Inside Clemson

Tiger Transit to assume Greenville-Clemson bus route

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By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Changes are in store for riders who use Greenlink’s Tiger Commute route that connects Clemson and Greenville. Beginning July 1, Greenlink will alter its partnership with Clemson University to provide bus service on the Clemson/Greenville route.

But fear not. Clemson’s Parking and Transportation Services will provide transportation to the university’s faculty, staff and students via Tiger Transit. To board the bus, faculty, staff and students must show their Clemson ID card.

The change comes with good news.

Tiger Transit buses on this route will now leave every 30 minutes during the peak hours, instead of every 60 minutes. This change becomes effective in the fall. The bus stops will remain the same, according to Dan Hofmann, director of Parking and Transportation Services.

“Riders will be able to board their bus at the same location that they always have,” he explained. “Additionally, the buses will offer a more comfortable ride.”

Hofmann said Tiger Transit buses will have a GPS function installed. Riders can use the my.clemson mobile phone app, to track the exact location of the bus.

Although WI-FI will not initially be available on the Tiger Transit buses, Hofmann said that his department is in talks with Verizon to offer that service to riders.

The decision to cease service on this route was purely financial, according to the Greenville Transit Authority (GTA). The authority reported that federal and state funding cuts precluded its ability to subsidize the service. Clemson University also provided financial support for the bus route. By bringing the service “in house,” the university will reportedly save approximately $100,000 annually.

Clemson will continue to partner with GTA to provide service to satellite Greenville campus locations. GTA reports that the Clemson connector route in Greenville will be replaced by its new “Circulator” route. The new route will provide service to CU-ICAR, the University Center, Haywood Mall, Greenville Health System’s Patewood Campus and Bon Secours St. Francis Health System’s Eastside and Millennium campuses. According to GTA, passengers on Clemson’s Tiger Commute route will also be able to connect to Greenlink’s Route 14, which will now include both inbound and outbound stops at CU-ICAR connecting to downtown Greenville. Faculty, staff and students can also ride these routes fare free by showing their Clemson ID.

 

Clemson to pilot shuttle service from Tri-County Tech

If you use public transportation between Anderson and Clemson, you’ll want to read this.

Beginning July 1, the Clemson Area Transit (CAT) Anderson 4-U route will cease operation. However, Electric City Transit, operated by the City of Anderson, will establish a new route that will encompass most of the old 4-U route.

The newly established Electric City Orange route buses will depart from Wal-Mart on Liberty Highway in Anderson at :51 after the hour (first departure at 6:51 a.m. and last departure at 5:51 p.m.) and transport riders to Tri-County Technical College (first departure at 7:15 a.m. and last departure at 6:15 p.m.). Other stops along the route include Interstate Boulevard, Sandy Springs Road, and Anderson Station which service areas like LaFrance Industries, Sandy Springs Water, Bi-Lo in Pendleton, Michelin Plant, Publix and K-Mart.

From Tri-County Tech to Clemson

To ensure connectivity and assess demand for Clemson University ridership between Tri-County Tech and Clemson University, Clemson University Parking and Transportation Services will implement a “pilot” program available for university faculty, staff, or students who display a valid Clemson University ID.

Clemson University Parking and Transportation Services will operate peak-hour express transit service using the free Tiger Transit shuttle vehicles from 7 until 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The route will start at East Library Circle departing at the top (:00) and bottom (:30) of the hour (first departure at 7 a.m. and last departure at 6 p.m.). The bus will travel to Tri-County Tech and connect with the Electric City Transit Orange Route bus at Tri County Tech’s transit stop on Woodburn Road at :15 after each hour. The bus will then return to campus with one stop at Tiger Town Village at :19 after the hour and :49 after the hour.

The Electric City Transit Orange Route will require a fare to ride. A one-way fare from Anderson to Tri-County Technical College for an adult will be $0.50. Reduced fares ($0.25) are available for senior citizens, students K-12, disabled, and Medicare card holders. However, during this transition, free transfer passes to board the Tiger Transit shuttle to Clemson University will be distributed to Clemson faculty, staff and students during the first week of service and will be available at the Parking and Transportation Services office beginning July 7.

Future plans

Parking and Transportation Services is also working with Tri-County Tech to establish a future “Park & Ride” option so that faculty, staff and students may obtain a discounted Clemson parking permit to park in the parking lot on Mechanic Street where they will be able to transfer onto Clemson’s Tiger Transit shuttle. Stay tuned for more details.

Visit the Parking Services website for more information.