GoRaleigh

What GoRaleigh does

GoRaleigh is the public bus transit system operated by the City of Raleigh's Department of Transportation, serving Raleigh and Wake County, North Carolina, as part of the broader GoTriangle regional transit partnership alongside GoDurham, GoCary, and Chapel Hill Transit. The agency operates more than 30 fixed bus routes, including a premium High-Frequency Network of 10 routes spanning 137 miles and 484 stops with 15-minute-or-better service, supplemented by ADA complementary paratransit (GoRaleigh Access), an on-demand microtransit service (MicroLink in Rolesville and Fuquay-Varina), and a downtown circulator (R-Line, currently paused for revisioning). Service is delivered through a fleet of 76 CNG buses and 5 electric buses, achieving 76% zero/near-zero emissions and exceeding the 70% target, with renewable natural gas sourced from the City of Raleigh's $227M Bioenergy Recovery Project.

The technology stack centers on industry-standard transit data infrastructure: GTFS static and GTFS-RT real-time feeds power live bus tracking via GoRaleighLive.org and integration with third-party apps (Transit App, Google Maps, Apple Maps), while Umo Mobility provides the account-based mobile ticketing platform with fare capping, benefit codes, and cross-agency interoperability with GoTriangle. Distribution is anchored at the GoRaleigh Station hub (214 S Blount St) with seven platform areas, 200+ bus shelters maintained through the Adopt-A-Shelter Program, and 10 park-and-ride lots serving commuters across the county.

The business model is a hybrid government-funded utility: operating revenue is a blend of passenger fares (single-ride $1.25, day pass $2.50, 7-day $12, 31-day $40), federal FTA grants (including an $85.91M BRT award in 2023 and the $2.26M Section 5310 cycle for 2026-2027), Wake County half-cent sales tax revenue under the Wake Transit Plan, and bus advertising. Ridership is segmented across the general public plus fare-free populations including seniors 65+, youth 13-18 via Youth GoPass, Transit Assistance Program participants (Medicaid/SNAP or household income below $35,000), and children under 12; reduced fares apply for persons with disabilities and Medicare cardholders. No private equity, venture capital, or public equity ownership structure exists; the system is a municipal entity with no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

GoRaleigh

Legal name

City of Raleigh - Department of Transportation (GoRaleigh)

Website

https://goraleigh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

GoRaleigh is the City of Raleigh's municipal public bus transit system, operating 30+ fixed routes across Wake County, North Carolina, including a 10-route high-frequency network, ADA paratransit, and on-demand microtransit, serving general public, seniors, youth, and low-income riders under a federal/state funding model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Suburban/Regional Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Shared Shuttle / Vanpool (Dynamic Routing, Door-to-Door) (TLAFAJAB), On-Demand Microtransit & Vanpool (App-Dispatched Shuttles) (THAIAGAF), Vanpooling & Commuter Shuttle Carpool Services (THADAFAE)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed-route bus service
• On-demand microtransit
• ADA paratransit
• Fare-free transit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: GoRaleigh generates revenue through passenger fares including single-ride tickets ($1.25), day passes ($2.50), 7-day passes ($12), and 31-day passes ($40). Reduced fares at half price apply for persons with disabilities and Medicare cardholders. Fare-free programs cover seniors (65+), youth (13-18 with GoPass), children (12 and under with adult), and Transit Assistance Program participants. Fares resumed in August 2024 after suspension during COVID-19.
2. Federal Transit Funding: GoRaleigh receives federal funding through programs such as the FTA Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility program ($2,259,744 available in 2026-2027 cycle), FTA BRT grants (e.g., $85.91M for Southern Corridor in 2023), and CARES Act funding that previously supported fare suspension. Wake Transit Plan is funded by a half-cent sales tax in Wake County.
3. Advertising Revenue: GoRaleigh offers advertising opportunities on buses, as referenced in the Advertising on Buses resource link and the Busopoly marketing campaign.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GoRaleigh operates the City of Raleigh's municipal public bus transit system, providing over 30 fixed routes across Wake County with a premium high-frequency network of 10 routes offering 15-minute-or-better service. The system is supplemented by MicroLink on-demand microtransit, GoRaleigh Access ADA paratransit, and the R-Line downtown circulator, with fares managed through the Umo mobile ticketing platform.

