Ridership on Town Buses Up 39 Percent

Chapel Hill Transit officials and Town Council members were surprised by an increase in bus ridership from projections used at the birth of the fare-free busing program.

In January, Chapel Hill Transit put into effect a fare-free policy for the bus system, which makes all public buses in Chapel Hill cost nothing to ride. Fare-free busing also brought with it slight changes to the overall transit service.

"We expected that the fare-free bus system would increase ridership," Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy said.

Official estimates in January placed the increase at only about 10 percent to 20 percent, but numbers released in October reported that overall system ridership increased 38.6 percent.

"We expected a 10 to 20 percent increase; we are now at a 53 percent increase (in some areas)," said Chapel Hill Transportation Director Mary Lou Kuschatka.

"I think it worked out beyond anything we expected."

Between January and September 2002, 3.1 million passengers rode Chapel Hill Transit buses, an increase of 865,705 passengers when compared with the same period in 2001.

"We had no idea it was going to be such an overwhelming success," said council member Pat Evans.

The policy not only made buses free but also added four new routes and 100 extra hours of fixed-route weekday service and kept 15 buses in service that were supposed to be sold.

Kuschatka said increased ridership had the buses spending more time at each stop, which caused numerous buses to run late.

"We didn't anticipate so many riders," she said.

University funds, which account for 40 percent of the funding, are necessary to keep the buses free.

The University share for fare-free busing is paid with parking permit fees, departmental funds and an $8.49 per student fee.

The towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro fund the remaining 60 percent.

Officials say that despite a difficult fiscal year, they are optimistic about the program's chances for continuation.

"The budget has remained pretty stable," Kuschatka said.

UNC sophomore Tavis McGinn said he does not mind the fee if students use the service.

"If a lot of undergraduates use (fare-free busing) then it makes sense."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.