By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Rocky Mount residents who rely on public transportation now have a new option for getting around on Sundays, filling a long-standing gap in the city’s public transit system.
Tar River Transit launched TRT2GO on Sunday, an on-demand transportation service designed to provide residents with a flexible and affordable way to travel when the city’s traditional fixed-route bus system is not operating.
For years, Tar River Transit has provided affordable fixed-route bus service throughout Rocky Mount from Monday through Saturday, but there was no regular public transportation service on Sundays. For residents without access to a vehicle, that meant a lack of reliable transportation for essential trips such as getting to work, attending medical appointments, buying groceries, attending church, or reaching other destinations across the city.
TRT2GO fills that gap by operating Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and costs $5 per ride.
Rather than requiring passengers to follow a predetermined bus route or schedule, riders can request a same-day trip using a cellphone app. The service is designed to work similarly to calling a taxi or using an app-based rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft.
The announcement was made shortly after the beginning of last Monday’s City Council meeting as part of a routine update. The council said TRT2GO will allow people to request rides to destinations throughout Tar River Transit’s service area, including UNC Health Nash, grocery stores, Downtown Rocky Mount, and other locations.
The new service uses a microtransit model rather than operating full-size city buses along fixed Sunday routes. Under the model, vehicles are dispatched when riders request transportation, allowing the transit system to respond to demand rather than running scheduled buses throughout the day regardless of how many people are riding. The approach is intended to make Sunday service more efficient while giving passengers greater flexibility in where and when they travel.
Instead of requiring riders to walk to a traditional bus stop, TRT2GO is designed to provide pickup and drop-off service within the designated service area.
A major focus of the new service is ensuring that residents can reach essential community destinations. TRT2GO provides access to UNC Health Nash, the area’s hospital, as well as surrounding medical offices. It also reaches major commercial areas, including shopping destinations along U.S. 301. Those destinations include Golden East Crossing Mall, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and multiple Food Lion grocery stores. The service also connects residents with Downtown Rocky Mount and residential areas throughout its broader service footprint.
The program was funded primarily through a $3 million grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The funding comes through the NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division as part of the state’s “Mobility for Everyone, Everywhere in North Carolina” initiative, which supports efforts to expand transportation access. Funding is being used for the purchase and equipment of the microtransit vehicles, as well as expenses associated with operating the service, including driver wages, fuel, maintenance, and dispatch and routing technology. A portion of the funding also supports marketing and efforts to educate residents about the new service and how to use the app.
The microtransit vehicles are wheelchair accessible, and certified service animals are permitted to accompany passengers. Seating options are available to better accommodate elderly passengers and people with physical disabilities. The service also includes accommodations for riders with documented medical needs. Although eating, drinking, and vaping are generally restricted aboard the vehicles, exceptions are provided for passengers whose medical conditions require access to food, beverages or certain equipment while traveling.
At the launch of the service last Friday, Councilman Rueben Blackwell highlighted the years of work that have gone into strengthening Rocky Mount’s public transportation system.
“We have worked a long time together on building a transit system that benefits the communities that we know need transportation the most,” Blackwell said. “It takes a whole team to make something happen, and we have a phenomenal team,” he said.
Blackwell acknowledged that public transportation is not necessarily designed to generate a profit, but said its value should not be judged solely by its financial return.
“Transit doesn’t make money. But you can’t value everything according to a dollar,” Blackwell said.
The launch of TRT2GO also comes with recognition of longtime supporters of Tar River Transit, including Nash County Commissioner Fred Belfield. Belfield, 89, announced that he would step down at the end of his current term. He was recognized as a longtime supporter of the transit system who has been involved since its early years.
Tar River Transit has served as Rocky Mount’s public mass transportation provider since the 1990s, succeeding earlier municipal transit arrangements. The system has spent decades providing fixed-route transportation to residents throughout the city. The addition of TRT2GO represents an expansion of that system rather than a replacement for its existing services.
The traditional Tar River Transit buses will continue operating on their regular Monday-through-Saturday schedules, while TRT2GO provides a separate Sunday option.
