NC: Need a ride in Marion? McDowell Transit offering on-demand rides via app

McDowell County's new on-demand transportation service, McDowell Express, started on May 1.

The service allows people to call or use an app to get a ride within Marion. McDowell Express is funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and does not require any local funding match, according to a press release from the county.

The service operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing on-demand rides within a seven-mile radius of downtown Marion. Each ride is $2.50, according to a previous article.

On Wednesday, April 30, McDowell Transit held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the launch of McDowell Express. Local officials from the city of Marion, McDowell County and community leaders gathered with representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation to celebrate the expansion of transit services.

Plans to expand service throughout all of McDowell County are in development, the release said.

Local officials from the city of Marion, McDowell County and community leaders gathered on April 30 to celebrate the expansion of transit services. Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Transportation were also there to recognize McDowell Transit as the first transit agency in the state to implement the system under the Mobility for Everyone, Everywhere program, according to the news release.

The McDowell County Board of Commissioners and County Manager Ashley Wooten said they are proud of this new program, shared appreciation for the dedication shown by Transit Director Jason Hollifield and his staff, and conveyed the positive impact having a more flexible and affordable ride option will have in the community, the release said.

“This is a proud moment for McDowell County,” said Board Chairman Tony Brown. “We know McDowell Express will improve the lives of our residents, providing a more convenient and accessible connection to the community around them.”

Brennon Fuqua, director of the Integrated Mobility Division at NCDOT, and Project Manager Grady McCollum praised Hollifield and his team for their dedication and leadership in launching the program. The work lays the foundation for 10 more counties in North Carolina preparing to implement similar systems, according to the news release.

Brennon Fuqua, director of the Integrated Mobility Division at NCDOT, and Project Manager Grady McCollum praised McDowell Transit Director Jason Hollifield and his team for their dedication and leadership in launching the program.

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