A series of public ‘drop-in’ meetings is underway – today was West Asheville – and will continue over the next two weeks as Asheville rolls out the biggest change to its transit system in years.
Philippes Dargan speaks with Mariate Echeverry of Asheville Transit about changes to routes and schedules. Mr. Dargan has used transit in Asheville “for years.” (photo by Bill Rhodes)
Amid tough budgets, significant safety issues and rising fuel costs, Asheville Transit is rolling into summer with a major tuneup. The system is poised to announce new routes, schedules and other changes designed to improve performance, convenience and safety. In tandem, the city will launch a marketing campaign aimed at touting the transition and luring new riders, starting with a name change from ATS to ART (Asheville Redefines Transit).
The artwork that will grace the sides of three Asheville city buses has already been chosen, but Mountain Xpress is appealing the public art project to the court of public opinion. Tell us — what art would you have chosen?
The perennial bus-rider’s question, “Where’s my bus?” might finally yield an easy answer if the Asheville Transit Commission gives the go-ahead to a group of citizens proposing a real-time GPS bus-tracking system that can be accessed via Internet-connected computers and smart-phones.
