What is Durham Connect?
Durham Connect – formerly called GoDurham Connect – is a microtransit pilot program that allows riders to take a ride (up to $25) between their homes and bus stops or shopping centers, schools, libraries and employment within a specific service area.
The service includes two zones – one in East Durham and another in North Durham – both of which are in areas with limited fixed-route service. The East Zone includes The Village bus stop, where a bus arrives or departs every 15 minutes on Routes 3, 3B and 3C. The North Zone includes connections to the Route 4 and Route 9 buses and destinations north of Horton and Hebron roads. This program cannot be used to travel between zones. However, passengers from anywhere can travel by bus to get to each zone and then, finish their trip with Lyft to access those areas that are far from a bus stop.
Service Area Change as of July 1, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023, Durham Connect’s service area for the North Zone is revised to the area shown below. The North Zone continues to include the Treyburn region in the northeast to provide access to the job centers there. The East Durham service zone will remain unchanged.
All rides must end within the zone where the trip began. Rides outside and between zones are prohibited.
Ride limits Change as of July 1, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023, rides are limited to 60 rides a month per rider (previously 120 per month).
Please be aware:
- All minors age 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
- Any ride costs beyond $25 will be the rider's responsibility.
Current Service Area
All rides must end within the zone where the trip began. Rides outside and between zones are prohibited.
The East Zone includes The Village, Southern High School, Merrick-Moore Park, Merrick Moore Elementary School, Neal Middle School, Durham County Library - East Regional Branch, Ravenstone Commons, Joyland Center, Mineral Springs Village, Bentwood Park Apartments, Springwood Park Apartments.
The North Zone includes Cross Creek Shopping Center, Riverside High School, Northern High School, Northern Durham Center at Durham Tech Community College, Treyburn Corporate Park, Novo Nordisk, The School for Creative Studies, Merck Durham Plant, bioMerieux.
Using the Lyft App
- Download the Lyft app.
- Sign in to your existing Lyft account or create a Lyft account.
- Tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner (commonly referred to as the hamburger menu) and click “Payment” then “Add Lyft Pass”.
- Enter the code: GDCONNECT2 for Eastern Durham trips and GDCONNECT3 for Northern Durham trips. Subsidy will be applied to any eligible ride. You will need to enter this code only once and not each time you request a ride. Promo codes are only valid for Lyft Standard (recommended) rides.
*The Durham Connect pilot is funded through the Durham Transit Plan.
For people who need to travel in eastern or northern Durham but outside the Durham Connect microtransit service zones, consider using one of the following services:
| Route | Service Hour | Frequency | Book Options | Service Boundaries |
| Route 1 | 6am - 12am (Monday-Sunday) | 30 Minutes | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 4 | 7am - 9:30pm (Monday-Sunday) | 1 Hour | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 9 | 7am - 12:30am (Monday-Saturday evening) | 1 Hour | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 9 | 7am - 9:30pm (Sunday) | 1 Hour | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 9A | 6am - 12:30am (Monday-Saturday) | 30 Minutes | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 9B | 6am - 12:30am (Monday-Saturday) | 30 Minutes | No Booking Required | North Durham |
| Route 3B | 5am - 12am (Monday-Sunday) | 1 Hour | No Booking Required | East Durham |
| GoDurham ACCESS ADA Paratransit | 5:30am - 12:30am (Monday-Sunday) | ADA/DAR 24-Hour reservation required | Mobile Booking, Call and Advance Registration | GoDurham Service Area |
| GoDurham County ACCESS | 5:30am - 12:30am (Monday-Sunday) | ADA/DAR 24-Hour reservation required | Mobile Booking, Call and Advance Registration | Durham County |
| USURV | 5:30am - 12:30am (Monday-Sunday) | ADA/DAR 24-Hour reservation required | Mobile Booking, Call and Advance Registration | GoDurham Service Area |
| GoDurham Senior Shuttle | 10am - 2:30pm (Monday-Sunday) | Weekly Grocery Access Service | No Booking Required | Serves 10 Senior Communities |
| MicroTransit Pilot | 7am - 8m (Monday-Sunday) | MOD Late-Minute on Demand | Mobile Booking and Call | North and East Durham |
To better serve the communities in and around these microtransit zones, many bus expansion projects have been included in the Durham County Transit Plan. Due to ongoing operator shortages, the projects scheduled for fiscal year 2023 were not implemented. The final design for the service improvements listed below will be determined in the GoDurham Short Range Transit Plan. Public engagement for the plan will occur in August 2023.
| Route | Description | Date | Work Program ID | Note |
| Route 1 | Provide all-day, two-way 30-minute service on Guess Road, extending to Riverside High School | January 2024 | 23DCI_TS3 North Durham Improvements | Originally programmed for January 2023, implementation delayed due to operator shortage. (Replaces Route 9A between Riverside and Guess Road.) |
| New North Durham Crosstown Route | Provide all-day, two-way 30-minute service from Duke Hospital to North Duke Crossing along Hillandale Road and Horton Road – following Route 9A. | January 2024 | 23DCI_TS3 North Durham Improvements | Originally programmed for January 2023, implementation delayed due to operator shortage. (Replaces Route 9A between Guess Road and North Duke Crossing.) |
| Route 9 | Provide 30-minute service at all times (including nights and Sundays) between Durham Station and North Duke Crossing | January 2024 | 23DCI_TS3 North Durham Improvements | Originally targeted for January 2023, implementation delayed due to operator shortage. |
| Route 3 | Provide additional frequency between Downtown Durham and The Village | FY2025* | 23DCI_TS2 3X - Route 3 additional service | *Originally programmed for January 2023, but not included in FY2024 Work Program Submittal. Implementation delayed due to operator shortage. |
| East Durham Crosstown Route | Provide 30-minute service at all times between The Village, North Carolina Central University and Durham Technical Community College | FY2025* | *Originally programmed for FY2024 in Durham Transit Plan, but not included in FY2024 Work Program Submittal. Implementation delayed due to operator availability. | |
| All Routes | Extend 30-minute service until 12:30 a.m. Monday – Saturday and until midnight on Sunday | FY2025* | *Originally programmed for FY2024 in Durham Transit Plan, but not included in FY24 Work Program Submittal. Implementation delayed due to operator availability. | |
| Danube/ Hebron | Extend service to Danube/Hebron every 30 minutes | FY2025* | (Durham Transit plan identifies this service as a branch of Route 4.) | |
| Route 9 | Add 15-minute frequent service Monday – Saturday daytimes | FY2026 | ||
| Route 4 | Add 15-minute frequent service Monday – Saturday daytimes | FY2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The goal of the program is to increase access to employment, schools and groceries, while also increasing ridership and mobility in the areas of Durham County that are not well served by fixed-route buses.
Yes, 60 rides a month is the limit.
This is a pilot service designed to help find long-term solutions, and the end date for the pilot is not yet set. The program continues to be evaluated and changed over time to efficiently provide access to destinations in areas with limited transit access.
Tips are not included and are up to the discretion of the rider.
Customers without credit cards can use a pre-paid credit card or PayPal to create an account. The payment system is needed for the cancellation or no-show fees, which GoDurham will not cover.
You may incur fees for cancellations or no-shows of a requested ride. These fees will not be covered by the subsidy. For details, please review the Lyft cancellation and no-show policy.