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AppalCart

{{Notability|Organization|date=June 2025}}

{{Short description|American bus company}}

{{Infobox Bus transit

| name = AppalCART

| logo =File:AppalCart_Logo.png

| logo_size =

| image =File:AppalCART_Gillig_Low-Floor_bus_in_Boone%2C_NC.jpg

| image_size =

| image_caption =AppalCART buses in Boone, NC.

| company_slogan = Providing public transportation since 1981

| founded = October 1981

| headquarters = 305 Highway 105 Bypass Boone, NC 28607

| locale = North Carolina

| service_area = Boone and Appalachian State University with service to rural locations throughout Watauga County

| service_type = Local and Student Commuter

| alliance =

| routes = 24

| destinations =

| stops =120

| hubs =* ASU College Street Station

  • ASU Peacock Traffic Circle
  • Walmart Rural Route Drop-off

| stations =

| lounge =

| fleet =43

| ridership =1,938,321 annually (2019)

| fuel_type = Diesel, gasoline & electric

| operator = Watauga County

| board chair = Quint David

| website = [http://appalcart.com appalcart.com]

}}

AppalCART (Appalachian Campus Area Rapid Transit) is a free public bus network located in Boone, North Carolina. It provides fare-free fixed route and paratransit service throughout Appalachian State University and Boone, as well as low-fare van service to other towns within Watauga County.{{Cite web |url=http://appalcart.com/sites/default/files/overview010814.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109203908/http://appalcart.com/sites/default/files/overview010814.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-09 |url-status=dead }} In 2013, AppalCART reported a ridership of 1,712,873 passenger trips.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hcpress.com/news/appalcart-reports-record-ridership-once-again-of-1712873-passenger-trips-in-year-2013.html|title=AppalCART Reports Record Ridership Once Again of 1,712,873 Passenger Trips; Six Percent Increase Over 2012 {{!}} High Country Press|website=www.hcpress.com|date=9 January 2014|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-14}} In 2019, it reported 1,938,321 trips.{{Cite web |title=Statistics |url=https://www.appalcart.com/statisitics |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=AppalCART |language=en}} This number has dipped to $1.5 million trips in 2024. These trips resulted in 900,000 miles of public transit in 2024. {{cite web |last1=Barber |first1=Luke |title=Boone Town Council hears AppalCart update |url=https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/boone-town-council-hears-appalcart-update/article_ea290966-db69-11ef-9198-b76ca0fe0bf0.html |website=Watauga Democrat |publisher=Adams Publishing Group |access-date=6 June 2025 |language=en |date=30 January 2025}}

AppalCART is governed by an 8-member board.{{Cite web|url=https://www.appalcart.com/our-board|title=Our Board|website=AppalCart - Boone, NC Public Transportation|language=en|access-date=2018-09-14}} The current chairman of the board is Quint David.{{cite web|url=http://appalcart.com/node/4 |title=Board | Appalcart |accessdate=2014-01-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109204259/http://appalcart.com/node/4 |archivedate=2014-01-09 }} It receives its funding from a mix of federal, state, local, and Appalachian State University funds.{{Cite web |url=http://sustain.appstate.edu/masstransit |title=Alternative Transportation: Mass Transit | Sustain Appalachian |access-date=2014-01-09 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140110102743/http://sustain.appstate.edu/masstransit |archive-date=2014-01-10 |url-status=dead }}

In 2022, Appalcart unveiled a new 45 foot electric bus, one of the first in the state of North Carolina. Electric busses in the system are expected to grow in future years.{{cite web |last1=Elklor |first1=Rose |title=AppalCart unveils new electric bus |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2022/11/04/appalcart-unveiled-new-bus |website=spectrumlocalnews.com |publisher=Spectrum News |access-date=6 June 2025 |language=en}}. AppalCart is working towards expanding their electric fleet, and hopes to have the fleet be 100% electric by 2037. {{cite web |last1=Barber |first1=Luke |title=Boone Town Council hears AppalCart update |url=https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/boone-town-council-hears-appalcart-update/article_ea290966-db69-11ef-9198-b76ca0fe0bf0.html |website=Watauga Democrat |publisher=Adams Publishing Group |access-date=6 June 2025 |language=en |date=30 January 2025}}

Routes

= Regular routes =

class="wikitable"

|+ Regular routes{{Cite web |title=Route Maps and Schedules |url=https://www.appalcart.com/route-maps-and-schedules |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=AppalCART |language=en}}

Route name and official color shade

!Annual ridership (2019)

!Year-round?

