Explore with Express.
As part of our Explore with Express series, this month’s focus will be on our Route 3 High-Point Express. PART’s routes 1, 2, and 3 seamlessly connect Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point, making it as simple as a nice relaxing bus ride to navigate the Triad.
Most people know High Point as the Furniture Capital of the World. But, along with furniture, High-Point has many great things for visitors to enjoy, and the Piedmont Environmental Center is one such place. Located off Penny Road in High Point, the PART system makes it easy to get to from neighboring cities.
This exceptional Center provides programs and a place to learn, conserve and enjoy nature through hands-on experiences that focus on our fragile natural environment. It offers 6 miles of beautiful nature trails and planned educational classes for school groups and individual programs. It also houses a unique 70’ x 30’ walk-on topographic Mapscape of North Carolina, small animal exhibits, and has conference rooms and classrooms available to reserve. The High Point Greenway and the Greensboro Bicentennial Greenway join at the Piedmont Environmental Center, linking the Center to over a hundred miles of beautiful and extensive trail systems.
So, hop on a PART bus and get out and enjoy what the Triad has to offer! PART buses are climate controlled, bike-friendly, handicap accessible, have high back reclining seats and high ceilings. Riding with PART is easy, affordable, and very comfortable!
PART’s New Board Members
PART would like to welcome our two new Board Members, Martha Wolfe and Skip Alston. We are thankful for their service. 
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“Why isn’t there a bus stop at this corner?”
“I need the bus to arrive downtown 10 minutes earlier.” “If the bus went here, I could ride it to work.” These are the challenges that keep transit planners up at night! Designing public transportation routes and service is complex, with multiple factors to consider. For example, determining the safest and quickest way between destinations and identifying safe and accessible bus stops. Creating a schedule to accommodate travel needs and deciding when service should start/stop and which days it should run.
To help with these challenges, Transit Planners use mapping tools and data that focus on where people live and work to determine which communities would benefit from service. The Federal Transit Administration classifies PART’s service as an express commuter service, a specific type of service that connects neighboring communities. Most of the routes are long-running with limited stops. PART’s service enters and leaves downtown areas with reduced stops and travels primarily along an interstate or highway with the “doors closed”, connecting neighboring community partners we serve. Within our 10-county service area, routes have schedules designed to accommodate commuters; others have frequent service throughout the day, servicing all types of trips.
In addition to maps and data, PART relies on input from local citizens. Service changes are generally the result of riders changing needs and suggestions, balanced with feasible and fundable, and aligned with our mission of Connecting Communities.
Public Transportation agencies have always needed to be fluid, changing as communities change, and are adapted to searching for creative ways to address mobility needs. However, a post-pandemic society delivered many new challenges. Our region, and the industry, have been impacted by a significant reduction in ridership. People started working from home, left the workforce in record numbers, and had concerns over catching the virus. Looking for ways to attract a new generation of riders while bringing back former riders will keep transit planners busy, and up at night, for the next few years!
Working to stay informed.
On February 24th, Piedmont Transportation Professionals hosted an event with NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division’s (IMD) John Vine-Hodge, Deputy Director, and Bryan Lopez, Regional Planning Manager, presenting. In 2019, NCDOT merged the Transit and Bike/Ped divisions to create this division. Over the course of that year, IMD established and began defining itself. John and Bryan took this opportunity to introduce the multimodal planning strategies & goals undertaken by IMD and review the programs and resources the unit has available.
Also presenting was Mark Kirstner, PART’s Director of Planning, focusing on Transportation Planning and Transportation Demand Management. The event hosted over 40 participants both virtually and in person.
