Tag Archive for: #karts

TownTalk: Uber-Type Service Will Replace Henderson’s Around Town Shuttle

/by

Henderson’s Around Town Shuttle worked well for a good long time, but KARTS Executive Director Randy Cantor said it’s time for an upgrade to a more efficient concept that is designed more like the rideshare Uber than a city bus line with set stops.

Cantor, who has been in the KARTS role for about a year, said the four-county service area can be challenging. There are many employees driving many vehicles across a large geographical area, he said on Monday’s TownTalk. He assured rural clients that their services would continue as they have been – residents need only call 252.438.2573 at least 48 hours in advance to arrange transportation for doctor visits or other appointments.

But the closed-loop Around Town Shuttle that had run in Henderson is being replaced by an on-demand group of vehicles that clients can schedule by calling the KARTS dispatcher or by using their Smart phone or app.

Right now, KARTS as a whole operates on a cash-only basis, said KARTS Finance Manager Tonya Moore. But when the new micro transit concept kicks in, payment will then be possible with a card or with a phone app.

Cantor said changing the model has nothing to do with how KARTS is operating and everything to do with providing the best and most efficient service possible to clients. He said he hoped that round-trip fares for the Henderson service would be in the $10 range, but setting the price is not up to him or KARTS.

KARTS gets state and federal funding, and counties also contribute, but it’s never enough to fully cover expenses. Moore said the Around Town Shuttle had cost $1 every time a rider used the shuttle. The once robust ridership, however, had dwindled to about 300 rides a month. Cantor said using an on-demand service would be more efficient than having a shuttle drive around Henderson in a circle five days a week, eight hours a day, 40 hours a week.

Since the ability to call and arrange transportation exists and stressing that the Around Town Shuttle was only one aspect of KARTS, Cantor agreed that there is not really a gap in coverage.

The Around Town Shuttle stopped running June 30.

The newer style transportation offering may be available in as few as a couple of months.

CLICK PLAY!

The Local Skinny: KARTS Makes Getting From Here To There Easy

/by

People use KARTS for a variety of reasons – to get to work or doctor’s appointments, to go food shopping, keep dialysis appointments and even get to the local community college campus. Whatever the reason, KARTS buses crisscross the four-county area to provide transportation to people who need it.

And that’s something that make KARTS Executive Director Irene Johnson happy.

Each day, schedulers make appointments for residents and the Kerr Area Regional Transportation Authority buses are dispatched throughout the counties they serve.

“We are here to serve the community,” Johnson told John C. Rose on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! “We do so much transportation now,” she said. She said a daily tally could be in the hundreds of routes.

The buses run hundreds of routes each week and even operate on Saturdays to transport people to their jobs or to their dialysis appointments. Drivers are on the road as early as 2:30 in the morning to make sure folks make their 4:30 a.m. appointments at area dialysis centers.

But Johnson has a suggestion for anyone thinking about calling for a ride from KARTS: Call as soon as possible. “As soon as you know you have a trip planned, we need you to call as early as possible,” she said.

And while it’s not mass transit like city buses or subway trains, KARTS buses are considered public transportation, Johnson noted. And for that reason, the use of masks is recommended. And even though the COVID-19 restrictions have eased, she assures riders that the buses are thoroughly cleaned to help keep everyone as safe as possible. There also are cameras with live feeds mounted inside and outside the buses for an additional layer of safety

The last couple of years have been hard on everyone, but especially hard on those without a means of transportation. Johnson said she has enjoyed seeing those folks who found themselves confined at home being able to get out and enjoy life without having to worry about transportation.

The main dispatch center is in Henderson on Ross Mill Road, but each county has its own fleet of buses that remain in those counties, she explained.

And KARTS is not immune to the labor shortage that everyone is talking about. If you’re looking for a job, KARTS is always looking for drivers. Retirees who may just want a part-time job could be prime candidates, she said, inviting others to join the hard-working staff of drivers.

“They are dedicated and want to make sure people get (to their destinations) safely,” Johnson said.

Contact KARTS at 252.438.2573 to learn more.

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk 5-11-21; KARTS Provides Key Service To Rural Residents

/by

Irene Johnson, executive director of KARTS discusses the transportation services offered by the agency, the effects of Covid-19 and the need for drivers.

Johnson stressed Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority operates with a “safety first” approach to everything.

For Broadcast Audio Click Play. Written story below.

 

The term “public transportation” may conjure up images of crowded buses headed across a busy commercial district in a large city, but rural areas have public transportation services that help people get to medical appointments or complete errands in town.

In Vance, Franklin, Granville and Warren counties, 55 KARTS buses travel the country roads to pick up rural residents who rely on public transportation.

KARTS, or Kerr Area Rural Transportation Authority, has been serving the four-county area since 1983, said Irene Johnson, KARTS executive director. She told John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk that she wants to spread the word about KARTS.

Anyone who needs a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine can ride for free, Johnson said. “We will make that possible at no cost” to the rider, she said. Just call KARTS at 252.438.2573 after scheduling the vaccine appointment.

Johnson said KARTS buses are on the road Monday through Saturday, and some drivers begin their shifts behind the wheel by 2:30 a.m. Many riders go to dialysis centers she said, and appointments there start as early as 4 a.m.

But KARTS buses take riders to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, too. A scheduler can provide details about schedules and fare costs. Visit www.kartsnc.com for a breakdown of roundtrip fares. A roundtrip fare between 1-10 miles costs $8; a roundtrip fare between 11-20 miles is $10.

