ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis
ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis
The City of Asheville is conducting the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) to improve public transit services and align resources with community needs. This project analyzes ridership data, demographic trends, and roadway conditions, developing short- and long-term strategies for enhancing the ART transit system. The project identifies techniques and a framework to match resources with transit service demand, optimizing service efficiency and better serving Asheville’s growing and changing population.
Happening Now
The City of Asheville is seeking public input on a proposed future network of routes and stops on the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) bus network. Based on previous public feedback and City Council direction, the draft network is designed to encourage higher ridership by improving many routes to have higher-frequency service, including 15-minute service on some routes. However, achieving these ridership-focused outcomes requires removing service from some areas in order to reallocate resources. to areas where frequency is increased to 15 minutes.
View the Draft Network Report
Summary: ART Draft Network Explained
Take the Survey
This third round of public engagement, which runs until June 28, 2026, closes the loop with the community, showing how public feedback over the last year has been incorporated and allowing the City to ask “what did we miss?”
What’s Next?
The project team will review all survey responses, along with input gathered at public meetings and through stakeholder conversations.
City staff will brief the City Council during and after the survey, then take the draft network along with public feedback back to them for a final decision in the summer of 2026. If approved by the Council, no changes to the current network would happen before the beginning of the next fiscal year, in July of 2027.
Background
The Asheville Rides Transit (ART) system is a vital transportation resource for residents, workers, and visitors. As Asheville continues to grow, the City is conducting a comprehensive review of its transit operations to ensure that ART remains efficient, accessible, and resilient. The plan will examine how transit can adapt to changes in land use, population density, and mobility patterns over the next decade.
On May 21, 2026, the City of Asheville released a Draft Network Report outlining potential future changes to the Asheville Rides Transit (ART) bus network. The report was developed by City Staff and consultant Jarret Walker and Associates, based on previous rounds of public engagement.
All transit agencies have to balance competing goals – high ridership or coverage of more areas. With limited resources, cities have to make smart, informed trade-offs. If we want to do more of one thing, it means doing less of another. The City’s population and land use is constantly changing, and it’s important that the services residents use evolve and develop to align community needs with resources.
The Asheville City Council requested a draft network that moved slightly in the direction of more ridership, while ensuring public housing and vulnerable neighborhoods would retain coverage.
The draft network would preserve the existing split between goals of ridership and coverage, but make adjustments to increase frequency on some routes, better coordinate route connections and improve on time performance.
This means that in some cases coverage is removed in order to reallocate resources and increase the frequency of service in other high-traffic areas, while maintaining service for public housing and other vulnerable neighborhoods.
Increasing ridership means increasing access to jobs, and increasing transit’s potential to help with pollution and congestion. Areas with low-income residents would continue to have service, and the draft network provides more access to frequent transit and transit near jobs for both low-income residents and residents of color.
The City understands that proposed changes will create real impacts and plans will need to change. If approved, no changes would go into effect before the summer of 2027, allowing individuals to consider their options and allowing time for continued conversations with any impacted organizations.
Past Updates
November 2025 -- Phase 2 engagement summary
June 2025 -- Phase 1 engagement summary published
April 12, 2025 -- The City invites the community to provide input on current ART operations
March 12, 2025 - Jarrett Walker & Associates has been approved as the project consultant and will begin working with City staff to gather data and assess ART’s transit operations.
The City is preparing to launch community engagement efforts, including surveys, public meetings, and stakeholder outreach that will begin in April 2025 and continue through Fall 2025. Planning teams are incorporating lessons from Hurricane Helene to develop strategies for improving transit resilience and emergency preparedness.
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to share your feedback and help shape the future of ART!
ART COA Draft Network Survey
The City of Asheville is conducting a Comprehensive Operational Analysis to improve transit in the city.In this survey, we will tell you about the Draft Network. Then, we’ll ask you to tell us what...
Frequently Asked Questions
The ART Comprehensive Operations Analysis is a strategic review of Asheville’s transit system operations aimed at aligning routes, schedules, and resources with the needs of the community. The analysis will provide recommendations for improving service efficiency, expanding transit access, and preparing for future growth.
The goal of this project is to identify operational improvements that will better match available resources (funding, buses, drivers, etc.) to the evolving needs of the community. The City wants to ensure that resources are used effectively to provide the best possible service to ART riders.
The City is committed to transparency and will provide updates through multiple channels, including:
The City of Asheville website
Social media platforms
Community partnerships
Flyers and printed materials
Door-to-door engagement
Public meetings and forums
Additionally, individuals who opt in for updates will receive project notifications directly.
Public input is essential to shaping the ART Comprehensive Operations Analysis. The City will conduct rider surveys, hold community meetings, and provide online engagement opportunities to ensure that all voices are heard. Feedback will be incorporated into the final recommendations.
The impact of Hurricane Helene demonstrated the need for a more resilient transit system. The analysis will explore strategies for strengthening transit infrastructure, improving emergency response, and ensuring reliable service during severe weather conditions.
Once the data collection and analysis phases are complete, the City will release a final report outlining operational recommendations for transit improvements and an implementation plan. The study is expected to conclude in late spring 2026. The report will be publicly available on the City’s website.