The coronavirus pandemic has changed just about everything regarding life as we knew it, and, on Monday, March 23, the City of High Point announced big changes to the city’s transportation services, ones that will be in effect until further notice.

First, the good news: According to the press release sent out by the city, effective on Tuesday, March 24, the High Point Transit System will be fare-free.

The bad news is that the city is cutting back the service and is dropping some routes entirely. The transportation service will be reduced to hourly all day from 5:45 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. In addition, Route 21- Industrial Park Special, and Route 25-Jamestown/GTCC, will not have any service at all until further notice, and Route 10- North Main Street, and Route 11- South Main Street, will operate only the Saturday routes.

Also, the city’s “The Guaranteed Ride Home service” will is ending for now.

City transportation officials are instructing all passengers to get on and off by using the vehicles’ rear door – unless the ramp or kneeling feature is needed due to a rider’s accessibility requirements. 

Any passengers who need transportation to or from an area where service is being reduced can call 336-889-7433 to discuss special assistance.

One reason the city is cutting back on the service is that, these days, in High Point – as with just about everywhere else – few places are open to visit. On Monday, March 16, city officials announced that the High Point Public Library, the High Point Museum, the High Point Theatre and all recreation centers would be closed to the public until further notice.

City officials stated that was being done to protect residents during the COVID-19 emergency.

The city’s closures also included golf courses, marinas and many city services with the exception of core services such as public safety and trash collection.