Rocky Mount secures $3 million NCDOT grant for commuter bus service to Raleigh: Officials
A commuter bus service connecting Rocky Mount and Raleigh is moving forward, officials said.
On Monday, according to officials, the Rocky Mount City Council approved the matching funds for a $3 million grant awarded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the bus service between eastern North Carolina and the Triangle.
According to Rocky Mount officials, the $3 million will be used towards startup funding for the service’s vehicles, operations, and marketing.
City officials said they are now looking for a qualified vendor to implement the project.
Regional said they intend to turn Rocky Mount into a transportation hub that connects eastern North Carolina with jobs in the Triangle. They are considering future routes to other areas, including Wilson, Roanoke Rapids, Greenville, and Elizabeth City.
“Companies today are recruiting from a much larger geographic area,” Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson said in a statement. “If we want to compete for new investment and help the businesses already here grow, we must think differently about how people get to work. This commuter service expands the workforce available to Rocky Mount and gives people another option for connecting with good jobs.
“Supporting the retention and expansion of our existing businesses is just as important as recruiting new companies,” he continued in his statement. “We have employers who need workers today, and we have people who want good jobs but may not have reliable transportation to get there. This initiative helps address both sides of that equation.
“This is about preparing Rocky Mount for the future. Our economic growth cannot be measured only by the number of companies we attract, or the number of jobs created. We also have to make sure people can connect to those opportunities. This investment moves us closer to a region where communities work together, employers have access to talent, and people have more choices about where they live and work.”