Go Wake Forest microtransit adds Sunday rides October 4

Go Wake Forest, the on-demand microtransit service run by the town of Wake Forest, starts carrying riders on Sundays this weekend. Beginning Sunday, October 4, 2026, riders can book trips from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. anywhere in Wake Forest’s jurisdiction and in parts of Raleigh’s Wakefield neighborhood, the town said in a September 29, 2026 release.

Sunday service will start with limited capacity while the town gauges rider demand, according to the release. The town says it will add Sunday capacity if demand proves strong.

Sunday joins the weekday and Saturday schedule

With Sundays added, the service runs seven days a week. The town lists the full schedule:

• Monday through Thursday, rides run from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• On Fridays, rides run from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• On Saturdays, rides run from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• On Sundays, starting October 4, rides run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The service does not run on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day, according to the town’s Go Wake Forest page.

How the service works

Go Wake Forest is a shared-ride service that picks riders up at their door and drops them at their destination. The town launched it as a free pilot on October 1, 2024, and suspended the fixed-route Wake Forest Loop bus during the pilot, according to an August 12, 2024 town release. The Wake Forest-Raleigh Express route kept running.

Via runs day-to-day operations in partnership with the town, including hiring drivers, acquiring vehicles and handling customer service, according to the Go Wake Forest page. Standard vans carry up to five passengers, and at least one ADA-accessible vehicle is in service at all times.

Riders can book a trip in three ways, according to the town:

• Riders can use the Go Wake Forest smartphone app for iOS and Android.
• Riders can call 984-342-2319.
• Riders can book in person at Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St.

Fares and reduced fares

Distance-based fares took effect February 1, 2026, the town said in a January 6, 2026 release. A single rider pays by trip length:

• A trip of up to 2 miles costs $2.50, or $1.25 at the discounted rate.
• A trip of 2 to 4 miles costs $3.50, or $1.75 at the discounted rate.
• A trip of more than 4 miles costs $4.50, or $2.25 at the discounted rate.
• Each additional passenger on the same trip pays $1.25.
• Children 12 and under ride fare-free.

The discounted rate is half the regular fare. Riders must apply to the town’s Reduced Fare Program, and the Go Wake Forest page lists who is eligible:

• Riders age 65 and older are eligible.
• Households earning 50% or less of the Wake County area median income are eligible.
• People with disabilities that limit their mobility are eligible.

Ridership since the 2024 launch

The town’s fiscal 2026 budget message, dated May 6, 2025, compared Go Wake Forest with the Wake Forest Loop bus it replaced:

• Ridership rose from 1.5 passenger boardings per hour on the Loop to 24 on Go Wake Forest.
• On-time performance rose from 57% to 86%.
• Cost per rider fell from $74 to under $17.
• The Go Wake Forest fleet grew from three vans to ten.

The same budget message said more than 96% of riders had rated their trip five out of five stars. It also said the town had received preliminary approval of Wake County Transit funding to cover half of Go Wake Forest operations in the following fiscal year. The town’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget lists evaluating transit expansion options, including microtransit, as a transportation priority.

Fare-free rides to early voting October 15 to 31

In a second September 29, 2026 release, the town said Go Wake Forest rides to and from Joyner Park Community Center, 701 Harris Road, will be fare-free from October 15 through October 31, 2026. The community center is one of 18 early-voting sites in Wake County. Riders book the free trips through the app or at 984-342-2319.

Early voting at the community center runs on this schedule, according to the town:

• On weekdays, voting runs from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• On Saturdays, voting runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• On Sundays, voting runs from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday voting hours fall inside the new Sunday Go Wake Forest window of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.