Wake Forest reports sharp uptick in microtransit ridership; residents raise accessibility and safety concerns

Brad West, the presenter for the Go Wake Forest transit update, told the Town of Wake Forest Board of Commissioners that the town’s microtransit pilot has shown rapid ridership and performance gains since it replaced the Wake Forest Loop bus.

West said the program started in the third quarter of 2024 with roughly 1.5 boardings per hour on the Wake Forest Loop and that, after switching to a microtransit model, the system is now averaging about 21 boardings per hour. He reported a 91% met-demand rate, on-time performance near 85% and a decline in cost per boarding from $74.33 under the bus loop to just above $20 in February.

The numbers matter because the town manager increased weekly driver hours from 500 to 580 to meet demand, West said, expanding the fleet to eight active vans and two spares (ten total). West also said security cameras that record inside and outside the vans have been installed, vans now have speed and abrupt-stop tracking, and van cleanings were increased from once to twice weekly. He said the town’s Community Funding Area application to CAMPO was unanimously recommended by the…