Introducing the New Draft Bus Network

Based on residents’ comments and preferences, the City has developed a Draft Bus Network. It is very different from the existing bus network in many ways. Almost every route has some changes. Here's an overview.  

Expanded Hours & More Frequent Service

The Draft Bus Network has many routes with buses arriving every 15 minutes most of the day. Every route runs from 5 am to 1 am the next day. There is a consistent level of service seven days a week. These frequent, useful routes are in the busiest areas of Greensboro, so a large number of people will be able to access a large number of jobs, services, and opportunities in a reasonable time. This type of service makes bus transit a very attractive alternative to cars.

Getting Across Town Faster

Another important factor is that every frequent route in the Draft Bus Network starts on one side of Greensboro and goes through downtown on to the other side. These “crosstown” routes will enable many people to make one-seat rides without waiting for another bus at the Downtown Depot. The Crossmax Purple is the first “new” east-west, crosstown route that GTA launched on March 4.

Service in New Areas

A portion of the budget will also be used to expand bus service to new areas. This will bring some service closer to more people and destinations than today, even if it isn’t very frequent.

Some routes in the western areas of Greensboro will serve new areas on the way to Coble Transportation Center and the Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport. In the eastern parts of Greensboro, some areas are covered by new Demand Response Zones. This flexible service similar to Uber provides transit coverage in less dense areas where high ridership is not expected.

Project Timeline 

To get to the Draft Bus Network, bus routes will need to be “phased in” over the next ten years. The first route change. Crossmax Purple, has been implemented. The remaining routes and demand response zones will be implemented as funding allows.

One of the biggest challenges the City faces is that this new network will require a much larger budget – more than twice as many resources for transit service compared to the current bus system. 

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