Danville’s transit system hopes to expand city bus service to the outlying region, and wants the public to have a say in possible destinations.
A new public survey asks about potential locations, and the most important times and days of the week for riding the bus. Sites under consideration include the industrial Mega Site at Berry Hill, the local Caesar's casino, as well as Lynchburg, and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Danville Transit Director Marc Adelman said hundreds of surveys have already been returned.
"Currently the number one service area is Greensboro - by far," he explained. "It doesn't surprise me. Greyhound terminated bus service from Danville to Greensboro years ago, and that was a very popular operation."
Adelman said there's strong interest in expanding the local transit lines for workforce access, but the service has to support all trip purposes.
"Some of the questions pertain to the time frame, (and) where people live," he said. "It's aimed at trying to get a focus on where it would be the most feasible to offer expanded bus service that would reach out as far as an hour away."
Adelman also noted it's a challenging time for many transit systems, due to driver availability. The survey, part of a feasibility study, will end by November. It's required as the transit system seeks grant money for new buses from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
The survey was distributed by the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority. Adelman said the grant process, which aligns with the fiscal year, could take as long as eighteen months, meaning the soonest Danville would offer expanded bus service would be January 2027.
