Modern technology is now making it easier for Wake Forest workers and residents to move around town.
Go Wake Forest launched its pilot phase on October 1, and the new public transit system will look familiar to those who’ve used their smartphone to summon a private car. The tech-driven solution combines the convenience of ride-hailing apps with the cost-efficiency and sustainability of the bus. Town officials are working closely with Via, a New York City-based company working with municipalities around the world to pioneer 21st-century public transportation systems based on the latest software.
“Via will operate the system in its entirety,” says Brad West, Long Range Planning Manager for the Town of Wake Forest. “It’s basically a plug-and-play solution.”
Users will book rides with a downloadable app, which dispatches one of three minivans to their door. Those with wheelchair requirements can request a vehicle equipped to accessibility apparatus. Cyclists needing transportation can hail a minivan with a bike rack. During the initial pilot phase, rides are free of charge. “We don’t have a pre-determined end to the pilot phase,” explains West. Via will compile user data, which Town officials and company representatives will analyze to determine what changes are needed to the system and whether the fare-free rides will continue.
Go Wake Forest will expand public transportation access to 100 percent of local residents. The current bus system, Wake Forest Loop, serves the town’s core – an estimated 20 percent of Wake Forest total population. “If it’s successful, we’re going to request Wake County transit funds to pay for half the system, same as we do with existing services,” West says. “It will initially cost significantly less than the buses.”
The innovative model has been operating for the past year in Wilson, gathering media attention from news organization like Spectrum News and NPR. More recently, Gastonia has signed on with Via, and the Town of Rolesville is starting up service soon. West hopes the new system will attract use by “choice” riders, those who may have their own vehicle but are reluctant to engage in public transit systems due to perceptions about safety, convenience and reliability. “Right now, the Wake Forest Loop has a lot of “dependent” riders, those who either don’t drive or lack their own vehicle. Rides with Go Wake Forest can accommodate as many as five people and will move riders door-to-door.
Via was founded in 2012 and currently has a 1700-person international workforce. “We’ve got over 700 partners globally now,” says Tyrone Smith, Partnership Principal for the privately held company. Via will ultimately hire as many as 20 local drivers, all of whom must have a clean driving record and pass a drug test. “You’ll know your driver,” explains Smith, who is based in Atlanta and is supporting the Wake Forest service. “That helps with the community feel, which is definitely what we’re trying to promote.”
The experience of riding Go Wake Forest will be similar to getting a ride from Lyft or Uber. Upon booking by a user, Via’s software algorithms search for the ride that is most efficient. But unlike private services, Go Wake Forest will transport multiple riders. “Along the way, there may be someone else in the vehicle who’s going in the same general direction,” Smith explains.
The new service is expected to enhance the quality of life for Wake Forest residents -- reducing traffic, freeing up parking spaces, and relieving some families of the need to purchase and maintain a second car. The economic impact will be enjoyed by employers and workers, especially service industry employees struggling with transportation costs. “They’ll be able to hop on a Go Wake Forest vehicle for service and low wait times,” says Smith.
Jason Cannon, President of the Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership (WFBIP), says the new system will serve local businesses by transporting customers and workers. “Enhanced mobility will benefit everyone, and this technology-driven system expands public transit to our entire workforce, not just those living and working in the core,” Cannon says. The service will complement work now underway on the S-Line, passenger rail service that will link Wake Forest to downtown Raleigh, uptown Charlotte, and numerous North Carolina cities along the Piedmont corridor. “Go Wake Forest adds more excitement to our transportation story, which is the story of a re-energized tourism industry, additional residents and businesses, and new jobs to our local economy.”
While Go Wake Forest commenced service on October 1, the program is holding a launch event at 10:00 am on October 10th at Wake Forest Town Hall.
