DURHAM (SEPT. 11, 2020) - National Express Transit is the new operator of GoDurham’s paratransit service, called GoDurham ACCESS, now that a three-year contract has been signed.
National Express Transit, known as NEXT, began operating the GoDurham fleet of 53 paratransit vehicles earlier this month. In fiscal year 2019, GoDurham ACCESS provided more than 148,000 trips to more than 3,000 eligible clients with functional limitations.
Only riders who meet the criteria specified by the ADA and who have been certified as eligible use GoDurham ACCESS, which provides curb-to-curb (or door-to-door upon request) transportation service.
GoDurham ACCESS serves all locations within the City of Durham and any location outside the city that is three-quarters of a mile away from any fixed-route service operated by GoDurham. GoDurham ACCESS provides service during the same hours and on the same days as the regular fixed-route service.
“We feel very fortunate to have NEXT as the operator of the essential service we provide our Durham community,” said Tara Caldwell, general manager of GoDurham ACCESS and now a NEXT employee. “NEXT has an intense commitment to safety throughout its operations and works to make sure all riders have a safe, consistent and pleasurable experience.”
NEXT, the fastest-growing transit company in North America, offers its clients numerous features including Lytx DriveCam®, a video-based driver safety program, and Zonar® technology, which is used to complete pre- and post-trip inspections to help ensure safety prior to each use.
Along with safety technology, NEXT also offers access to a free, user-friendly app powered by Ecolane that lets passengers request pickup, cancel trips and track their vehicles for ETAs to reduce wait time – all from their mobile device.
“We’re excited to partner with GoDurham as their mission reflects our commitment to providing the safest and highest-quality transportation services to our passengers,” said Matthew Wood, chief operating officer of NEXT. “We look forward to delivering customer-focused service, backed by industry-leading safety standards and technology, to the Durham community.”
NEXT’s contract to operate GoDurham ACCESS is its second in North Carolina. NEXT, based in Illinois, also operates the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation in Greensboro and now has about 60 employees in North Carolina.
Find out more about Durham ACCESS at godurhamtransit.org/access.