No riders climb aboard new bus service from Iredell Co. to Charlotte

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — A new express bus service with the Iredell County Area Transportation System started Wednesday that helps residents get to Charlotte, but no one was on board.

The ICATS express service has stops in Turnersburg, Troutman, Statesville and Mooresville. Riders end up in Huntersville where they can take another bus to Charlotte.

[LINK: ICATS Express bus service schedule]

Channel 9 didn’t see anyone on board the bus from Iredell County, but the bus headed to Charlotte was full of riders.

The new service is supposed to alleviate congestion on the Interstate 77.

The I-CATS operational director Jeff Crouchley said the bus service will eventually fold into the I-77 toll lane project.

“When it is open, we will be using the toll lane to speed up the service to exit 25,” Crouchley said.

People can ride the new route in Iredell County for free, but only for the month of July. CATS will likely start charging $3 for a one-way ticket to Charlotte.

Josephine Talmange was excited when she learned about ICATS' new service from to Iredell to Charlotte.

“I didn't read anything about it coming, or even starting today, so I'm sure a lot of people don't know about it,” Talmange, a Statesville resident, said. “That is awesome, because I know even if I have to go to the airport, it's over an hour drive, sitting in traffic.”

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