Product overview

GoRaleigh is the City of Raleigh's public transit system offering a multi-modal portfolio centered on fixed-route bus service supplemented by on-demand microtransit (MicroLink), ADA paratransit (GoRaleigh Access), and a downtown circulator (R-Line). The core offering includes over 30 fixed routes, with a premium High-Frequency Network of 10 routes providing 15-minute service. Fare collection uses the Umo Mobility platform for mobile ticketing and passes, while developers can access GTFS/GTFS-RT data feeds. Regional partnerships connect riders to GoTriangle, GoDurham, and GoCary services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MicroLink: On-demand microtransit service operating in designated service zones within the Town of Rolesville and Fuquay-Varina areas, replacing traditional fixed-route buses on certain routes.
• R-Line

Quantifiable outcome

• Fleet is 76% zero or near-zero emissions (76 CNG buses + 5 electric buses) — exceeding the 70% goal set for 2023
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Downtown Raleigh AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown Raleigh Alliance participates in the GoPass program, allowing downtown workers and visitors to access discounted or free transit passes through their employer or organization affiliation.
• Enterprise RidesharecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn March 28, 2018, GoTriangle's Board authorized contracting with Enterprise to manage the vanpool program across the Triangle region including GoRaleigh's service area. Enterprise provides fleet management, customer service, and employer relationships for the vanpool program.
• Transit (Transit App)coreTechnology or IntegrationGoRaleigh partnered with Transit app to provide free Transit Royale subscriptions to all GoRaleigh riders. The partnership includes live bus tracking, trip planning, and a branded GoRaleigh theme within the app, serving over 300 cities worldwide.
• GoTriangle, GoDurham, GoCary, Chapel Hill TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoRaleigh is part of the GoTransit regional transit network, collaborating with GoTriangle (regional), GoDurham, GoCary, Chapel Hill Transit, and NCDOT. The Regional Transit Information Center (919-485-RIDE) provides unified transit information for all agencies. Fare capping works across both GoRaleigh and GoTriangle.
• City of Raleigh (Bioenergy Recovery Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Raleigh's $227M Bioenergy Recovery Project generates renewable natural gas (RNG) from wastewater biosolids, which is used primarily to fuel the GoRaleigh bus fleet. This is the first municipal wastewater digester producing RNG in North Carolina and one of few in the US powering a municipal fleet.
• Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAMPO works with GoRaleigh to deliver the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility program, reviewing and approving grant applications for submission to the FTA. $2,259,744 was available in the 2026 funding cycle.
• UMOmobility (Umo)coreTechnology or IntegrationUmo provides the mobile ticketing platform for GoRaleigh, enabling riders to plan trips, track buses, and pay fares through the Umo app or physical GoPass Umo card. The platform supports fare capping and benefit codes for discounted fares.
• Federal Transit Administration (FTA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe FTA provides grant funding to GoRaleigh through programs including Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility ($2,259,744 available 2026-2027), BRT corridor funding ($85.91M for Southern Corridor received March 2023), and general transit operating and capital grants.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Transit App: Transit App is the third-party mobility platform partner providing GoRaleigh with free Transit Royale subscriptions, GTFS integration, and live tracking; included as an ecosystem/technology peer because GoRaleigh's rider-facing digital experience is materially built on this partnership.
• Umo Mobility (Cubic Transportation Systems): Umo is the account-based mobile ticketing and fare-capping platform powering GoRaleigh's fare collection, pass programs, and youth/senior enrollment; it is an ecosystem peer whose product roadmap directly shapes GoRaleigh's fare equity capabilities.

Direct peers

• Capital Metro (Austin): Capital Metro serves Austin, Texas as a mid-size urban transit agency with comparable fixed-route bus, MetroRapid BRT, and on-demand microtransit (Pickup) services, making it a strong benchmark for GoRaleigh's high-frequency and microtransit expansion strategy.
• Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS): CATS operates the City of Charlotte's bus, light rail, and streetcar network as the largest municipal transit system in North Carolina, directly comparable to GoRaleigh in governance and FTA funding structure though operating at materially larger scale.
• GoTriangle: GoTriangle is the regional transit partner that operates commuter and regional routes across the Triangle and is the parent administrative umbrella for the Wake Transit Plan; it is a direct structural peer coordinating schedules, fares, and the vanpool program with GoRaleigh.
• Chapel Hill Transit: Chapel Hill Transit provides fixed-route bus service for Chapel Hill and Carrboro, comparable to GoRaleigh as a Triangle-region municipal operator participating in the same Regional Transit Information Center and free-fare programs for university populations.
• GoDurham: GoDurham operates the City of Durham's municipal bus system, directly comparable to GoRaleigh as a Triangle-region peer of similar size and governance structure, sharing regional fare integration and the Regional Transit Information Center call line.
• GoCary: GoCary is the Town of Cary's municipal bus service in Wake County, a direct peer operating under the same Wake Transit Plan funding umbrella with cross-agency fare capping and integrated scheduling with GoRaleigh.

Broad incumbents

• MARTA: MARTA operates bus and rail service across metro Atlanta and serves as a broader incumbent comparable — it is a much larger established transit authority operating in a similar Sun Belt, sales-tax-funded governance model that GoRaleigh aspires toward as Wake County grows.

Regional players

• LYNX (Central Florida): LYNX serves the Orlando region with fixed-route bus, NeighborLink microtransit, and LYMMO BRT — a comparable mid-tier Sun Belt transit agency pursuing the same hybrid fixed-route + on-demand microtransit + BRT portfolio that GoRaleigh is building.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GoRaleighNC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/goraleigh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GoRaleigh