Winthrop University students will have a new way to get around town this year thanks to the My Ride Rock Hill bus system.
My Ride Rock Hill is in partnership with the university as well as the City of Rock Hill, Piedmont Medical Center and Family Trust Federal Credit Union.
The buses have four different routes: the Downtown/Knowledge Park loop, the Saluda/Heckle loop, the Cherry/Riverwalk line and the Dave Lyle/Galleria line. The Downtown/Knowledge Park loop is the closest to campus and travels around the outer edge of campus as well as near the Walk2Campus property.
According to the My Ride Rock Hill website, the buses will operate between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays and between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. However, the Downtown/Knowledge Park line will run until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The website features an interactive map that allows users to see the routes, check what times the buses will be at which stop and even keep track of the location of the buses in real time.
The buses, which run are manufactured by Proterra, Inc. in Greenville, South Carolina, began the Downtown/Knowledge Park loop on June 10 while the rest of the routes began on July 1.
Katie Quinn, communications manager for the City of Rock Hill, said that the My Ride buses are “all electric,” adding that they “do not even have a tail pipe” which makes them much quieter than gasoline-powered buses.
“We remind pedestrians to use caution when crossing streets on the route because it can be difficult to hear the bus coming,” Quinn said.
With safety on and around campus being an important issue, Quinn said that “buses are outfitted with cameras on the inside and outside that record continuously while the vehicle is in operation. Also, drivers have radios on board to communicate directly with dispatch and police if needed. Drivers have training according to [Federal Transit Administration] guidelines, have [commercial driver’s licenses] with passenger endorsement and enforce rider guidelines to ensure a safe, comfortable ride for all riders.”
The My Ride Rock Hill buses offer a number of amenities including “free Wi-Fi, mobile charge ports at each seat, infotainment screens and little mobile libraries with kids’ books,” Quinn said.
Additionally, all My Ride Rock Hill buses are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, have wheelchair ramps, have priority seating that includes a securement system for wheelchairs, are equipped with “automatic voice annunciation” as well as bike racks on the front of the bus.
Concerning bus routes, Quinn said that the “transit hub is located on Laurel Street near Family Trust Federal Credit Union. The four routes converge there, for riders to transfer among routes.”
Quinn also said that buses “only stop if it’s clear someone is waiting at the sign to get on, or if a passenger presses the stop request bar on the bus to alert the driver they want off at the next stop. Since the bus only stops when someone is waiting to get on, or a rider requests to get off, be sure to press the stop request bar on the bus before your stop so the driver knows to stop.”
According to Quinn, the My Ride Rock Hill bus system has been well-received.
“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from riders about the routes, stop locations and bus amenities. The area we receive the most compliments on is the friendliness and helpfulness of the bus drivers,” Quinn said
