Users of Watauga County’s public transportation system will soon have the opportunity to enjoy Boone’s scenic views from a higher vantage point.
AppalCart is integrating a new double-decker bus into its fleet, which was commemorated by a ribbon-cutting ceremony held July 15.
Craig Hughes, AppalCart’s executive director, said the process of obtaining the bus started back in 2021. A sales representative from Alexander Dennis, a company based primarily in the United Kingdom and a primary double-decker bus manufacturer in the United States, contacted AppalCart and allowed them to test a demo double-decker bus for a few weeks while school was in session.
“Passengers seemed to really respond well to it — even had some people that didn’t normally ride want to get on it and try it out,” Hughes said.
In surveys conducted by AppalCart, Hughes said passengers valued efficiency during peak hours. While he said AppalCart maintains a good frequency of buses, with many routes supplying buses every 15 minutes, there was a demand for more capacity.
The surveys showed people were “overwhelmingly in favor” of introducing a double-decker bus, Hughes said.
In 2022, AppalCart applied for a NCDOT-IMD Rural Capital Program grant and was awarded the $1.2 million grant in 2023. A year later, Hughes said AppalCart ordered the bus. The cost of the bus totaled $1.13 million, all of which Hughes said was fully covered by the grant.
The original company that manufactured the double-decker buses relocated its manufacturing facilities, causing the transportation system to experience delays before receiving the bus.
“It took a little bit longer than we had anticipated but we think it was worth the wait,” he said.
A typical 40-foot bus used by AppalCart can seat 32 passengers. The new double-decker bus, an Enviro500, can seat 88 people, and, including standing room, can accommodate over 100 passengers at a time.
“It’s doing the work of two buses,” Hughes said.
The executive director said the double-decker bus can decrease fuel usage by around 25% compared to using two buses, and costs are kept low by only needing to complete maintenance on one bus rather than two. Only one driver needs to be trained and hired per double-decker bus compared to two normal capacity buses during a time of driver shortages for some transit systems, Hughes said.
Hughes said the bus can help encourage those visiting the area to use public transportation, helping alleviate downtown parking struggles.
Hughes said the double-decker bus will start out by servicing the Pop 105 route, but could be moved to different routes in the future if there are “other places where it could benefit.”
“AppalCART prides itself on finding innovative solutions to provide cost effective public transportation for our service area and the state of North Carolina. Today, we are pleased to introduce the High Country to our latest example,” Hughes wrote in an email.