AppalCart
American bus company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1] In 2013, AppalCART reported a ridership of 1,712,873 passenger trips.[2] In 2019, it reported 1,938,321 trips.[3] This number has dipped to 1.5 million trips in 2024. These trips resulted in 900,000 miles of public transit in 2024. [4]
| |
 AppalCART buses in Boone, NC. | |
| 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 |
| Routes | 24 |
| Stops | 120 |
| Hubs |
|
| Fleet | 43 |
| Daily ridership | 1,938,321 annually (2019) |
| Fuel type | Diesel, gasoline & electric |
| Operator | Watauga County |
| Website | appalcart.com |
AppalCART is governed by an 8-member board.[5] The current chairman of the board is Quint David.[6] It receives its funding from a mix of federal, state, local, and Appalachian State University funds.[7]
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.[8] AppalCart is working towards expanding their electric fleet, and hopes to have the fleet be 100% electric by 2037. [9]
As of July 2025, AppalCART has announced the addition of a double-decker bus, set to operate in August 2025.[10]
Routes
Regular routes
| Route name and official color shade | Annual ridership (2019) | Year-round? | Start | High-traffic destinations | High-traffic corridors served | Opposite end[A] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 159,208 |  |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
|
South Lot / Baseball Stadium |
| Express | 114,688 |  |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
ASU College of Health Sciences | |
| Gold | 16,099 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
South Lot / Baseball Stadium | |
| Gray (formerly State Farm Lot Shuttle) | 45,813 | |
ASU Child Development Center |
|
ASU State Farm Lot | |
| Green | 294,372 | |
Hospitality House |
|
Cottages of Boone | |
| NC 105 Lot Shuttle | 20,023 | |
ASU NC 105 Lot |
|
ASU Mountaineer Hall | |
| Orange [12] | 180,396 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
Brookshire Park Road | |
| Pink | 62,773 | |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
ASU College of Health Sciences | |
| Pop 105 | 273,054 | |
AppalCART Headquarters |
|
AppalCART Headquarters | |
| Purple | 250,639 | |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
||
| Red | 366,604 | |
AppalCART Headquarters |
|
ASU College of Health Sciences | |
| Silver | 58,385 | |
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute |
|
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute | |
| State Farm Lot Shuttle | No data (Established 2023) | |
ASU Trivette Hall |
|
ASU State Farm Lot | |
| Wellness District | 41,535 | |
ASU College of Health Sciences |
|
|
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
| Route name and official color shade | Annual ridership (2019)[D] | Year-round? | Start | High-traffic destinations | High-traffic corridors served | Opposite end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express | 3,163 | |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
The Village at Meadowview | |
| Gold | 2,548 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
South Lot / Baseball Stadium | |
| Pop 105 | 3,517 | |
AppalCART Headquarters |
|
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.[13]
Former routes
| Route name and official color shade | Fate | Active from | Year-round? | Start | High-traffic destinations | High-traffic corridors served | Opposite end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blowing Rock | Low ridership | May 2018–Aug 2021 | (Weekends May-Aug only) |
Tanger Outlets |
|
|
Green Park Inn |
| Gray (1st version)[E] | Staffing shortages[15] | Aug 2021–Sep 2021 | |
Caldwell Community College
& Technical Institute |
|
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute | |
| Green East | Merged with Teal to become Green Route[16] | ?–Aug 2018 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
Hospitality House | |
| Green West | Merged with Red[16] | ?–Aug 2018 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
Old Bristol Road / US 421 near NC 105 Bypass | |
| Orange Night Owl | Staffing shortages, COVID-19 pandemic[17] | Aug 2019–Nov 2019 | |
ASU College Street Station |
|
Brookshire Park Road | |
| Teal | Merged with Green East to become Green Route[16] | Aug 2013–Aug 2018 | |
ASU Peacock Traffic Circle |
|
Cottages of Boone | |
| Night Owl | Unknown | ?–Mid-2001 | No data archived | No data archived | No data archived | No data archived | 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
