On September 11, 2025, Mayor J. Allen Joines announced that the WSTA is researching a new approach to public bus transit in Winston-Salem. The current “hub-and-spoke” system is inefficient, as it requires many routes to converge at the large downtown transit center before continuing onwards. According to Mayor Joines, “Moving from a ‘hub-and-spoke’ system to more cross-city and direct routes should provide better service to our transit customers and potentially increase ridership.” This means moving towards using many smaller transit centers located throughout the routes.
Solid public transit “is vital… to get to work, obtain medical assistance, or meet other transportation needs.” (Brookings) There are metrics commonly used to assess how transit impacts the local labor market; they focus on how many jobs can be accessed within 15, 30, 45, and 60-minute intervals. Cities with expanded “access to jobs by transit support stronger workforce participation and employer competitiveness,” as well as larger labor pools.
The proposed shift could be a significant benefit to Winston-Salem. The yellow lines in the existing WSTA Service job access map show that the current bus route can cover about the same area as the proposed framework within 60 minutes. However, the new framework is much more efficient, allowing people to travel along the covered routes in less than 60 minutes, giving them more time to walk to additional employment opportunities. This increase in fast coverage drastically expands the number of work opportunities that can be reached in the same time intervals.
This strategy of redesigning the bus system has worked before; Houston is an example. They focused on more direct routes with frequent service to increase job access and rider growth. They redesigned in 2015, and “a year after its 2015 redesign, Houston METRO saw measurable increases in local bus boardings. (NACTO) Another result was that the transit corridors increased access to jobs, which in turn boosted ridership.
Beyond impacting the labor market, high-quality bus transit systems can have tangible effects on land and property values. Properties near the new, smaller dispersed bus stations may see price increases due to the availability of low-cost, efficient public transit which benefits those who do not own a car. These areas could also experience more foot traffic, which can enhance the desirability and stability of a neighborhood. This presents an interesting opportunity to capitalize on early infrastructure plans. By understanding what Winston-Salem is trying to accomplish and how, we gain an edge over those who do not. It is important to do your research, stay current, and maintain a long-term vision. That is how consistent value is created.
https://nacto.org/latest/metro-bus-network-redesign-houston/
https://www.cityofws.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1841
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dc-transit-job-access-ross.pdf
