Long-awaited technology is convenient for CHT customers.

Town of Chapel Hill

Real-time bus tracking on Chapel Hill Transit will be ready for use Monday, March 13. After an extended period without the convenient technology, we are excited to offer it to our customers. All of Chapel Hill Transit buses have been upgraded with the necessary equipment and a testing phase has been completed.

The NextBus app can show nearby stops, routes, travel direction, and the estimated departure time of buses. The app also can link customers to walking directions, set alerts, and provide agency information. Customers can download the NextBus app from their device’s app store.

It is important to note that NextBus will not track the B, CCX, or JFX routes. Those routes continue to be operated by Carolina Livery. For customers waiting in our bus shelters, they will find the LED arrival-departure board is not operational. Those boards rely on out-dated technology that is not compatible with the newly installed bus equipment. The blue information boards will work.

Meanwhile, we are progressing with the next generation of real-time bus tracking. While the NextBus technology and app will be useful, there will be another upgrade for our customers. The GMV Synchromatics project continues and is on schedule for completion later this summer. GMV bus tracking will include the features of our current system, and customers will also benefit from improved accuracy and bus capacity information.

We thank you for your patience throughout this time and for your ridership every day.

Two new electric vehicle charging spaces with ADA accessibility are now available in the Eubanks Park-and-Ride Lot.

Two new electric vehicle charging spaces with ADA accessibility are now available in the Eubanks Park-and-Ride Lot.

“Community members can plug in their vehicle and then hop on a fare-free electric bus,” said Brian Litchfield, Director of Chapel Hill Transit.

The Eubanks Park-and-Ride lot is also illuminated by efficient LED lights and has solar-powered security cameras.

The new Level-2 charging station is part of a growing electric vehicle infrastructure in Chapel Hill. Of the more than 75 publicly available charging stations in Chapel Hill, the Town owns and maintains stations at the Homestead Aquatic Center, Town Hall, and the public level of the 140 West parking garage. There will be more than 20 charging stations in the new Rosemary Street parking deck, which will be completed in early 2024.

“Transportation creates 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in Chapel Hill, and these chargers make it easier for people to have a lower-carbon commute,” said Brennan Bouma, Sustainability Program Analyst for the Town of Chapel Hill.

The Orange County Community Climate Action Grant Program provided funding support for this new charging station.

The Eubanks Park-and-Ride lot is served by Chapel Hill Transit’s NS Route, which travels through downtown Chapel Hill to Southern Village. GoTriangle’s CRX Route, an express route between Chapel Hill and Raleigh, was temporarily suspended due to driver shortages but is scheduled to resume service at this lot on March 26. Both Chapel Hill Transit and GoTriangle are adding 100% electric, zero-emission buses to their fleets and currently provide fare-free rides. You can learn more about Chapel Hill’s Park and Ride program and purchase a parking pass for the Eubanks Lot by visiting the Chapel Hill Transit website.

The Chapel Hill Police Department is planning several pedestrian safety enforcement operations in March, in addition to normal patrols. Scheduled special operations include – but are not limited to – the following dates:

• Thursday, March 9, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, March 14, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, March 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 29, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

*Dates and times are subject to change

Each effort will focus on areas with heavy pedestrian and bicycle traffic, including downtown, and mid-block crosswalks (ex. along the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Estes Drive corridors). We encourage everyone traveling, regardless of your mode of transportation, to remember that community safety is a shared responsibility.

The Chapel Hill Police Department is also planning at least four speed enforcement operations in March – in addition to normal patrols – with the main goal of improving safety for everyone who shares roads.

• Tuesday, March 7, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 14, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 21, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Tuesday, March 28, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

*Dates and times are subject to change

My car does what?

Automakers constantly update vehicle safety technologies. The National Safety Council (NSC) has free resources to help you understand the safety systems in your car. The NSC offers an organized overview, along with simple explanations of safety technologies. The nonprofit also has a robust video library. Learn more here.

Vision Zero

On October 13, 2021, Chapel Hill’s Town Council adopted a Vision Zero Resolution, which states that traffic injuries and deaths are not inevitable “accidents” but preventable crashes. The Town committed to eliminating all transportation and mobility related deaths and serious injuries by 2031. This will be achieved through a comprehensive and holistic approach to designing safe roadway systems for all users no matter how they choose to move throughout the community. To view the resolution, click here.