NC State Transportation is utilizing apps and social media to make riding the Wolfline easier for students.
Yolanda Jones, communications manager, and Byron Bryant, transit manager, shared resources and ways in which students can get the most out of the Wolfline bus system.
Jones said that some students have difficulty learning to ride the Wolfline at first, but they quickly understand the process.
“It is probably most daunting for first-year students because they haven’t interacted with [Wolfline], but once they take their first ride to get to class, then they have an easier time,” Jones said. “There are first-year, first-semester students who have some anxiety about getting on the bus because they haven’t used it before.”
While the Wolfline covers some of the same areas as bus lines such as GoRaleigh, Bryant said that the biggest difference is that the Wolfline is free to ride.
“The most prominent difference is that we do not charge a fare,” Bryant said. “It is paid for via student fees and subsidized by parking fees. There is not a fare box. Other than that, the system is very much aligned with many other [bus services] around Raleigh. The Wolfline is open to the public and it is not required to show a student ID when boarding the bus.”
Bryant said the Wolfline transportation service is especially important because of the large number of commuters with limited parking on campus. He said Wolfline buses operate every day that class is in session, starting at 7 a.m.
“We are a big-time commuter campus … parking is limited on campus, so we try to provide all kinds of alternative means [of transportation] necessary,” Bryant said.
Bryant said that the planning ahead is the most valuable tool to have when navigating the Wolfline bus system, especially during busy times of the day like afternoons and class changes.
“I always advise that when you are looking at your schedule, and planning out your Wolfline trip, plan to get the bus prior to the last bus that can get you to class,” Bryant said. “Do not plan to catch that last bus because it does happen that during particularly busy class times, the buses get full … there have been times where passengers were left behind simply because there was not enough room on the bus.”
Both Jones and Bryant emphasized the benefits of downloading and using the TransLoc Rider app, which displays the real-time location, stops, arrival times and other notifications about the buses.
“The TransLoc app really is the end-all-be-all for interacting with transit systems, not just the Wolfline,” Bryant said. “The GoRaleigh and GoTriangle services are also on the TransLoc app. The ‘Announcements’ section in the TransLoc app is the best place to find the most recent and up-to-date information on changes to Wolfline, GoRaleigh or GoTriangle service. Set alerts within the TransLoc Rider app, also, so you don’t miss the bus.”
Jones said that the NCSU Transportation website is a resource for information regarding Wolfline. She said that NCSU Transportation will be providing new updates about homecoming bus schedules, including disruptions that may be caused by events like the parade, as well.
“Our transportation website has lots of information about Wolfline including the bus schedules’ history,” Jones said. “We also have a Twitter, which is where we will push out any major updates, changes, or disruptions to service. We encourage students to look at our website for announcements and updates as well.”
Jones said that Wolfline is an on-campus resource for students, and encourages students who are not riding the Wolfline already to do so.
