Fayetteville is launching new FAST service, and the city hopes it will expand bus ridership
West Fayetteville residents will be able to take the city’s first express bus route starting Nov. 13, when the Fayetteville Area System of Transit launches the X1 route between Two Bale Lane and Cross Creek Mall.
City spokesperson Devon Smith said Friday that the new route is part of a larger plan to make FAST desirable to all residents, not just those without a car.
“This kind of covers a gap where there are buses that go out to Two Bale Lane, which is near the Navy Federal (Credit Union) and the Walmart out there off of Raeford Road, but they don’t necessarily pass through this highly residential area,” Smith said. “We’re filling in that gap to make sure that we touch as many people as we possibly can.”
As of fiscal year 2023, FAST serves 2.1 million riders and offers 17 routes covering 95 square miles, according to the city.
Tiera Daugherty, a compliance manager for the Transit Department, said Friday that the route covers 6 square miles and will operate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a break from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“This area was just something that was asked for by (City) Council,” Daugherty said. “We do have routes that currently serve West Fayetteville... but they do not touch individuals along Hoke Loop Road. You’ll realize that there are a lot of residential homes along Hoke Loop Road.”
She said the X1 route project began five months ago in an effort to offer services like those of cities like Charlotte, Chicago and Seattle, which offer express routes.
“We want to get people to where they’re trying to go with a faster headway, and this is one of the ways that we could do that,” Daugherty said. “We don’t want you to have to ride an hour just to get where you’re trying to go when we could get you there in 30 minutes.”
Free fare and flag stops
For the first week of operation, FAST won’t charge fares for riders on the X1 route, Daugherty said. Riders who connect to other routes will have to pay for those, she noted. The route will charge normal fares, which are currently set at $1.25 for adults and children and 50 cents for discounted tickets, according to the FAST website. A discount ID card is available for riders who, due to "age, illness, injury or congenital malfunction," cannot "utilize public transportation facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so affected," the website states. Those under 18 can also apply for a discount ID card, according to the website.
One important aspect of the X1 route will be flag stops, Daugherty said.
“On our fixed route, we usually have established bus stops. Due to us not having any bus stops on this route currently, we are allowing people to flag the bus down at stops that aren’t established bus stops yet,” she said. “You simply just wave until the operator can see you and then he’ll pick you up. At nighttime, you can use your flashlight on your phone so you’re easier to see.”
Previous coverage: A faster FAST bus is coming to West Fayetteville. Here are the plans for quicker commutes
Daugherty said the route will prove beneficial to a variety of Fayetteville residents.
“We’re really hoping that individuals in the West Fayetteville area take advantage of this, but this is also a great opportunity for people to take this route to work,” she said.
Got a tip for a follow-up on this story? Government watchdog reporter Lexi Solomon can be reached at ABSolomon@gannett.com or 910-481-8526.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville launches express bus route to Cross Creek Mall next month
