By: Anyi Li - Carolina Housing Marketing Intern 2021-2022
Welcome back to campus! It is exciting to return to campus after a year and a half of Zoom classes. However, if you are new to living on campus, you may find traveling around campus and Chapel Hill a bit challenging. Don’t worry! This blog post is here to help you tackle the “mysterious” Chapel Hill bus system!
Currently, the bus transit system generally practices a fare-free, and of course, masks are currently required. The bus is super convenient to be able to make it across campus, especially on rainy days! But be sure to plan ahead and leave yourself travel time. The buses typically stay on schedule to ensure accurate travel times. Planning your travel time at the beginning of your day can be the difference between arriving on time to class and explaining why you were late again.
Unknown to many students, there is an app called Transloc. You can download it on the App Store . It not only shows all the bus routes that are available in the Chapel Hill area, but also provides live updates on the buses’ movements. You will never have to worry about the bus coming earlier or later than the scheduled time. You can track them and see exactly how many minutes they are away from the closest bus stop!
Moreover, Transloc notifies you of temporary bus stop closures or route service changes, generally due to various ongoing construction projects. It also presents you with alternative transportation options! For those who like to hang out with friends after dark on Franklin Street, you don’t have to worry about walking back to your room in the dark! Though most bus lines stop running after dark, the Campus P2P Express Shuttles take you across campus from 7 PM to 4 AM. (https://move.unc.edu/p2p/)
There are a few more things you need to beware of when you use the app and when you are on the bus:
- The bus drivers normally do not stop if no one is waiting at the bus stop. If you are on the bus and hope to get off, you need to trigger the REQUEST STOP function. For regular buses, you can do so by pulling the yellow string by the windows. For P2P Express, you can do so by touching the mobile sensor line above your head.
- The live location of the bus is always one stop slower than its actual location. When you get on the bus, remember to check the blue dot showing your current location instead of tracking the bus sign.
For more information about the UNC Transportation System, visit the UNC Parking and Transporation web site: https://move.unc.edu/transit/