take place on the one-mile test tr ack near the Operations and Maintenance Facility along Veterans Parkway in Prince George's County. MoCo Minute | Grants available for small businesses along Purple Line The Purple Line project is about 76% complete, and officials said seeing the light rail vehicles on the track shows its continued progress. "Moving into the dynamic testing phase is a testament to the extraordinary collaboration of the Maryland Transit Administration, Purple Line Transit Partners, Maryland Transit Solutions and Purple Line Transit Operators along with support from our local and state elected officials,” said Ray Biggs, II, MTA Senior Project Director for the Purple Line During the testing phase, crews will monitor the light rail vehicles as they go back and forth on the track to evaluate the mechanical system under real-world conditions. While evaluating the 142-foot light rail vehicles, team members will check onboard components such as braking, propulsion, electrical, signaling and communications systems. The Purple Line Transit Operators will conduct the testing during the day and night. Once this phase is complete, future testings will involve the trains running on longer sections of the mainline track. Officials noted that dynamic testing is expected to continue throughout 2026 as new light rail vehicles are received. This is a critical step to kickstarting service in late 2027. ...read more read less