AppalCART, Watauga County’s public transportation provider, is turning heads this week with the debut of its latest ride: a double-decker bus.
The $1.1 million bus started service just as Appalachian State University students returned to campus.
But it’s not just for college kids. AppalCART Director Craig Hughes says anyone can ride for free. It holds around 100 passengers. He says the bus will save money in fuel and personnel costs.
And, Hughes adds, it’ll help remind people that there are alternatives to the car on crowded Boone thoroughfares like King Street and Blowing Rock Road.
“If I can get someone to try public transportation, because it’s double-decker, that is a win for us,” he says. “Because the hope is they'll get on that bus and they'll say, ‘Hey, you know what? This is not so bad. This works for me. I can get out of my car and get on this bus, you know, and have an enjoyable experience on there.’”
Hughes says AppalCART is currently the only public transit provider in the state operating a double-decker bus.