GoCary

GoCary
Founded2001
HeadquartersTown of Cary, 316 N. Academy St., NC 27513
LocaleCary, North Carolina
Service areaCary and portion of Raleigh
Service typeTransit bus
Routes9
Stops200+
Hubs2
Stations1 - Cary Depot
Fleet29 vehicles
Annual ridership320,000 fixed routes and paratransit FY13
Fuel typeDiesel
OperatorMV Transportation, Inc.
Chief executiveKelly Blazey, Transit Administrator
WebsiteGoCary

GoCary is the public transportation provider in Cary, a community in the Research Triangle urbanized area in North Carolina. While the city of Raleigh provides service to most of the county via GoRaleigh, Cary opted to retain its own town-owned system. Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, and Wake Forest, the five cities that constitute the region, are connected by GoTriangle. Fixed-route service operates Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. As part of the GoTransit branding initiative for the Triangle, GoCary changed its name from Cary Transit or C-Tran on October 1, 2016.

Services

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GoCary

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GoCary's fixed-route bus service consists of nine routes:[1] Most routes terminate downtown on Hillsboro Street beside the train station where connections can also be made with GoTriangle's 300, 301, and 310 routes. They also run an express route connecting Apex and Cary.

All fixed route buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts, bike racks, GPS, automated bus stop annunciation system, and electronic fareboxes. Passengers can access real-time bus information system for all system routes by downloading the free Transloc app on their smartphones.

The town began offering general public fixed-route service in December 2005. The town utilizes the services of a regional call center, phone number: (919) 485–7433, to handle all inquiries about fixed-route services.

In fiscal year 2014, GoCary provided 301,860 one-way passenger trips on their general public fixed-route system. Extended hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. were initiated in July 2014.

GoCary also provides door-to-door transit services for citizens 60+ years old and those with disabilities. Service is provided Monday through Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Approximately 45,000 one-way passenger trips are provided annually on the door-to-door services.

C-Train utilized a dark blue body with one white spiral, depicting the logo. GoCary uses cyan, light blue, and blue-green triangles on a gray body.

GoApex

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GoApex is the transit system serving the Town of Apex. The town collaborated with GoCary to provide service to the GA1 route, which began in August 2022. GoApex also collaborated with GoWake ACCESS to provide their own paratransit services, called GoApex Door-to-Door. They currently operate the GA1 route every hour from 6 am to 10 pm, Mondays to Saturdays. It's also fare-free.[2]

Current Service

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Route List

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Route Destinations
1 | Crossroads[3] Crossroads Plaza
Crossroads Blvd at Marshalls
Downtown Cary
Cary Station
3 | Harrison Avenue[4] SAS Institute - Harrison Oaks
Harrison Oaks Blvd at N Harrison Ave
4 | High House Road[5] High House Crossing
NC 55 at Green Level West Rd
5 | Kildaire Farm Road[6] Crescent Commons
Crescent Commons Dr at Crescent Green
6 | Buck Jones Road[7] Plaza West Shopping Center
7 | Weston[8] Lake Crabtree
Harrison Oaks Blvd at N Harrison Ave
8 | Cary Parkway[9] Bond Park
Maynard Crossing at Harris Teeter
REX Wellness Center
ACX | Apex-Cary Express[10] Downtown Apex
Apex Park and Ride
Downtown Cary
Cary Station
GA1 | GoApex Route 1[11] Downtown Apex
Hunter St at Town Hall Campus
Western Apex
Olive Chapel Professional Park

Future

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Wake Transit Plan

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While intended for GoRaleigh, the plan is also providing beneficial changes to GoCary/GoApex and GoTriangle services. As of now, the plan has already changed services in Cary. These benefits are:

  • Added 30-minute frequencies from 9 am to 3 pm on routes 3, 4, 5, and 6 during Mondays-Saturdays.
  • Introduced GoTriangle's 310 route, connecting Regional Transit Center in Durham and Cary Station during weekdays.
  • Added bus route to Weston Parkway (route 7) and Park West Shopping Center. In FY2021, service was increased to 30-minute service.
  • Introduce an Apex-Cary Express route (ACX), which will both support GoTriangle's existing 305 route.
  • Add service during holidays and Sundays.

Major plans are planned for Cary for the upcoming decade. These are the planned changes for the future:

  • Change GoCary's 6 route, which connects Cary Towne Center and Cary Station, extend to a new route, named the 9B | Buck Jones, which will extend to NC State Fairgrounds to connect with GoRaleigh's new 9 route and provide transfers to GoTriangle's 300 and 305 routes.
    • Add another route connecting Downtown Cary and NC State Fairgrounds via Chapel Hill Road & Trinity Road, named the 9A | Hillsborough - Trinity. This will also provide connections to GoRaleigh's new 9 route.
  • Add a BRT service connecting Downtown Raleigh and Cary Station, which will serve major destinations. Service provided would be 10–15 minutes during peak hours and 20 minutes during weekends.[12]

Advance Apex Plan

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For GoApex, the town of Apex has their own plan to expand service before 2045.[13] Funding has been given since 2019 by the town of Apex, GoCary/Town of Cary, and GoWake ACCESS. The plan has already started, providing Apex's first fixed-route service and paratransit services.

However, plans are for this town to expand bus service further. These are the possible proposals that the plan offers:

  • Add additional local routes, serving different communities.
  • Create a Durham-Apex Express connector route, most likely operated by GoTriangle.
  • Enhance regional connections to Apex. (GoTriangle's 305 and 311 routes.)

References

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  1. ^ "GoCary Maps & Schedules". Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  2. ^ "GoApex Route 1 | Apex, NC - Official Website". www.apexnc.org. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  3. ^ "GoCary Route 1". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. ^ "GoCary Route 3". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  5. ^ "GoCary Route 4". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  6. ^ "GoCary Route 5". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  7. ^ "GoCary Route 6". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  8. ^ "GoCary Route 7". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  9. ^ "GoCary Route 8". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  10. ^ "GoCary Route ACX". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Maps & Schedules | GoCary". gocary.org. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  12. ^ "Western Corridor BRT Plan" (PDF).
  13. ^ "GoApex | Advance Apex Transit Plan". February 5, 2019.
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  • Media related to GoCary at Wikimedia Commons