Public Transportation
|
Regional Bus Service
Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) provides regional public transportation, providing bus service connecting the cities in the Research Triangle Region with the local bus systems and the Research Triangle Park. TTA operations include a regional bus line with connector shuttles, vanpool services bringing commuters into the major work centers, rideshare matching services and in the future, a regional rail system that will link the Triangle together. Each of the Research Triangle Region's four largest cities (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary) offer local transit systems providing bus services within each city and the surrounding areas. These services use new, air-conditioned buses and provide energy efficient, low-cost way to travel. Within the City of Raleigh, the public transportation system - Capital Area Transit (CAT) - comprises of two, highly integrated types of transportation services. These services include a regular bus system and a system of feeder service connections. The City of Raleigh uses 18 regular bus routes, five demand response connector routes, four fixed routes, and six night connectors. The CAT also provides a nighttime entertainment trolley to downtown Raleigh every Thursday through Saturday nights. (919) 828-SCAT. Within the City of Durham, the public transportation system - Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) - comprises of two, highly integrated types of transportation services. These services include a fixed bus route service and a demand responsive van service (ACCESS). There are 19 different bus routes; and DATA customers can expand their area of travel by transferring to and from the Chapel Hill Transit or Triangle Transit Authority system. (919) 683-DATA Within the Town of Chapel Hill, public Transportation is services throughout Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University of North Carolina community. Chapel Hill Transit operated a fixed route and demand responsive service within a 25 square mile area. The systems produces over 100,000 annual hours of service and carried about 3 million passengers per year. The Chapel Hill Transit also provides connecting service to DATA and the Triangle Transit Authority. (919) 968-2769
The Southeast is experiencing a rapid economic and population growth. High-speed rail service in this area will provide business and leisure travelers with an alternative to air and automobile travel for trips between 100 to 500 miles at a competitive value. These high-speed rail services run up to 150 mph. States such as North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia have joined together and are working with businesses to form a four-state coalition to plan, develop and implement high-speed rail in the Southeast. The Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor (SEHSR) is developing the coalition, by which will first develop service between Washington, DC, Richmond, Raleigh and Charlotte set to be completed in 2010. Extensions of this service are later planned for Atlanta, Columbia and Jacksonville. Amtrak offers service in the Research Triangle Region with four passenger rail lines. The rail lines consist of the Silver Star Line, running to either New York or Miami; the Silver Palm, running from Florida to New York; the Carolinian, running from Charlotte to New York; and the Piedmont, running from Raleigh to Charlotte. These rail lines offer service throughout the Research Triangle Region with location connectors in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Southern Pines and Selma. Average ride times from the region to popular destinations include the following: Research Triangle Region to Richmond, VA 3.5 hours Research Triangle Region to Washington, DC 6 hours Research Triangle Region to Baltimore, MD 7 hours Research Triangle Region to Philadelphia, PA 8.5 hours Research Triangle Region to New York, NY 10 hours Research Triangle Region to Orlando, FL 13 hours Research Triangle Region to Miami, FL 19 hours Plans are in store for a light Regional Rail Service that will be offered to commuters on a 35 mile track, linking Durham, Research Triangle Park (RTP), Morrisville, Cary and Raleigh. The trains will be Deisel Multiple Unites (DMUs) and will run on new track in the existing NC Railroad and CSX Railroad right-of-ways. The regional rail service will run every 7 ½ or every 15 minutes in peak hours and every 15 or 30 minutes in off-peak hours and on weekends. The service will be open 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trains will run approximately 31 mph and access the rail service through 16 stations planned along the route. The stations will have park-and-ride lots and will be accessible to pedestrians, bicycles, and wheel chairs. The Triangle Transit Authority among other transit providers will provide bus and shuttle access to the stations and beyond. Rental Car facilities are located throughout the Region and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Local area companies are listed below: 919-840-0132 Avis 919-840-4750 Budget 919-840-4775 Dollar 919-840-4850 Enterprise 919-787-8600 Hertz 919-840-4875 National 919-840-4350 Thrifty 919-832-9381 Triangle Rent-a-Car 919-840-3400 |