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Public Transit in North Carolina

Transit agencies based in North Carolina and what they reported to the 2025 National Transit Database

Transit agencies
105
Passenger trips (2025)
56.4 million
5.3 per resident
Vehicle revenue miles
94.8 million
Fare revenue
$48.9 million
6.5% of operating costs

Monthly ridership

Passenger trips at North Carolina agencies that report every month, in millions

Show as a table
PeriodPassenger trips
Aug 20264.08 million
Dec 20253.47 million
Dec 20243.48 million
Dec 20233.17 million
Dec 20223.14 million
Dec 20212.89 million
Dec 20202.39 million
Dec 20194.65 million
Dec 20184.51 million
Dec 20174.47 million
Dec 20164.65 million

August 2026: 4.08 million trips (-3.1% vs. a year earlier).

Transit agencies in North Carolina

By passenger trips in 2025

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

AgencyTripsRevenue milesFare recovery
City of Charlotte North CarolinaCharlotte · Bus, Light Rail, Streetcar16.6 million13.6 million5.8%
City of RaleighRaleigh · Bus, Demand Response7.91 million9.08 million0.9%
City of DurhamDurham · Bus, Demand Response6.89 million4.36 millionNot reported
Town of Chapel HillChapel Hill · Bus, Demand Response4.18 million2.06 millionNot reported
North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh · Bus3.04 million572,643Not reported
City of GreensboroGreensboro · Bus, Demand Response2.43 million4.13 million4.9%
City of Winston SalemWinston Salem · Bus, Demand Response1.73 million2.99 million4.4%
Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation AuthorityDurham · Bus, Vanpool, Demand Response1.53 million3.56 million5.8%
AppalCartBoone · Bus, Demand Response1.42 million872,6940.1%
City of AshevilleAsheville · Bus1.42 million1.18 million3.5%
North Carolina Department of Transportation -- Ferry DivisionRaleigh · Ferryboat1.3 million270,1944.4%
Cape Fear Public Transportation AuthorityWilmington · Bus, Demand Response687,2881.42 million19.7%
City of High PointHigh Point · Bus, Demand Response512,462426,6566.0%
City of ConcordConcord · Bus, Demand Response420,301856,1293.8%
Town of CaryCary · Bus, Demand Response404,558993,2820.6%
Piedmont Authority for Regional TransportationGreensboro · Commuter Bus, Vanpool381,8692.89 million10.4%
City of GreenvilleGreenville · Bus, Demand Response352,195388,0480.4%
City of Rocky MountRocky Mount · Bus, Demand Response327,0131.55 million69.1%
Mecklenburg CountyCharlotte · Demand Response274,7344.16 million46.1%
City of Wilson, NCWilson · Demand Response238,023900,47612.2%
Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation AuthorityGoldsboro · Bus, Demand Response212,366871,3294.9%
Davidson CountyLexington · Bus, Demand Response185,440539,776Not reported
City of GastoniaGastonia · Demand Response173,692800,2808.3%
Wake CountyRaleigh · Demand Response138,3081.43 million44.1%
City Of BurlingtonBurlington · Bus, Demand Response135,372376,4631.6%
Western Piedmont Regional Transit AuthorityNewton · Bus, Demand Response134,373855,9341.6%
The County of IredellStatesville · Demand Response, Bus132,162805,07247.9%
Kerr Area Transportation AuthorityHenderson · Demand Response, Bus122,0531.5 million5.2%
Community and Senior Services of Johnston County Inc.Smithfield · Demand Response120,9031.1 million62.0%
City of SalisburySalisbury · Bus, Demand Response113,018178,3454.0%
Buncombe CountyAsheville · Demand Response, Bus112,687889,37417.1%
Wilkes Transportation AuthorityWilkesboro · Demand Response, Bus96,9471.11 million6.2%
Yadkin Valley Economic Development District, Inc.Boonville · Demand Response90,2461.11 million1.3%
City of JacksonvilleJacksonville · Bus86,951412,1198.2%
Union CountyMonroe · Demand Response80,047733,5550.0%
Albemarle Regional Health ServicesElizabeth City · Demand Response77,487678,498Not reported
Henderson CountyHendersonville · Bus, Demand Response73,836190,2731.3%
Lenoir CountyKinston · Demand Response68,122704,43211.8%
Cabarrus CountyConcord · Demand Response67,652482,9850.2%
Carteret CountyBeaufort · Demand Response62,874498,0168.1%
Ashe County Transportation Authority IncWest Jefferson · Demand Response, Bus61,469654,55413.6%
Lee CountySanford · Demand Response61,336465,4717.3%
Alamance County Transportation AuthorityBurlington · Demand Response60,068638,7230.0%
Craven CountyNew Bern · Demand Response, Bus60,003449,6502.2%
Rutherford CountyRutherfordton · Demand Response, Bus59,550490,565Not reported
Rockingham County Council on AgingReidsville · Demand Response, Bus59,466619,2820.8%
Chatham Transit NetworkPittsboro · Demand Response57,594845,5857.1%
Person CountyRoxboro · Demand Response, Bus54,388385,2265.4%
