KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After Greyhound's bus stop in Knoxville was moved to a location near a gas station on Cherry Street, many riders complained.
Many said that the location was unsafe, and people riding the bus at night could have to wait hours outside without a restroom or a comfortable place to sit if the gas station was closed. The new bus stop came after the Greyhound bus station on Magnolia Avenue was sold in early March.
The location sparked controversy among many riders and Knoxville locals. In past years, some people volunteered to help passengers by bringing food to the old station. The building also had a waiting room, according to reports.
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said she was working with the corporate owners of Greyhound to find a new station, offering different solutions for stops. She said they agreed that the Cherry Street location was not an "optimal place" for bus riders.
"My team has reached out to the corporate owners of Greyhound and offered all kinds of solutions," she said. "We're trying to work on it with them. We agree that that's not an optimal place for them to be having passengers let out and all times a day and night. So but they're a private company, and they're not breaking any laws. And all we can do is offer them other locations and solutions that are better for public safety [including] the Transit Center option. The street outside this transit station is an option."
Some members of the City Council also discussed using the Knoxville Station Transit Center as a place for Greyhound passengers to be dropped off and get on buses.
The center is used as a hub for Knoxville Area Transit buses.