Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / June 27, 2008, edition 1 / Page 15
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iThr Daily ear Hrrl Chapel Hill Transit a free, simple service Other options available for area travel BY MAX ROSE SENIOR WRITER Chapel Hill might not be a big town, but it does have a public transportation system to rival one. Many residents choose to bike or walk, but some choose the free bus system to get to their destinations. Chris Fuhrmann, a graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences, had never used public transportation before he trans ferred to UNC-Chapel Hill from UNC-Wilmington. He now rides the bus back and forth from home every day. “For all the routes that I’ve taken, it's been pretty efficient," he said as he waited for the bus on South Road. The Chapel Hill transportation system became fare-free in January 2002 and now has 31 routes that stretch throughout the town, Carrboro and the University. The three bodies pay for transit together based on census popu lation counts. Chapel Hill Town Council member Ed Harrison said. The University is the biggest financial contributor to the system. "Students and employees togeth er have got to represent the major ity of riders," he said. The total ridership in 2007 was about 6 million people, Harrison said. That is up from about 3 million before the system went fare-free. At a performance evaluation to Chapel Hill Transit Free www.nextbus.com Robertson Scholars Bus Free www.robertsonscholars. org/bus Triangle Transit Authority $2 www.ridetta.org | Visiting Chapel Hill f * f p t \ Let The Siena Hotel's European Charm and Southern Hospitality create your haven away from home. gjj^ <<& Call us toll free at 800.223.7379 IL PALIO A or visit our website www.sienahotel.com. oCutora tr k •-*—**- i - £. Franklin Street I Chapel Hill y NC 27514 the council in March 2007, Steve Spade, town director of transpor tation, called Chapel Hill's transit system “head and shoulders above everybody else." Freshman Brandon Prince rides the bus a few times every week to get his car. which he parks about three miles from his dormitory. “Since I'm on North Campus, 1 don’t have to go anywhere that's too far," he said. The fleet of 99 buses includes "Parents, Welcome to Carolinaf Capture tie "feefine/ at Ot's yOVH, Office on Campus... pjllYljly Wcckdicl * Carolina Parents Association r\\ u o r ™no * Carolina Family Magazine October 3-5, 2008 • Parents Handbook Register online at * Parent O ri e„taaon B http://parents.unc.edu * Monthly e-mails in July. • Summer - wwlj . M|iNewStadent . . And morel &s***&*<*• ■ Performance!. Supported by the ® "Family Time Carolina Parents Fund. Division of Student Affairs Iparents@unc.edu http://parents.unc.edu 919-962-8304 CB 5490 • SASB South - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill • NC • 27599 Carolina Compass recently introduced hybrids to reduce gas use. And the transit system might move toward more hybrid buses in the future. Diesel, which most buses run on, has more than doubled in cost in the past four years, Harrison said. “As the cost of fossil fuel goes up, they sort of pay themselves ofT faster," he said. “We re really trying to invest in getting rid of the older buses." Last summer the Town Council upped the technology factor for the town's transit system by imple menting Nextßus Inc., a real-time tracking technology that allows patrons to check their bus’s arrival times from their computers. The town awarded a $950,000 contract to the California-based company to install the Internet sites, as well as on-site digitized signs at 14 bus stops that predict the buses’ arrivals. Harrison, who is active on trans portation issues in his role on the council, is also an avid cyclist. Fuhrmann said some alterna tive transportation is not as com mon here as in past places where he has lived. “Students and employees together have got to represent the majority of riders.” ED HARRISON, CHAPEI HILL TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER “Here you don’t dodge many skateboarders because it’s so hilly," he said. But anyone who walks from South Campus will tell you that bikes are common. “There are obvious concerns with bikers versus pedestrians and bikers FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2008 versus cars," said Adrienne Edwards, marketing and design coordinator for the Student Union. “It gets kind of unnerving after a while." Contact the City Editor at citydesk(a unc.edu. 15
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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June 27, 2008, edition 1
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