Some notable things the division does is designing facilities, creating safety programs, mapping cross-state bicycle routes, training teachers, sponsoring workshops and conferences, fostering multi-modal planning or integrating bicycling and walking into other projects by the Department of Transportation.

Created in 1974 as a result of North Carolina bicycle program legislation and expanded to encompass pedestrian activities in 1992 as a result of federal legislation, the DBPT is the oldest comprehensive state program of its kind in the United States.

He was succeeded by David King, then Sanford Cross, Miriam Perry, and Denese Lavandere (the current director, appointed in 2012.

)[10] The Rail Division is responsible for operation of six Amtrak trains within North Carolina under the NC By Train brand and works with the North Carolina Railroad Company, a state owned railroad that carries both freight and passenger rail service.

The route is 317 miles (510 km) long and runs from Charlotte, North Carolina to one of the state ports at Morehead City, NC.