In the past, a drop in demand during the summer months caused certain Chapel Hill Transit routes — such as the CM, CW, D and J — to decrease their hours of operation.
“As of this summer, there really isn’t much of a change,” said Brian Litchfield, director of Chapel Hill Transit. “Thanks to improvements that we’re able to make as a result of the Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan, the routes that used to end earlier in the day when the University is not in session are now operating year round.”
The Orange County Bus and Rail Investment Plan includes funding for improvements to available services.
As of this summer, the only route changes will occur to the U and NU, which will not operate on the weekends when the University is not in session. The NU route will also decrease its evening service hours.
“It was really frustrating for customers to have trips that operated nine months out of the year, then once the University was out of session no longer operated,” Litchfield said.
“The partners that fund Chapel Hill Transit have agreed to utilize funding to help fund services that will make better connections for folks going to and from jobs, especially on nights and weekends, and also help improve access to retail and medical care and things that are important for folks to get to and from on a regular basis,” he said.
In addition to the greater Chapel Hill community, UNC students planning to take summer classes will also benefit from Chapel Hill Transit’s new year-round schedule.
“With certain buses changing up their routes, ending early or choosing not to run at all, this leaves a lot of students up a creek without a paddle,” said sophomore Miranda Barrigas, who said she plans to live off campus this summer.
