Jeffrey Sullivan, community outreach manager for Chapel Hill Transit, said that bus schedules and routes are made easily accessible through the NextBus and TransLoc apps.
However, real-time tracking on both systems may continue to be down for about the next 10 weeks while their equipment is upgraded to 4G networks, Sullivan said.
Both Sullivan and Walker said Google Maps is a helpful resource for estimating bus arrival times while the equipment is upgraded. Chapel Hill Transit also offers service updates on its Twitter.
Sullivan said Chapel Hill Transit is currently functioning with around 30 fewer operators than they need to provide their full services. He asked that riders be patient with reduced service levels and bus operators.
Despite the difficulties faced by public transport in Chapel Hill, Walker has enjoyed her experience riding the buses on campus and in the community.
“I really do like the buses on campus," she said. "And I think that we have a really efficient system."
Environmentally conscious transportation
Along with public transit like the bus systems, Chapel Hill and Carrboro encourage walking and biking as efficient and environmentally conscious modes of transportation.
“Chapel Hill and Carrboro take great pains and great care to try to create a safe and walkable environment and community,” Sullivan said.
John Rees, president of the Bicycle Alliance of Chapel Hill, believes that biking is ideal for students’ commutes, but also said that neither Chapel Hill nor Carrboro are completely safe for bikers.
“The towns need to do more, and I think both towns, to a certain extent, are aware of that,” he said. “They just need a lot more support from the citizens of the towns.”
Sullivan said that Chapel Hill Transit is working to encourage a stronger reliance on biking and walking in Carrboro, and the first step is making it safe enough for people to want to leave their cars behind.
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In the meantime, Rees suggests that students plan their routes ahead, use greenways for safer traveling, ensure their bikes are in good condition and, when driving on roads, emulate driving etiquette to remain predictable.
Overall, Rees encouraged that students bike to campus and around the community.
“For short trips, nothing beats a bicycle,” he said.
For students who are walking home at night, SafeWalk is a program that provides a free walk with fellow UNC students who are trained by the N.C. Department of Public Safety.
The program operates Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. and services to locations both on and off campus. UNC students can request SafeWalk services by calling (919) 962-SAFE (7233), reserving a walk through the organization's Calendly or approaching a SafeWalk team outside Davis Library.
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Eliza BenbowEliza Benbow is the 2023-24 lifestyle editor at The Daily Tar Heel. She has previously served as summer university editor. Eliza is a junior pursuing a double major in journalism and media and creative writing, with a minor in Hispanic studies.