NCDOT and Greyhound relaunch intercity bus service in Asheville, 10 months after Helene
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has announced that it will resume intercity bus service nearly a year after its suspension due to Helene.
According to a news release from NCDOT, Greyhound will operate the bus service under contract with NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division.
Services start Friday, August 1, as Greyhound will pick up and drop off passengers on Ashland Avenue outside the downtown Asheville Rides Transit (ART) Transit Station.
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“Restoring service to Asheville has been a top priority,” said Brennon Fuqua, director of NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division in the news release. “This is not just about getting buses back on the road. It’s about ensuring residents have reliable, affordable transportation to access not only our great state but also the nation. Access to transportation is access to opportunity.”
According to the news release, the new arrangement is the result of months of coordination with NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division and Asheville.
NCDOT provides federal and state funds for the bus service and Greyhound services as the contract operator of both routes in Asheville.
Collaboration between NCDOT and Greyhound has led to the connection of the national intercity bus network, allowing North Carolinians to travel throughout the country.
NCDOT says the relaunch of the bus service marks a major step forward in restoring vital transportation access for Asheville and the surrounding communities.
Travelers will have direct daily access between Asheville and the following:
- Charlotte
- Winston-Salem
- Greensboro
- Chapel Hill
- Raleigh
Travelers can also easily connect to these out-of-state destinations through the bus service:
- Richmond, Virginia
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- New York
- Atlanta
- Greenville, South Carolina.
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“Intercity bus travel is a lifeline for so many people in this region — providing an affordable way to visit family and access jobs and healthcare across North Carolina and beyond,” said Greyhound Chief Operating Officer Rodney Surber in the news release. “After nearly a year of work to restore service in Asheville, we’re proud to finally get riders moving again. We’re especially grateful to the state and local officials whose partnership made this possible.”
Travelers with the bus service will see new daytime-friendly schedules, faster transfers, and easier connections to regional transit.
“The city is excited to welcome Greyhound back to Asheville and to have them connect directly to our downtown Transit Center,” said Christopher Whitlock, Asheville’s Transit Division manager, in a news release. “After Tropical Storm Helene disrupted Greyhound service, restoring this connection is an important step in returning regional mobility and providing our community with diverse travel options.”
To book tickets or learn more about bus services, visit here, or download the Greyhound mobile app.
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