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SpartaGo pilot logs nearly 7,000 rides; city cites 11-minute average wait and $2 fare
Summary
Assistant City Manager Kevin Limehouse told the council the SpartaGo microtransit pilot has recorded almost 7,000 rides, about 2,500 rider accounts and a 97% rider rating; councilmembers pressed for demographic breakdowns and asked about cost and expansion timelines.
Assistant City Manager Kevin Limehouse presented an update on the SpartaGo microtransit pilot at the July 27 meeting, describing the initiative as data-driven and reporting early operational metrics and rider feedback.
"We've almost have 7,000 rides so far," Limehouse said, adding that the city had nearly 2,500 rider accounts and a 97% rider rating. He said the pilot expanded its initial zone to reach more medical, education and grocery destinations, and that the city has tried to keep wait times under 20 minutes—currently averaging about 11 minutes.
Councilmembers asked how the pilot had been marketed and how ridership is breaking down by destination and demographic group. Limehouse said in-house social media, local partners, Wake Forest University research and word-of-mouth were all used in outreach and that the system can track destinations and some demographic inferences by account, though he did not provide a full age breakdown at the meeting.
When asked about cost, Limehouse said the fare was roughly $2 per ride. He also said typical operations run two vehicles at a time with a third available as backup, and that the city is pacing expansion to ensure service quality. Councilmembers expressed interest in citywide adoption but acknowledged expansion depends on resources, routing, hours and vehicle counts.
