Alamance County Transportation Authority to launch microtransit zones in Graham and Haw River after state grant

Peter Murphy, executive director of the Alamance County Transportation Authority, told the Alamance County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2 that ACTA received a Mobility for Everyone Everywhere (ME) grant and will launch two microtransit zones Oct. 1 in Graham and Haw River.

The county-run authority plans a software rollout that NCDOT is funding fully; Murphy said the new platform will allow riders to book same-day trips, receive calls or texts with pickup windows and to track vehicles in real time. "The service should improve quite dramatically because the software is so much better than what we've had in the past," Murphy said during public comment. ACTA reported about 66,000 passenger trips this year, a 13% increase from last year, Murphy said.

Under the plan described to commissioners, the initial Oct. 1 microtransit zones will connect neighborhoods in Graham and Haw River with key destinations including Alamance Community College's main campus, the Dillingham Center, Walmart and Graham Hopedale, and will link to other regional transit services. Murphy said the $2 rider fare for microtransit trips will be covered by federal and state grant funds that also paid for the software. He said additional zones are planned to begin service Jan. 1.

Commissioner Thompson praised the effort and cited local senior-services interest; she said Catherine Walsh had "been all fired up" about the project. Chair Paisley also thanked Murphy and said the county appreciates the work. Murphy invited questions from the board and said the software deployment would be complete Sept. 15.

No formal action or vote was required of the board on the update; Murphy delivered the item during the public comment portion of the Sept. 2 meeting.