!Start

High-traffic destinations

!High-traffic corridors served

!Opposite end{{Efn|Not all AppalCART routes are perfectly linear; some loop back on themselves and/or have branches.|group=upper-alpha|name=a}}

bgcolor="4995D1" | {{font color | white | Blue }}

|159,208

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

* ASU Mountaineer Hall

  • ASU Appalachian Heights

|

  • Bodenheimer Drive

|South Lot / Baseball Stadium

bgcolor="B9CBE2" | {{font color | black | Express }}

|114,688

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

* ASU Garwood Hall

  • ASU Convocation Center
  • Boone Mall
  • Walmart
  • Watauga Medical Center
  • The Finmore
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • State Farm Road

|ASU College of Health Sciences

bgcolor="DEDC84" | {{font color | black | Gold }}

|16,099

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU College Street Station

* Sunway Charters / Dogwood Hall

  • ASU Skywalk
  • ASU Trivette Hall
  • ASU Mountaineer Hall
  • ASU Appalachian Heights

|

  • Bodenheimer Drive
  • Rivers Street
  • West King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Hardin Street / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}

|South Lot / Baseball Stadium

bgcolor="59595C" | {{font color | white | Gray }} (formerly State Farm Lot Shuttle)

|45,813

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU Child Development Center

* ASU Living Learning Center

  • ASU Schaefer Center
  • Horn in the West Lot
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • Poplar Grove Road
  • Rivers Street
  • Hardin Street / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}} / {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • State Farm Road

|ASU State Farm Lot

bgcolor="58C098" | {{font color | white | Green }}

|294,372

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|Hospitality House

* NC 105 Crosswalk

  • ASU NC 105 Lot
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Schaefer Center
  • ASU College Street Station
  • Watauga High School
  • Mountaineer Village
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • Rivers Street
  • West King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}

|Cottages of Boone

bgcolor="AEDED6" | {{font color | black | NC 105 Lot Shuttle }}

|20,023

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU NC 105 Lot

* ASU Dogwood Hall

  • ASU Trivette Hall

|

  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • Bodenheimer Drive
  • Hardin Street / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}{{Efn|NC 105 Lot Shuttle drives on routes such as US 221, but it does not make stops associated with all of the roads it uses.|name=b|group=upper-alpha}}

|ASU Mountaineer Hall

bgcolor="E09244" | {{font color | white | Orange }} (Currently suspended due to staffing shortages){{Cite web |last1=Patterson |first1=Siri |last2=Edwards |first2=Madalyn |date=2023-08-26 |title=AppalCart introduces new mobile app, changes to routes |url=https://theappalachianonline.com/appalcart-introduces-new-mobile-app-changes-to-routes/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=The Appalachian}}

|180,396

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU College Street Station

* Mountaineer Village

|

  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}

|Brookshire Park Road

bgcolor="D16BAA" | {{font color | white | Pink }}

|62,773

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

* ASU Garwood Hall

  • ASU Convocation Center
  • Boone Mall
  • Watauga Medical Center
  • The Finmore
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • State Farm Road

|ASU College of Health Sciences

bgcolor="859D43" | {{font color | white | Pop 105 }}

|273,054

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|AppalCART Headquarters

* High Country Condos

  • ASU Schaefer Center
  • ASU Convocation Center
  • McDonald's
  • NC 105 Crosswalk
  • University Highlands
  • CCC&TI (After 6:00 PM, until 9:50 PM)

|

  • {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC-Byp|105|state=NC}}

|AppalCART Headquarters

bgcolor="995BA5" | {{font color | white | Purple }}

|250,639

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

* ASU Garwood Hall

  • ASU Convocation Center
  • Boone Mall
  • The Village at Meadowview
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • Greenway Road