Onslow United Transit SystemJacksonville · Demand Response54,229562,98251.1%
Pitt CountyGreenville · Demand Response51,976594,16533.7%
Hoke CountyRaeford · Demand Response51,172424,28438.5%
Eastern Band of Cherokee IndiansCherokee · Bus, Demand Response49,921429,44628.1%
City of FayettevilleFayetteville · Demand Response, Bus48,6581.46 million6.0%
Duplin CountyKenansville · Demand Response48,580600,557Not reported
Wilson CountyWilson · Demand Response48,250356,8201.7%
Moore CountyCarthage · Demand Response46,427468,18220.6%
Randolph County Senior Adult Association Inc.Asheboro · Demand Response45,895468,9041.1%
Transp. Administration of Cleveland County. IncShelby · Demand Response, Bus45,430515,136Not reported
Beaufort County Developmental Center, Inc.Washington · Demand Response45,413643,1522.4%
Sampson CountyClinton · Demand Response45,017615,9055.9%
Robeson CountyLumberton · Demand Response43,312399,7341.0%
Richmond Interagency Transportation Inc.Hamlet · Demand Response41,298434,4193.4%
Lincoln CountyLincolnton · Demand Response39,951530,548Not reported
Macon CountyFranklin · Demand Response, Bus39,354414,9936.6%
Stanly CountyAlbemarle · Demand Response35,689223,5843.5%
Choanoke Public Transportation AuthorityRich Square · Demand Response34,920400,1312.5%
Gaston CountyGastonia · Demand Response, Bus34,833363,20714.6%
County of HydeSwanquarter · Bus34,68417,147Not reported
Harnett CountyLillington · Demand Response34,673591,7680.7%
Rowan CountySalisbury · Demand Response33,693381,6740.4%
Guilford CountyGreensboro · Demand Response32,585395,2891.2%
Madison County Transportation AuthorityMarshall · Demand Response31,158486,633Not reported
Mountain Projects, Inc.Waynesville · Demand Response, Bus30,763315,2371.6%
Brunswick Transit System Inc.Shallotte · Demand Response30,390374,6820.8%
Orange CountyHillsborough · Demand Response, Bus28,788305,7042.1%
Mitchell County Transportation AuthorityBakersville · Demand Response, Bus28,626332,5214.5%
Columbus CountyWhiteville · Demand Response25,333349,2501.6%
McDowell TransitMarion · Demand Response24,418252,1180.2%
Transylvania CountyBrevard · Demand Response, Bus23,146163,2790.8%
Town of MorrisvilleMorrisville · Demand Response22,91693,5740.0%
Anson CountyWadesboro · Demand Response22,853277,3952.9%
Cherokee CountyMurphy · Demand Response, Bus22,827167,7193.7%
Cumberland CountyFayetteville · Demand Response22,567216,9322.4%
Avery County Transportation AuthorityNewland · Demand Response22,168338,8212.5%
Jackson CountySylva · Demand Response, Bus22,137198,2024.5%
Pender Adult Services, Inc.Burgaw · Demand Response21,613382,7473.4%
Polk County Transportation AuthorityColumbus · Demand Response20,742207,6533.1%
Scotland CountyLaurinburg · Demand Response20,433147,506Not reported
Martin CountyWilliamston · Demand Response20,050247,599Not reported
Greene CountySnow Hill · Demand Response19,832186,305Not reported
Western Carolina Community ActionHendersonville · Demand Response19,409155,963Not reported
Bladen CountyElizabethtown · Demand Response17,079139,5220.5%
Hyde County Private Non-Profit Transp. Corp. Inc.Swanquarter · Demand Response17,027131,3931.1%
Gates CountyGatesville · Demand Response16,817270,3221.4%
Caswell CountyYanceyville · Demand Response16,688369,2742.4%
Town of ApexApex · Bus, Demand Response14,91674,6660.0%
Alleghany CountySparta · Demand Response14,631264,5995.3%
Graham CountyRobbinsville · Demand Response14,617234,649Not reported
Clay CountyHayesville · Demand Response13,372238,3742.9%
Yancey County Transportation AuthorityBurnsville · Demand Response13,077121,2462.1%
Swain County Focal Point on Aging IncBryson City · Demand Response12,126169,0292.5%
Dare CountyManteo · Demand Response10,823227,1633.4%
Washington CountyPlymouth · Demand Response7,58982,2990.1%

Other agencies on file

These agencies did not report 2025 service data, or report through another agency.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest transit agency in North Carolina?
City of Charlotte North Carolina carried the most passengers among agencies based in North Carolina, with 16.6 million trips in 2025.
How many transit trips are taken in North Carolina?
Agencies based in North Carolina reported 56.4 million unlinked passenger trips in 2025, about 5.3 per resident.
Why is an agency missing ridership?
Small agencies that report through a state program, and agencies that started or stopped service, may have no service data for the year. Agencies are listed in the state of their headquarters even if they serve several states.

Source: Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database · 2025 annual data, monthly data through August 2026