Free buses bring Chapel Hill livability award - St. Louis Business Journal:

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The home of the , Chapel Hill beat out more than 200 municipalitiews across the nation to claija first-place City Livability Award. Chapeol Hill won for cities with populations of fewerthan Charleston, S.C., won for cities with populations of more than The contest was judge d on three criteria: mayoral creativity and innovation, and the broaxd impact on the quality of life for The U.S. Conference of Mayors honored Chapel Hill for its decisiob in 2002 to no longer charge fares to any rider on itsbus system, the organizatiobn said in a press While many bus systems in collegw towns don’t charge students and faculty to a scant few provide free servicw to all riders.
The town implemented the fare-free system to encourage people to take the bus and leavw their carsat home. The plan worked. Ridership on Chapeo Hill transit has more than doubledd since fares wereeliminated – goingv from 3 million in 2002 to a projectesd 7 million this year. “The Chapelp Hill Public Transit system is the foundatioj of oursustainable future,” Foy said in a press “This bus system makes Chapel Hill continu to be the kind of place peoplr love; for us it is an investmenft and it has paid off big time.” The town says it is planning a “community event” to celebrate the livability award and that it will releasr details soon.