|

bgcolor="E04C5C" | {{font color | white | Red }}

|366,604

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|AppalCART Headquarters

* High Country Condos

  • ASU College Street Station
  • Walmart
  • Watauga Medical Center
  • Quail Drive

|

  • West King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}} / {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • Greenway Road
  • State Farm Road

|ASU College of Health Sciences

bgcolor="949494" | {{font color | white | Silver }}

|58,385

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

* Studio West

  • ASU NC 105 Lot
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk
  • Pinnacle Drive

|

  • {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC-Byp|105|state=NC}}

|Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

bgcolor="4F51A3" | {{font color | white | State Farm Lot Shuttle }}

|No data (Established 2023)

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU Trivette Hall

|

  • ASU Skywalk
  • Sunway Charters / ASU Dogwood Hall
  • ASU College Street Station
  • Quail Drive

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Hardin Street / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}{{Efn|State Farm Lot Shuttle drives on routes such as US 221, but it does not make stops associated with all of the roads it uses.|name=c|group=upper-alpha}}
  • State Farm Road

|ASU State Farm Lot

bgcolor="D3B1D0" | {{font color | black | Wellness District }}

|41,535

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU College of Health Sciences

* The Finmore

  • Watauga Medical Center

|

  • State Farm Road

|ASU College of Health Sciences

Total annual ridership (including Night Owl routes and irregular routes such as Game Day routes) (2019):

|1,938,321

| -

| -

| -

| -

| -

= Night Owl routes =

class="wikitable"

|+ Night Owl routes

Route name and official color shade

!Annual ridership (2019){{Efn|In 2019, Night Owl routes only ran August through November. From 2021 onwards, they run August through May. As such, these figures are inaccurate for the present day and are likely much higher, however, no data is available.|group=upper-alpha|name=d}}

!Year-round?

!Start

High-traffic destinations

!High-traffic corridors served

!Opposite end

bgcolor="192151" | {{font color | gold | Express }}

|3,163

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

* ASU Garwood Hall

  • ASU Convocation Center
  • Boone Mall
  • Walmart
  • Watauga Medical Center
  • The Finmore
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}

|The Village at Meadowview

bgcolor="192151" | {{font color | gold | Gold }}

|2,548

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU College Street Station

* Sunway Charters / Dogwood Hall

  • ASU Skywalk
  • ASU Trivette Hall
  • ASU Mountaineer Hall
  • ASU Appalachian Heights

|

  • Bodenheimer Drive
  • Rivers Street
  • West King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Hardin Street / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}

|South Lot / Baseball Stadium

bgcolor="192151" | {{font color | gold | Pop 105 }}

|3,517

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|AppalCART Headquarters

* High Country Condos

  • ASU Schaefer Center
  • ASU Convocation Center
  • McDonald's
  • NC 105 Crosswalk
  • University Highlands

|

  • {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC-Byp|105|state=NC}}

|AppalCART Headquarters

Total annual ridership (2019)

|9,137

| -

| -

| -

| -

| -

= Game Day routes =

In addition to the above routes, AppalCART operates seven game day routes: Gray, Express, Purple, Orange, Blue, Gold, and the Disability Shuttle, totaling 24 routes on the system. There are three stops only served by these routes: Poplar Grove Connector Parking Lot, ASU Hill Street Lot, and ASU Stadium East Gate, totaling 120 stops on the entire system.{{Cite web |title=Game Day Routes |url=https://www.appalcart.com/game-day-routes |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=AppalCART |language=en}}

= Former routes =

class="wikitable"

|+ Former routes{{Cite web |title= |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.appalcart.com* |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=web.archive.org}}https://www.raphaelwenger.com/appalcart/schedules&routes.pdf

Route name and official color shade

!Fate

!Active from

!Year-round?

