On Monday, something happened in Chapel Hill that had not in five years: all of the Chapel Hill Transit bus routes were online and accepting riders.
The fare-free transit system announced last week it would be returning to full service, meaning there are no more suspended trips across any of its routes through Chapel Hill and Carrboro and no redlines — which the Chapel Hill Transit team celebrated with a social media video.
Major changes in Chapel Hill Transit’s service began in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when the town government reported the bus system had both low staffing and low ridership. But the department — which is based with the Town of Chapel Hill, but also receives funding from Carrboro and UNC — worked its way back to near-full service in early 2025. That restoration included five routes to full service, but left about 5% of bus trips still unaccounted for.
While all routes had been restored in some capacity, Chapel Hill Transit Director Brian Litchfield told Chapelboro this final push back to full service means those final routes are running all throughout the day again.
“The most affected were the F and G routes, local routes that serve neighborhoods and schools,” Litchfield said. “This gives customers from neighborhoods like Colony Woods, Booker Creek, Lakeshore in Chapel Hill — and Cates Farm, Barrington Hills, and Fair Oaks in Carrboro — more options. We also restored service that improves frequencies on the weekends for the J and NS routes.”
Both Chapel Hill Transit and the Town of Chapel Hill have reported ridership rebounding well in the wake of the pandemic. Now, Litchfield said, that interest is once again matched with the system’s resources.
“We are seeing the demand from the community for our full service and are confident that we can offer it now with our staffing levels,” he said. “Our team worked to improve recruitment and retention of Operators so that we could consistently offer the service. The challenge was to never bring back a suspended trip before we knew it would be reliable to our customers.”
For details on routes, live bus times, and tools to plan your trip, visit the Chapel Hill Transit webpage. Additionally, the transit system is taking community feedback on its Short-Range Transit Plan, which could update some of the routes. Those who are interested can view the interactive map and take the survey here.
Photo via Chapel Hill Transit.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
'A Huge Step': Remaining Funding for Chapel Hill's Bus Rapid Transit Project Listed in Federal Budget ProposalMore than $138 million is dedicated to Chapel Hill’s ongoing North South Bus Rapid Transit project in the president's proposal 2025 budget.
'Professionals Behind the Wheel': Chapel Hill Transit Competition Challenges and Celebrates Its OperatorsChapel Hill Transit held its annual roadeo competition this past weekend, where operators showed off their skills in a timed obstacle course.
Chapel Hill Transit Announces Updates For 2025, Including Routes Returning to Full ServiceAfter operating at a deficit of service for nearly five years, the Chapel Hill Transit system is set to fully restore some of its routes in the new year. The local bus system said earlier in December that five routes with limited service times and frequency will return to full operations, as well as one […]
Chapel Hill Transit Marks 20th Anniversary of Fare-Free ServiceWhen people hopped onto a Chapel Hill Transit bus this weekend, they may have thought about making sure they were on the correct route, what time it was or whether they were wearing a face mask. But one thing they didn’t have to think about? Having to pay for the ride. According to the transit […]
Chapel Hill's Bus Rapid Transit Project Awarded Federal Grant FundingA developing Chapel Hill Transit project is a recent recipient of a federal grant, which will help create a new bus line through the town. The Federal Transit Administration announced earlier in December nine transit projects would receive a combined $6.2 million in funding to support planned public transportation projects. Among the projects is Chapel […]
3 Electric Buses Coming Soon to Chapel Hill TransitThree new electric-battery buses will soon join the Chapel Hill Transit fleet, after the Town Council approved the selection of a manufacturer at a recent meeting. The zero-emission buses will be made by Gillig LLC, the bus manufacturer the town has used for most of its current fleet and who announced a new electric bus […]
Juneteenth Holiday to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange CountyAcross the country on Friday, Black Americans and communities will celebrate Juneteenth — the national recognition of when the final slaves were freed in the 19th century and of African-American culture. As a holiday, government services around the Orange County community will be affected on June 19 and the surrounding days. Here’s what residents can […]
Photo Gallery: Chapel Hill Transit Roadeo 2026 CompetitionThe Chapel Hill Transit system held its annual Roadeo competition among its bus operators to see who could best navigate an obstacle course.
Garbage Collection, Local Transit and More: How Memorial Day Will Impact Local ServicesThe observation of Memorial Day Monday, May 25 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will be closed. Residential trash will not be collected on Monday, with the make-up day […]
Chapel Hill Transit Returns to Full Service for First Time Since 2021The transit system announced last week it would be returning to full service, meaning there are no more suspended trips across any of its routes through Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
›
