The Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA) was first created as an Authority in 1991 when the City of Greensboro assumed operations of a private bus transportation system operated by the Duke Power Company since 1925. GTA is now advised by a nine-person advisory commission comprised of representatives appointed by the Greensboro City Council.

GTA has provided quality public transportation services to Greensboro residents and visitors. GTA operates bus service seven days a week with a total of 19 routes served.

For eligible riders who have a disability that prevents them from riding the fixed route service, GTA operates Access GSO, a paratransit service providing curb-to-curb and door-to-door service within the city limits of Greensboro.

The City of Greensboro Public Transportation Division which oversees GTA is responsible for service planning, scheduling, and performance monitoring of all GTA transit services.

GTA operates within the Greensboro city limits, which comprises 131 square miles, and serves approximately 260,000 people. The sole destination served outside city limits is the Jamestown campus of Guilford Technical Community College. GTA also works in partnership with the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) to provide transportation access throughout the Triad.

GTA vehicles drive 2,170,000 revenue miles per year, and almost 300 miles of GTA routes. At last count, there were 1,083 GTA bus stops in Greensboro and Jamestown. GTA serves more than two million passenger trips per year. Access GSO vehicles drive 1,400,000 revenue miles per year.

There are currently 54 fixed-route buses in the GTA fleet, consisting of New Flyer and Gilig makes. GTA also has 17 Proterra battery-electric buses. Access GSO has almost 60 paratransit vans.

GTA has an operating budget of approximately $23 million annually. About $1.7 million in revenue for GTA comes from pass sales and farebox revenue. GTA also receives funding from the Federal Transit Administration, NC Department of Transportation, City of Greensboro and as part of a lease-termination agreement with Duke Energy.

GTA provides bus services by contract with RATP DEV. The contractor is responsible for drivers and maintenance and provides 233,000 revenue hours of service annually.



Public Transportation Timeline

• 1925 - Southern Public Utilities, a subsidiary of Duke Power, begins public transportation services in Greensboro; Southern Railway train station begins construction downtown
• 1927 - Southern Railway station completed
• 1934 - Trackless trolleys begin service downtown
• 1962 - First African-American driver, Ed Greenlee, takes the wheel  
• 1963 - Current bus fare is 15 cents per trip
• 1964 - National civil rights laws end segregation on public transportation vehicles
• 1980 - National Passenger Rail Corporation (Amtrak) formed, passenger station established at Pomona freight yard near UNCG
• 1988 - Voters pass referendum authorizing property tax to support public transit
• 1990 - City of Greensboro takes over transit services from Duke Power, Greensboro City Council creates Greensboro Transit Authority; Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life including transportation
• 1991 - Bus fare is .50 cents per trip
• 1992 - GTA carries one millionth rider; launches Career Express
• 1992 - GTA receives first lift-equipped buses and SCAT (now Access GSO) vans
• 1993 - Bus fare is 70 cents per trip
• 1995 - GTA displays first advertising painted bus
• 1996 - African-American female appointed Public Transportation Manager
• 1997 - Bus fare is $1 per trip
• 1998 - Evening modified (deviated) bus service offered for first time since departure of Duke Transit
• 1999 - Evening and Sunday fixed schedule offered 
• 2000 - GTA debuts talking buses
• 2002 - SCAT service area adjusted to 3/4 mile of Fixed Route Corridor except for previously established trips. 
• 2003 - Opening of J. Douglas Galyon Depot multi-modal transportation center (Phase 1) at former Southern Railway depot; six-month operational analysis performed on SCAT recommended elimination of monthly pass and grandfathered trips, establishment of premium fare for non-ADA trips and development of a method of payment for users who cannot easily manipulate a cash fare 
• 2004 - GTA Board established a two-tiered fare structure that enabled riders who resided or traveled beyond the ADA service area to ride SCAT at a premium rate
• 2005 City Council votes to terminate the two-tiered fare structure, institute a "single ADA paratransit service" and extend the SCAT service area to anywhere within the City limits at the same base fare for all trips
• 2006 - Higher Education Area Transit (HEAT) begins service, partnering with seven local colleges and universities 
• 2007 - GTA Board adopts revised fare structure that supported City Council recommendation; adds sedans to fleet; GTA fare is $1.10 per trip; HEAT website wins American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Award; 30-minute service begins on all daytime routes
• 2008 - GTA fare is $1.20 per trip; Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act makes it easier for individuals to seek protection under 1990 ADA act
• 2009 - Evening routes extended from 7 to 15 routes; fare increased to $1.30 per trip as part of third planned fare increase
• 2010 - GTA radio commercial wins American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Award; GTA Transportation Center offers free Wi-Fi and electronic charging station; HEAT adds direct routes to area shopping districts; construction begins on new Operations and Maintenance Facility and Administrative Offices
• 2011 - GTA places into operation Greensboro’s first diesel-electric hybrid buses
• 2012 - GTA completes construction on new 66,000-square-foot Operations/Maintenance Facility and Administrative Office at 223 W. Meadowview Rd, fares increased to $1.50 per trip 
• 2013 - GTA places in operation first gasoline-electric hybrid SCAT vans
• 2014 - Debut of GoPass, GTA's first rechargeable smart card
• 2015 - GTA wins marketing awards from North Carolina City-County Communicators
• 2016 - Live bus tracking begins using Durham-based Transloc
• 2017 - GTA wins American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Marketing Award
• 2018 - North Carolina's first battery-electric buses to be placed into municipal service begins serving Greensboro provided by Proterra of Greenville, SC. GTA wins American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Marketing Award. SCAT I-Ride launches, providing city-wide on-demand transportation for ambulatory paratransit riders
• 2019 - Greensboro City Council changes Greensboro Transit Authority Board to Greensboro Transit Advisory Commission; Keolis Transportation begins three-year contract for operations and maintenance services.
• 2019 - GTA institutes service modifications to improve on-time reliability, including new Randleman Road service.
• 2020 - GTA wins American Public Transportation Association AdWheel Marketing Award
• 2020 - In response to worldwide COVID-19 pandemic; GTA integrates federal, state, county and local prevention methods and practices including one year of free service, operator barriers, sanitizing stations and more.
• 2021 - Specialized Community Area Transit (SCAT) is rebranded as Access GSO; UMO fare payment system brings ability to pay fares by mobile device; Renovations of J. Douglas Galyon Depot waiting, customer service and operator break areas; GTA marks 30 years in service since founding in October 1991.
• 2022 - GTA brand updated to reflect future focus: Ride. Connected.; GTA partners with Guilford County Schools to provide free transportation to school for students; Remaining HEAT routes become GTA routes; GTA awards five-year operations contract to RATP DEV.
• 2023 - GoBORO Long Range Transit Study launched to plan the feature of public transportation in Greensboro
• 2024 - GTA introduces Crossmax Purple, GTA's first cross-town, one-seat ride offering a 15-minute frequency.