Those Around the Town shuttles that scurry throughout Vance County are KARTS buses, too. Johnson said there are designated stops for those shuttles, which generally run between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

COVID-19 restrictions created extra steps for KARTS, including sanitizing machines for the vehicles when they’re off the road, as well adding hand sanitizer stations on each bus. Masks are required to board the bus, and drivers have extras for anyone who needs one.

In addition to transporting people to their medical appointments and grocery shopping, Johnson said KARTS also takes people to work. She said at least four buses deliver workers daily to their jobs at Revlon in Oxford. Johnson estimated that those 55 buses are handling an average of 400 appointments a day, down from as many as 700 at one time.

KARTS, like many other rural transport agencies across the state, need qualified drivers. “We’re comfortable at 400 (trips), but we could use 20 drivers right now,” she said.

Drivers must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check and a drug screen.

“You’ve got to be someone who likes people,” she noted. “The easy part is being behind the wheel – you may be the only person they see all day.”

(KARTS is an advertising client of WIZS.  This article and audio are not paid ads.)

KARTS Suspending Services – UPDATED

/by

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED HERE WITH MORE CURRENT INFORMATION AND AN OBVIOUS CHANGE IN PLANS TO HELP PEOPLE MEET THERE NEEDS.

UPDATE –

For Immediate Release
March 17, 2020
Irene Johnson, Executive Director

KARTS will continue to provide transportation service in Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties. It is vital for our citizens to have access to transportation for dialysis, medical appointments, and other essential destinations during this difficult time. We continue to monitor the fluid situation with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and will adhere to any state and/or federal guidelines.

The Around Town Shuttle will operate through 7:45 p.m. Friday, March 20th. After that, shuttle service will be suspended for two weeks.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Our first priority is the safety of our passengers and employees.

EARLIER STORY THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED ABOVE

-Information courtesy Roberta D. Freeman, KARTS Safety Officer

After careful thought and deliberation of our duty in the face of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, and in what we believe is in the best interest of our employees and the people we serve, KARTS will suspend operations of it’s AROUND TOWN SHUTTLE AND OXFORD LOOP SERVICE EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18.

In addition, we have also suspended our OUT OF COUNTY trips that cover Wake, Durham and Orange until further notice.

Please contact the office at 252-438-2573 EXT: 3966 or visit the website at www.kartsnc.com. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this will undoubtedly create.

New VGCC Partnership with KARTS Makes Education More Accessible

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College recently launched a new partnership with KARTS, the public, rural transportation system, to help students travel to and from any of the college’s four campuses at no cost. Through the partnership, the college will use grant funds and donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund to pay for students to use KARTS.

“Transportation is just one non-academic barrier that can make it difficult for rural citizens to make use of their community college,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of VGCC. “We are thankful for KARTS’ willingness to partner with us to reduce this barrier. We also appreciate our generous donors and grantors who are making this opportunity possible. VGCC is committed to student access and success!”

Students can now make appointments for KARTS to pick them up by calling 252-438-2573 and then dialing “0”. If students need to cancel appointments, they can call the same number. Appointment timeslots are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made up to two weeks in advance. Service requests for the following day are taken no later than 1 p.m., or as capacity allows.

Students can request tickets on campus from any VGCC employee. Once students have these fare tickets, they must present their VGCC student IDs, along with the tickets, when boarding the KARTS transportation bus. They must be on time, because drivers will wait approximately two minutes, and students who do not show up for scheduled appointments three times are subject to be prohibited from using this service in the future.

Current pickup/drop-off locations on campus are below:

  • VGCC Main Campus (Vance County), in front of Building 7;
  • VGCC Franklin Campus (Louisburg), in front of Building 1;
  • VGCC South Campus (Butner/Creedmoor), in front of Building 1 by the flag pole; and
  • VGCC Warren Campus (Warrenton), between Buildings 2 and 3.

College officials said that there is the potential for more locations to be added in the future.

“We, as a college, are thrilled to provide transportation, at no cost, to current and future students,” said Dawn Michelle Tucker, VGCC’s Dean of Continuing Education and College & Career Readiness. “We know transportation is a major challenge that many students face and we are pleased to be able to partner with KARTS to offer this solution.”

“Our partnership with KARTS provides an even greater opportunity for our communities to access higher education and obtain a college credential,” said Kali Brown, VGCC’s Dean of Student Access & Support.

Working to remove the lack of transportation as an obstacle to receiving higher education and job training is just one aspect of the community college’s commitment to student support. Numerous types of financial aid and scholarships, including the unique “VanGuarantee” program, are available to help students pay for classes. Free tutoring services, library services (on all campuses and online) and career services are also among a variety of resources for students.

“Excessive absences are often a leading contributor to non-completion of community college education,” said VGCC Vice President of Workforce and Community Engagement Jerry Edmonds. “Therefore, VGCC is delighted to partner with KARTS in providing transportation to our growing population of students.”

KARTS is a service of the Kerr Area Transportation Authority. Its mission is “to provide safe, dependable and accessible transportation services in the most efficient and effective manner possible in order to improve mobility, support livable communities, enhance local economies, and provide opportunities to expand horizons of the citizens of Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren Counties.” Those are the same four counties served by VGCC.

All KARTS rides are provided on a scheduled/reserved basis, with fees based on mileage from point of origin to destination.