The Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA), which operates the bus and the paratransit SCAT service for Greensboro, has announced that because of COVID-19, both are operating free until further notice.

No pass or fare is required to ride the GTA and SCAT buses. GTA buses are continuing to operate on an hourly schedule.

HEAT, the bus service for college students, ended service on Thursday, March 19.

The SCAT I-Ride service is not free and fares remain at $6 per one-way ride of up to nine miles inside the Greensboro city limits. Trips that are longer than nine miles have a surcharge of about $1.50 per mile added. I-Ride is an Uber or Lyft type service where someone eligible for SCAT service may call and have a vehicle pick them up and take them to their desired location. Riding SCAT is now free but other riders will be picked up and/or dropped off in route to the riders destination.

I-Ride service was discontinued on Jan. 1, 2020, because there was no money in the budget to pay for the service. Due to the number of complaints from I-Ride users, the city reinstituted the service on Feb. 26, with enough funding to pay for it through the remainder of this fiscal year, which ends on June 30, 2020.

Both the SCAT and I-Ride programs now have limited reservations to no more than seven days in advance and warn that, because reservations are being taken by the backup call center, users may experience delays in making reservations.

GTA also announced that its administrative offices are closed to the public until further notice. All GTA identification cards and passes for both the fixed route service and SCAT will be available for purchase at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot customer service office at 236C E. Washington St., Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

However, until further notice, no passes are needed to ride GTA buses or SCAT.

GTA staff will be available by phone and email weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.