The Asheville Regional Transit Coalition (ARTC) formed in early 2017 to improve the daily lives and well-being of Asheville’s citizens by improving the quality and availability of public transportation throughout the greater Asheville area. Our members include: environmental groups, advocates for workers, the homeless, and families living in poverty, businesses and representatives of the City of Asheville’s Transit Committee.

Our steering committee includes representatives from:

Just Economics
Hi-Wire Brewing
Children First/Communities In Schools
MountainTrue
Sierra Club of Western North Carolina

We believe transit service that operates in more areas for longer hours and at higher frequencies will greatly benefit local residents and businesses and lead to a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable community.

Our work builds on many years of local advocacy to improve public transportation for all in our community.

Guiding Principles:

Quality — Good public transit benefits everyone, and everyone should be afforded the freedom that comes with having access to high-quality public transit that is reliable, frequent, safe, clean and connects to other transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks, greenways, and park and ride lots.

Equity. Asheville’s population is diverse, and our transit system and this coalition should reflect that. Both transit improvements and our decision-making processes should include the needs and voices of all communities – both necessity riders and marginalized communities who have traditionally been left out of decision-making around public infrastructure as well as those who have transportation options.

Urgency. Neither our regional transportation networks nor our local infrastructure has kept pace with Asheville’s growth. Our transit needs now far outweigh our transit services. Incremental improvements over decades will not help our residents today; we must — and can — make substantial changes quickly to meet the needs of our area.

Sustainability. A vibrant transit system is an essential part of a healthy community, helping preserve the environment and enhancing the lives of riders, so that the system grows in a way that is environmentally, financially, and socially sustainable over the long term. Only by providing high-quality, reliable transportation options to our community can we grow in a way that sustains our environment and our economy.

Possibility. With commitment and creativity, we can achieve a transit system that excels for everyone, now and into the future.