Chart: How the Triangle's bus ridership has changed since the pandemic
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GoRaleigh is now the Triangle's most-used bus service, as Raleigh's bus system recovers from COVID-19's disruptions to service and ridership, according to data from the American Public Transportation Association.
Why it matters: Bus service is key to the region's future transit goals, as it adapts to a surging population, and all of the area's major bus systems are considering adding bus rapid transit to their communities.
Zoom in: Het Patel, Raleigh's assistant director for transit, told Axios that GoRaleigh's numbers grew significantly in the past year — the APTA put it at the second-fastest growing — for two reasons:
- One, GoRaleigh increased the number of routes with 15-minute service. Since 2024, the number of frequent-service routes has grown from 30 miles to 137 miles, a change that increased ridership.
- And two, it switched from counting ridership via the farebox to collecting data via automated passenger counting software.
Between the lines: GoRaleigh and GoTriangle reinstated fare collection on buses in 2024.
- Bus ridership on GoDurham and Chapel Hill Transit remains free.