In The Community
New Bus Service Available at Wake Tech East
WENDELL, N.C. (February 10, 2025) – Wake Tech students now have a new transportation option for getting to classes at Wake Tech East. Raleigh's public transit bus service, GoRaleigh, launched a realigned Route 33L that now serves the college and eastern Wake County.
Transportation advocates, college leaders, community members and Talon, Wake Tech's mascot, gathered Monday to celebrate the new route and took a ride on the first day of service to Wake Tech East.
"Our students commute from all across Wake County to our campuses to pursue degrees and credentials that change and transform their lives," said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. "This GoRaleigh bus route will provide another way for our students in our eastern Wake County communities to get to campus, eliminating what could be a barrier to their ability to pursue higher education."
"Given that GoRaleigh Route 33L will now run on the weekend and service Wake Tech East Monday through Friday, it's exciting to think about all of the new options and opportunities riders will have to access jobs and education," said Raleigh Transportation Director Paul Kallam. "These are important additions to our transit system."
Wake Tech student Valentina Pascoe said the high cost of vehicle ownership creates transportation barriers for her and many of her classmates to get to school and work. Until now, she relied on an Uber to get her to and from campus.
"My family shares one car, and that makes transportation a challenge for me," Pascoe said. "I am so grateful to be able to take the bus to Wake Tech East. This will save me time and money and allow me to focus more on my education."
Route 33L runs hourly from New Hope Commons Shopping Center on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh and makes several stops in Knightdale before ending at Wake Tech East in Wendell. It's the first all-day service bus route servicing Wendell.
"This greater access to our neighbors across Wake County brings a new avenue of possibilities for connectivity to Wendell," said Wendell Mayor Virginia Gray. "It aligns with our Town Board's strategic initiative to work toward new mobility and transit efforts regionally."
In addition to the bus service, Wake County's GoWake SmartRide offers rideshare options fare-free for residents of Zebulon, Wendell, Knightdale and the unincorporated areas in between. Both are funded through the Wake Transit Plan, which was approved by voters in 2016 to improve public transportation in Wake County.
Wake Tech's Green Trek initiative encourages students and employees to use more sustainable forms of transportation – moving away from driving alone in cars toward carpools, buses, bicycles and walking. The goal is to reduce the number of vehicle-miles traveled by decreasing the number of cars on the road. This is a regional partnership effort that also includes GoRaleigh, GoTriangle, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and other agencies and organizations.
Wake Tech students, faculty and staff enjoy fare-free riding on all GoRaleigh and GoTriangle buses. In addition to Wake Tech East, GoRaleigh buses serve the college's Scott Northern Wake, Southern Wake, Perry Health Sciences and Public Safety Education campuses, as well as the Beltline Education Center. Meanwhile, GoTriangle serves the RTP Campus. Wake Tech students log more than 4,000 bus rides per month on the regional transit network.
GoRaleigh operates 87 buses, serving approximately 17,000 passengers per day and covers a territory of 144 square miles.
