September 21-27, 2025, is Try Transit Week. To celebrate, in addition to sharing reasons why you should ride GoDurham’s fare-free transit, this article will feature information on ways the City has increased its transit frequency with service changes, and new technology to keep buses moving through the Transit Signal Priority software.
Reasons to Try Transit:
- Cost Savings: Taking the bus in Durham is free. Riders do not need a pass, ID, or any form of payment to ride on any GoDurham Bus. By riding the bus, you save money not having to purchase gas, car maintenance, insurance, or parking fees.
- Environmental Impact: Public transit emits less CO₂ per person than cars. Fewer cars on the road means better air quality and less noise pollution.
- Make Time for Other Things: All GoDurham buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi, so as you ride to your destination, you can work, check your email, or catch up on your shows.
GoDurham Service Changes:
To help improve on-time performance, beginning on August 23, 2025, GoDurham Transit added additional departures to Route 3, extended Route 5, and implemented minor schedule changes to Routes 1, 2, 3/3B/3C, 4, 6, 9, and 12/12B. These changes were identified in the GoDurham short-range transit plan 3 and are funded by the Durham County Transit Plan.
Route 3 has the highest ridership in the GoDurham system. In July, an average of 2,000 people took Route 3 each weekday. This additional service provides more travel opportunities and makes the ride more comfortable because it reduces overcrowding on our buses.
Route 5 serves Jordan High School and now reaches NC 751 and NC 54 with a bus every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evenings.
The schedule changes to routes 1, 2, 3, 3 B, 3C, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 12B were implemented because those routes did not meet GoDurham’s 85 percent on-time performance goal.
Transit Signal Priority (TSP):
Transit Signal Priority, or TSP, is a technology that helps keep your bus moving when running late. This technology helps keep our transit system on schedule by sending signals to the traffic light if the bus is delayed, making the light stay green. It has helped Route 5 meet and exceed the on-time performance target of 85 percent, making the service more reliable and predictable for customers. In FY 2026, the city will expand the use of transit signal priority to other corridors in Durham where bus speeds are low and passenger delays are high. transit signal priority to other Durham corridors where bus speeds and passenger delays are low
The City remains committed to maintaining our transit system because we understand how vital frequent and FREE public transportation is for our riders. Use GoDurham’s resource page to help you navigate our transit system confidently. We encourage you to hop on and enjoy all GoDurham transit can offer you across and around the Bull City.