Earlier this week, GoRaleigh, along with GoDurham, were announced as co-recipients of the Transit System of the Year Award by the North Carolina Public Transportation Association at their annual conference.
The state-wide award, given to transit systems based on their ridership, innovation efforts, efficiency, and other criteria, is given annually. Winners were selected by an independent evaluation committee chaired by the NCPTA executive director and comprised of media and trade association professionals.
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“GoRaleigh is on the cutting edge in North Carolina,” said David Rhew, Executive Director of NCPTA. “They easily stood out this year with their downtown station renovation, expanded service network, credit card-ready ticket vending machines, and their overall efforts to improve the public’s perception of transit. We are delighted to recognize them for their outstanding innovation and leadership in public transportation.”
“I’m really proud of everyone on our team at GoRaleigh,” said Marie Parker, General Manager of GoRaleigh. “From our bus operators, mechanics, operations and administrative staff, everyone is invested in making our system the best in the Southeast. I can’t wait to see further improvements over the next few years as the Wake County Transportation Plan is implemented.”
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.