news-record.com

Skip to the site menu
Skip to search

NEWS

HEAT buses no longer run to GTCC, Greensboro College

Article
Comments (9)

Monday, August 10, 2009

(Updated Tuesday, August 11 - 5:34 am)

Staff Reports

GREENSBORO — Higher Education Area Transit buses will no longer run to GTCC and Greensboro College.

Greensboro Transit Authority said both colleges declined to renew their deals for the fall semester.

GTA has made the following changes to the HEAT bus routes:

* HEAT Route 74 will no longer provide express service to GTCC's Jamestown campus. Students will be able to access the campus using GTA Routes 11 and 11A.

* HEAT Route 70 will no longer stop at GTCC's East Wendover Avenue campus. The campus will continue to be served by GTA Route 10.

* HEAT Routes 71, 70/71 and 72 will not make stops at Greensboro College. The school will be serviced by GTA Routes 1, 7, 8, 9, 26 and 27.

Also, GTCC and Greensboro College students will not receive fare-free access to HEAT and GTA. Students are still eligible to pay normal fares.

HEAT buses serve UNCG, N.C. A&T, Bennett College, Guilford College and the Elon University School of Law. Bus routes also include stops downtown, at Friendly Center and at student housing complexes near UNCG and A&T.

HEAT's fall semester service will start next Monday. For more information on HEAT, visit its Web site at www.rideheat.com.

Accompanying Photos

File photo (News & Record)

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Comments

View Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please report abuse.

Panacea

August 10, 2009 - 11:03 am EDT

Wow. This is a surprise. I had no idea this was coming. The free bus system really helps students who don't have cars get to school. I personally know students for whom this will be a hard ship.

It makes me wonder how it will affect parking at GTCC, which is already a mess and expected to get worse as enrollment is again breaking records.

Gymnaseum

August 10, 2009 - 1:30 pm EDT

I found out the HEAT will still stop at tate and Walker, near UNCG, and Fulton and Lee, two blocks back of campus from Greensboro College. Now, whether they lose the free access, I am not sure. I think the Transportation Department has great deals or free offers for students, anyway, on all bus routes.

Gray

August 10, 2009 - 1:56 pm EDT

As the article notes, Greensboro College students will lose free access to the HEAT and GTA buses.

Wiley

August 10, 2009 - 2:20 pm EDT

being someone who uses heat a lot i feel like they should integrate the buses into the rest of GTA in a more efficient manner.

Beadbaby

August 10, 2009 - 10:08 pm EDT

I work at GTCC - Wendover, and this is the first I've heard of it. Many of my students will be very disappointed. I work in Basic Skills and many of my students depend on the bus.

However, I can't say that I'm shocked. Money is really tight around here right now. This was my first day of Fall semester, and the floors weren't waxed. Usually, the school takes advantage of breaks to spiff the place up, but I guess there was no money to pay the maintenance staff to do the extra work. I also don't know if I will get a photocopy card for the upcoming semester; I didn't get one for the summer session. There's a freeze on non-teaching positions; my boss says that if I leave, I'll be replaced but that if she does, she won't.

As far as I know, it's not as bleak here as at Greensboro College, but we are definitely in hunker-down mode right now.

gboro84

August 10, 2009 - 11:08 pm EDT

This is not news. The rumor was all but confirmed before summer semester started. The only shocker is that GTA didn't tell anyone sooner because they increased fares in July and told us all that service would stay the same, better, more frequent routes. Well, obviously, it was a lie. Again, this isn't news, but it's nice that the public now knows how bus riders are getting further screwed.

Get Real

August 11, 2009 - 1:47 am EDT

The buses were designed by a GTCC student too. Bummer.

Gymnaseum

August 11, 2009 - 9:58 am EDT

Thanks, Gray, for pointing that out...I skimmed too fast.

I checked the fares, and was surprised: students younger than 19 get a reduced fare, but not college students. This seems bad practice. ($0.85 vs. $1.30 one-way) But they DO get a break on a Month-long (31 days) unlimited pass ($25 vs. $50...good savings).

springdalemayor

August 11, 2009 - 10:15 am EDT

The HEAT buses have been a "godsend" to those of us who live near the downtown campuses with regard to parking. Many students do take advantage of the service; but it is expensive for the schools. I hope that service between the Fulton/Lee St. apartments will continue and that those of us who live near the Spring Garden St. route that 72 takes will add stops on Spring Garden St. (perhaps at Jackson St., and Mendenhall St. or Springdale Court) to service UNCG students, staff/faculty who live nearby.