Extra Piedmont on 1/3 For Panthers Game

[John Bobinyec]

Due to a change in game time, NCDOT is running an extra Piedmont from Charlotte to Raleigh, departing at 9 p.m. See here for details.

jb

 

[fairviewroad]

Kudos to NCDOT for providing this train.

[Rant Mode On:]

Thumbs down to local transportation planners for not providing a real shuttle bus service to/from the Amtrak station.

If you're serious about encouraging the use of public transit, then requiring fans to walk 8 blocks from the bus drop-off

point to the stadium, and then walk 8 blocks back again, at night [and after a few beers, perhaps] really isn't the way to do it.

On top of that, riders are told to have "exact change" which in this case is either $2.20 one-way or $4.40 for a round-trip.

[i mean, I'm sure the driver would take a fiver for the round-trip fare, but still...]

It doesn't sound very easy or convenient to me. Obviously some people will figure it out, but why make it more difficult than it

needs to be? Just have a few buses marked "Panthers Shuttle", charge an even $5 for a round-trip [why even offer a one-way

fare?], then take the people to the bloody stadium, not some random downtown streetcorner. Sheesh.

[Rant Mode Off]

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Hats off to the Panthers Express! I can envision a Fantasy Livery P-42 with a big Carolina Panther on it

 

[Anderson]

Kudos to NC for providing this. That being said, I'm wondering if they couldn't just price the round-trip bus fare in the special train price (e.g. bump it up by $4.40 or $4.50 and then remit the relevant amount to the bus agency) and let the Amtrak ticket count as the bus ticket as well? To be fair, this may have come together on the fly...

 

[fairviewroad]

The only thing that came together on the fly is the extra train. The half-a** "shuttle" is a regular feature. For regular 1 p.m. games,

they spin the 8 block walk as a chance to visit restaurants or "check out the tailgate scene" since the train normally is due to arrive 3 hours

before kickoff. OK, I get that...to a certain extent. But it doesn't really add any value after the game, when you have to hustle to catch the

departing train.

As far as tacking the cost of the shuttle onto the train ticket, the chief problem with that is that it's not a football-only train. Even the extra

train added this Sunday is bookable by anyone. And normally, the "Panthers Express" is simply a regularly scheduled Piedmont run. So you'd

have to charge everyone including those who aren't using the shuttle.

 

[gercohen]

The #72 tagged for the Football Special is one tentatively reserved for the 4th Piedmont Frequency (2017?) I had seen a schedule three years ago for the proposed 4th frequency that showed the noon departure from RGH-CLT replaced by a 10 am and 2 pm departure from RGH. While I know that getting slotted in around the freight schedule is probably the important consideration, seems that a 8 or 9 pm departure from RGH and same from CLT would be most useful for travelers

 

[mlhughes0522]

That was good move but then they r not doing it for biggest game of year NFC championship at 6:30p

Top that off the crescent has been canceled so if people was take train down now have no way back like from Greensboro until 80 7a Monday morning. A lot of people have school,work Monday. That's one reason Charlotte/Carolina's can't get super bowl or big event. they said traffic & parking,parking prices was 50-100dollars was very bad last week.

Game should be end around 9:45p

72 special could leave Charlotte at 11:05p and get to Raleigh 2:20a

Adding the 4th train Raleigh-Charlotte does more sense add it in the evening and adding one more train to/from Rocky Mount

73 RGH 6:30a CLT 9:40a

80 CLT 7:00a RGH 10:25a RMT 11:52a NYP 8:47p

75 RMT10:15a RGH 11:30a CLT 2:40p

74 CLT 12:00p RGH 3:10p

79 NYP 7:00a RMT 3:10p RGH 4:40p CLT 8:12p

76 CLT 5:00p RGH 8:15p RMT 9:45p

77 RGH 8:30p CLT 11:40p

78 CLT 8:30p RGH 11:40p