!Start

High-traffic destinations

!High-traffic corridors served

!Opposite end

bgcolor="2D3290" | {{font color | white |Blowing Rock}}

|Low ridership

|May 2018–Aug 2021

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}(Weekends May-Aug only)

|Tanger Outlets

* Morris Street

  • Holiday Inn Express
  • The Village Inn

|

  • Valley Blvd / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}}
  • Main Street / {{Jct|US-Bus|321|state=NC}}

|Green Park Inn

bgcolor="59595C" | {{font color | white |Gray (1st version)}}{{Efn|A duplicate of the Silver Route, but serving the NC 105 lot. The Silver Route did not serve the NC 105 lot at this time.|name=E|group=upper-alpha}}

|Staffing shortages{{Cite web |last1=Markland |first1=Jake |last2=Broyles |first2=Emily |date=2021-08-30 |title=Driver shortage causes shift in AppalCart routes |url=https://theappalachianonline.com/driver-shortage-causes-shift-in-appalcart-routes/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=The Appalachian}}

|Aug 2021–Sep 2021

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|Caldwell Community College

& Technical Institute

|

  • Studio West
  • ASU NC 105 Lot
  • ASU Mountain Laurel Hall
  • ASU Skywalk
  • Pinnacle Drive

|

  • {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC-Byp|105|state=NC}}

|Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

bgcolor="85FB52" | {{font color | black | Green East }}

|Merged with Teal to become Green Route{{Cite web |last=Reece |first=Kenneth |date=2018-06-21 |title=AppalCART Proposed Fixed Route Changes For August 13, 2018 |url=https://wataugaonline.com/appalcart-proposed-fixed-route-changes-for-august-13-2018/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=WataugaOnline.com |language=en-US}}

|?–Aug 2018

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU College Street Station

|

  • Mountaineer Village

|

  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}},
  • {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}

|Hospitality House

bgcolor="57B824" | {{font color | white | Green West }}

|Merged with Red

|?–Aug 2018

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU College Street Station

|

  • Kensington Apartments
  • High Country Condos

|

  • West King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}, {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}
  • Queen Street

|Old Bristol Road / US 421 near NC 105 Bypass

bgcolor="192151" | {{font color |gold|Orange Night Owl}}

|Staffing shortages, COVID-19 pandemic{{Cite web |last1=Broyles |first1=Emily |last2=Holiday |first2=Gianna |date=2020-11-08 |title=AppalCart seeks public input on Night Owl services after decrease in activity |url=https://theappalachianonline.com/appalcart-seeks-public-input-on-night-owl-services-after-decrease-in-activity/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=The Appalachian}}

|Aug 2019–Nov 2019

| style="text-align:center;" | {{X-mark}}

|ASU College Street Station

* Mountaineer Village

|

  • East King Street / {{Jct|US|421|state=NC}}, {{Jct|US|221|state=NC}},
  • {{Jct|NC|194|state=NC}}

|Brookshire Park Road

bgcolor="60C1B9" | {{font color | white | Teal }}

|Merged with Green East to become Green Route

|Aug 2013–Aug 2018

| style="text-align:center;" | {{Tick|color=}}

|ASU Peacock Traffic Circle

|

  • Studio West
  • NC 105 Crosswalk
  • ASU Appalachian Panhellenic Hall
  • ASU Skywalk
  • ASU Convocation Center

|

  • Rivers Street
  • Blowing Rock Road / {{Jct|US|321|state=NC}}
  • {{Jct|NC|105|state=NC}}

|Cottages of Boone

bgcolor="000000" | {{font color | white | Night Owl }}

|Unknown

|?–Mid-2001

| style="text-align:center;" | No data archived

| style="text-align:center;" | No data archived

| style="text-align:center;" | No data archived

| style="text-align:center;" | No data archived

| style="text-align:center;" | No data archived

Board of Directors

The board of directors of Appalcart is made up of 8 members who are:

  • Quint David - Chair
  • Barry Sauls - Vice Chair
  • Ronnie Marsh - Member Commissioner
  • Todd Carter - Boone Town Council
  • Angie Boitnotte - Project on Aging
  • David Jackson - At-Large
  • Joe Eller - Rider Representative
  • John Adams - Appalachain State University Representative

References

{{reflist}}

{{reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

External links

  • [http://appalcart.com Official Website]

{{Appalachian State University}}

Category:Bus transportation in North Carolina

Category:University and college bus systems

Category:Appalachian State University

Category:Long stubs with short prose

{{US-bus-company-stub}}

{{NorthCarolina-transport-stub}}