This news item expired on Sunday, June 30, 2019 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
On July 10, 2018, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved a reduction in Mountain Mobility fares for its deviated fixed routes. The deviated fixed routes include the Black Mountain Trailblazer, Enka Candler Trailblazer, and North Buncombe Trailblazer and are public transit routes operated by Buncombe County’s Community Transportation System known as Mountain Mobility.
Historically, a single trip fare has been set at $0.50. However, the Trailblazer routes will be free from July 11, 2018-June 30, 2019. This decision comes after an evaluation of ridership trends on the Trailblazer routes and a consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of free service.
The Trailblazer routes, consistent with fixed/deviated-fixed route systems across the United States, have seen a decline in ridership in recent years. Free service offers an opportunity for increase ridership, reduced boarding/alighting times for customers, and reduced costs of fare collection for the system.
The citizens of Buncombe County will have increased accessibility of affordable public transportation with the reduction of fares on the Trailblazer Routes. For more information about using the Trailblazers to travel within the County or to connect to ART and Haywood County Transit click here or call (828) 250-6750.