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Changing The Way We Wait At Winston-Salem's Bus Stops

Alda Byrd (seated far left) awaits his bus at WSTA's Transportation Center downtown.
David Ford
Alda Byrd (seated far left) awaits his bus at WSTA's Transportation Center downtown.

For this edition of Carolina Curious, listener Dean Franco asks:

“Why are there so few bus shelters in Winston-Salem?”

In fact, only about 5 percent of bus stops in the city are covered. It's a problem that has the attention of Winston-Salem leaders, and as WFDD's David Ford reports, it's one that can be vexing for the thousands of people who rely on public transportation.

“You Sit There And Wait”

To get an idea of how irritating this can be for bus riders, I give you this example: The WSTA bus stop location near the intersection of University Pkwy. Blvd. and Coliseum Drive in Winston-Salem.

There's a small, metal sign that simply reads: “Bus Stop” – no benches, no cover, and no indication as to when the next bus arrives. Only a thin stretch of grass separates a handful of people from eight lanes of traffic, whizzing by at highway speeds. And like many stops across the city, this one

Before his arrival in the Triad, David had already established himself as a fixture in the Austin, Texas arts scene as a radio host for Classical 89.5 KMFA. During his tenure there, he produced and hosted hundreds of programs including Mind Your Music, The Basics and T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness, It's Familiar, which each won international awards in the Fine Arts Radio Competition. As a radio journalist with 88.5 WFDD, his features have been recognized by the Associated Press, Public Radio News Directors Inc., Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, and Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas. David has written and produced national stories for NPR, KUSC and CPRN in Los Angeles and conducted interviews for Minnesota Public Radio's Weekend America.

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