Apex’s new local transit service is now in operation – hop on board the new GoApex bus and reach some of your favorite destinations around town for free!
Katie Schwing, Senior Transit Planner with the Town of Apex, has the scoop on all this new service has to offer so you can ditch the pump, skip the traffic, and make the most of this new travel option in Apex.
What is GoApex?
GoApex Route 1 is a circulator bus service, which means that it follows a set route. The bus visits approximately 45 bus stops in Apex, and can transport about nineteen passengers at once. The route provides hourly service from 6 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Saturday, to local destinations like:
Historic Downtown Apex
Apex Town Hall, Community Center, and Senior Center
Williams Street/NC 55 commercial corridor
Beaver Creek Commons
Beaver Creek Crossings
Publix Point
Walmart
and more!
Tell us how this new program came to be?
It originated through a lot of careful planning and new funding opportunities! In November 2016, Wake County voters approved a one-half cent local sales tax to fund County-wide transit. Beginning in 2019, the Wake Transit program began a program for “Community Funding Areas,” including Apex, that do not currently have their own local transit service. These areas are eligible to receive 50% matching funding to provide local service.
Also in 2019, the Town of Apex approved Advance Apex, the updated long-range land use and transportation plan. The plan’s transit element included a recommendation for a local circulator route. The Apex Circulator Study was completed in 2020 to help refine the routing and service characteristics for that circulator route, and which are now being implemented as GoApex Route 1.
How much does it cost to ride?
GoApex Route 1 is fare-free for all riders. No money, tokens or cards are needed to ride!
Where are the bus stops? (see route map on next page)
There are about 45 bus stops along the route. You can see their locations on the printed ride guide brochure map, on Google Maps, and on the Transloc app (more about that option below). You can also just look around Town for the signs that say, “GoApex”.
What’s the bus schedule?
The bus runs on an hourly circuit from 6 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Saturday, meaning the bus serves each stop once per hour. The service does not run on Sundays or on certain holidays.
You can check the route schedule online to see when the bus will come to your stop. The GoApex Route 1 bus is equipped with GPS to allow riders to find its location in real time. Riders can download the Transloc app at transloc.com/app or visit triangle.transloc.com to view the route. (GoApex Route 1 is found under the GoCary tab.)
If you’re waiting at the bus stop, you can also text GoLIVE [StopID] to 41411 for real-time information. The Stop ID can be found on the bus stop sign. You do not need to download the app to use this text arrival information service, but regular texting charges apply.
Are routes limited to Apex only?
Since GoApex is operated through a partnership with GoCary, riders of Route 1 have the option to transfer to the GoCary Apex-Cary Express (ACX) and the GoTriangle Route 305 (Holly Springs-Apex-Raleigh) services.
What tips can you share for riding the bus?
Make sure you wait near the bus stop sign so the driver knows you are waiting for the bus, and make sure the vehicle comes to a complete stop before you board.
Bring your bike! The Route 1 bus is equipped with a front bike rack that holds two bikes, so you can bike to the bus, take it on your ride, and then bike to your final destination.
The bus also comes equipped with a lift ramp for those riders who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs or canes or have trouble with steps.
The buses will make audible announcements and have in-vehicle message signs indicating the next stop so you always know where you are on the route.
When you are ready to get off the bus, push the ribbon on the side of the bus to alert the driver, who will stop at the next bus stop.
If you are unsure if service is running due to inclement weather, you can call the Regional Transit Information Center at (919) 485-RIDE (7433). You can also sign up for GoCary email alerts at gocary.org.
What is GoApex Door to Door?
GoApex Door to Door is a complementary ADA paratransit service. This new service will provide reservation-based trips to eligible riders that have a disability which prevents them from riding the GoApex fixed route service, and will be operated through a partnership with GoWake Access. Those that are interested in using this service should fill out an application form, which can be found on the GoApex webpage at www.apexnc.org/GoApex. The application process requires a signature from a health care provider certifying that the applicant has a disability.
Once eligible riders have been approved, they can call the GoWake Access reservation line at (919) 212-7005 (TTY 800-735-2962) to schedule a trip. Trips can be booked up to two weeks in advance. The vehicle will pick riders up at the address you request, and drop them off at their destination address within a certain time window. Trips must begin and end within the GoApex Door to Door service area, which is within a ¾-mile area of the Route 1 routing, as shown in the map below. These trips are free and there is no limit to the number of trips eligible riders can book. This is a shared ride service, so riders will be in the vehicle with other passengers, but excessively long trips will be avoided.
Find this information and more at www.apexnc.org/GoApex
