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UNCW faculty presents data showing inconsistent DART service and urges Wave Transit fixes
Summary
Dr. Steve Zinder presented data from 40 DART reservations for his daughter showing only 52% of trips were within the scheduled window, three no‑shows, early arrivals up to 90 minutes, and ride durations ranging widely; he urged Wave Transit to improve scheduling and encouraged presenting findings to the Wave Transit Board.
Dr. Steve Zinder, a UNCW faculty member who said he was speaking only as a parent, told the council his daughter — a Wave Transit DART rider — has experienced unreliable service. He presented two months of ride data (40 reservations) and said 21 of 40 rides (about 52%) arrived within a 15‑minute scheduled window. He said some arrivals were 25 minutes late and, on three occasions, drivers arrived 90 minutes early; three trips were no‑shows.
Zinder described the DART service as intended to be "next‑day" but said in practice riders who book fewer than four days in advance often cannot secure a ride. He said the home‑to‑school two‑mile route could take 20 minutes or more than an hour depending on scheduling and routing, complicating daily planning for people who rely on the service.
Council member Andrews invited Zinder to present his data to the Wave Transit Board at an upcoming meeting and offered to accept written comments to include in the board record. Zinder said he will share his findings and encouraged Wave Transit to improve scheduling, availability and communication for riders with disabilities.
No formal action was taken by council; staff and the Wave Transit Board were signaled as next steps for follow up.
