Contact: Kevin Elwood
Phone: (336) 412-6309

Higher Education Area Transit Begins New Semester of Services on Thursday
Launch features additional stops and new HEAT vehicles

Greensboro, NC – (August 13, 2008) – Greensboro Transit Authority’s Higher Education Area Transit (HEAT) will again begin offering transit services to area college students and the general public beginning Thursday, August 14 at 7:15 am. After a summer service hiatus, the seven HEAT routes serving colleges and universities and other select locations in Greensboro and Jamestown will offer limited service on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as students return to school for the fall semester. Normal service will begin on Monday, August 18. Details of the service schedule are posted on the HEAT website www.rideheat.com.

As HEAT continues to monitor and adjust to the needs of riders and the public, this year brings additional bus stops for commuting convenience. Stops have been added to City HEAT Route 72, serving the new Fulton Place Apartments on West Lee Street. All HEAT routes continue to be interchangeable with GTA, allowing access to both services with a paid fare, or student identification or school-issued fare card from partner schools.

Beginning tomorrow, riders will also find new buses traveling the streets of Greensboro. A total of 14 new 32-seat buses were acquired during the summer and prepared for permanent service this fall. As with all of GTA’s fleet, the new models contain wheelchair ramps for persons with disabilities and exterior bicycle racks. These vehicles, now owned by Greensboro Transit Authority have replaced the previous buses that were acquired on a temporary lease for the start of the service. The new units, although different in make and model, still contain the unique HEAT exterior design derived from a student bus design contest in 2005. The application of the vinyl laminate, called wrapping, was provided by JKS Motorsports of Thomasville, NC.

The HEAT service, supported primarily by federal and state grants, is a partnership between GTA, the City of Greensboro and the following financially supporting institutions:  Bennett College for Women, Elon University School of Law, Greensboro College, Guilford College, Guilford Technical Community College, North Carolina A&T State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Service information including route maps and schedules can be found on the web at www.rideheat.com.

The Greensboro Department of Transportation (GDOT) seeks to increase public safety and mobility through the effective planning and delivery of transportation services and operation of municipal transit. For more information about GDOT, contact us at (336) 373-GDOT (4368) or visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/gdot.

 #  #  #

The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued.  As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect.  The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body. For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov