KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Greyhound had until Monday, Nov. 21st to find a new bus stop in Knoxville.
The city had set a deadline earlier in the month for the bus operator and property owner, but decided to grant a two-week extension.
Regardless of where Greyhound goes, the city said it cannot continue using the parking lot of an Old North Knoxville convenience center. If it does, the city said it can issue tickets for $50 each day to the property owner as punishment for allowing Greyhound to use it as a stop.
On Oct. 10, the city informed the owner of the Top Market at Grainger Avenue and North Sixth Avenue that it wasn’t zoned to allow for a commercial bus stop. Greyhound had been using it only a few days when the city issued notice.
The address is within a C-N Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District, and a commercial bus stop isn't allowed within that zoning district.
“Both the property owner and Greyhound representatives are aware of the need for corrective action, and their deadline for taking action is imminent,” city spokesman Eric Vreeland said in a statement.
It's been a struggle for Greyhound to find a permanent bus stop since it left its iconic station on Magnolia Avenue in the Old City.
Earlier this year, Greyhound used a Marathon gas station on Cherry Street near I-40 to pick up and drop off passengers.
The location drew numerous public complaints, and the Marathon owner finally told Greyhound it would have to find a new bus stop. That's when it switched to the Old North Knoxville location.
The city has said it would consider letting Greyhound use the downtown transportation center as a stop --- but only during nighttime hours when KAT isn't operating.
So far, no deal has been reached.
"Greyhound would need to cover the costs associated with utilizing the public transit center for a private use. We have not yet heard back from Greyhound whether this is an option they would be interested in pursuing given estimated costs," Vreeland said in the statement.
They released another statement on November 21. It is below.
While we aren’t able to provide full comment at this time, Greyhound is actively working towards an improved solution for customers in Knoxville.
We understand this response does not answer all the questions you may have, but we hope to be able to expand upon our plans in Knoxville at a later date.