Riders of Asheville’s bus system now have a new tool to help them plan their journey.
On Wednesday, the city launched a new website, RideTheArt.com, which provides real-time bus tracking, including departure information and service alerts for specific stops and lines.
The website also places all Asheville Rides Transit policies and information in one place; previously, they were scattered across various websites.
“We’re excited to offer these new tools for our community,” the city’s transit division manager, Chris Whitlock, said in a statement. “We’ve listened to feedback from passengers, and believe this new site will make planning an ART trip easier and more efficient.”
The new website comes as other big developments for Asheville’s bus system are in the works.
Asheville City Council recently approved a four-year, nearly $55 million contract with the city’s current bus operator, RATP Dev. City staff also conducted a public transit survey last year and plan to complete a Comprehensive Operational Analysis, a plan to overhaul bus routes, this summer.
Passengers seeking real-time information on ART buses can also use existing tools like the city’s NextART texting service, Google Maps and the Transit smartphone app.
