After Durham Station, the second busiest bus stop in Durham is in east Durham at the Village Shopping Center, sometimes called Wellons Village, near the intersection of North Miami Blvd and Holloway Street. There is always a crowd, of varying sizes, getting ready to get on a bus headed downtown, out toward Walmart on East Geer Street, toward the Holton Career and Resource Center on Driver Street, or east down Highway 98.

This Tuesday at mid-day, the scene was no different. As the time neared for buses to arrive, people would gather on either side of Raynor Street, ready to get on. Some were clearly concerned about the COVID-19 virus, keeping their distance from one another, or wearing masks and gloves. Talib W., an older man from east Durham was wearing a worn light-blue face mask and winter gloves. He said since the virus, “it’s changed a lot. There are less people, it’s not as crowded as it used to be. You see more people are using protective gear. Masks and gloves. Not all of them, but you’ve got those who are conscientious.”

Others were less concerned, joking with one another, or sitting right next to each other under the lone shelter at this busy location. A young man sitting under the shelter said he’s not worried about being too close to others on the bus. “I think people are taking this virus too seriously.” The young woman with a toddler in her lap said people need to get to work to make money. She said when you have to choose between making money and risking getting sick, people are going to do what they have to to make money.

Others shared their stories about how critical GoDurham was for them. Earl C., a middle-aged man from east Durham, said “If the buses shut down, it would affect me in my responsibilities in going to see my kids, probably to go to work, everyday travel.” He’d continued, ”Education, health, doctor’s appointments, picking up medications, the post office. It would affect a lot for my everyday travel, everyday use. It would be very detrimental to my everyday life.”

Mr. Glenwood J, who lives near Northgate Mall shared, “I use GoDurham almost exclusively. To pick up personal items, to get groceries, especially to get to Durham Tech’s campus to take classes. It’s a critical part of my daily life.”

Ridership is Noticeably Lower

All the people waiting at the Village had noticed that there were fewer people on most buses. That’s confirmed by data from staff at GoTriangle who shared that on Monday, ridership on GoDurham was down about 25% from a normal Monday, and that ridership on GoTriangle was down 60-70%. These figures are in line with results from other transit agencies around the country, where commuter-oriented services have seen precipitous declines in riders who are now working from home or have been laid off. Local transit services, whose customers use the services for work and education, but also for connections to grocery stores, medical appointments, and other services, have seen lower declines in usage.

Here in Durham, it can vary by route. Talib W “was surprised that I got on one bus, and there was nobody but me when normally these buses on Route 3C have 20 or more people on them. But for those who have to go shopping, they can’t help but get on a crowded bus, but [many] still have the protective gear.” According to GoTriangle planners, Route 3, which goes to Walmart, only had 12% fewer riders than a normal weekday. Mr. Johnson said “I just came down on Route 3 and it was probably three-quarters, almost full capacity.”

Earl C. observed that many buses are less crowded because lots of things are shutting down. “I went to Social Security today. Social Security office is shutting down. I tried to get some clothes at CitiTrends [a clothing store] and it was shut down. A few other places where I tried to go do some things were shut down. And the buses are shutting down [early at 9:30pm].” He was concerned about whether GoDurham service would continue to operate. “I don’t know if thery’e going to have the buses too long, because everything is shutting down. And there’s less people on the bus and they don’t really want to be together with each other, so I don’t really know how long that will hold up.”

GoDurham Connects Some Riders Who Donate Life-Giving Plasma

Adjacent to the bus stop is a CSL Plasma donation center. CSL Plasma is one of the nation’s leading producers of blood products. According to their website, “Plasma is the essential ingredient for products crucial to treating patients suffering from a host of life-threatening conditions and bleeding disorders.” At companies like this, donors are compensated for their donation. Again, according to their website, new donors can earn up to $400 in their first month. Continuing donors can earn about $300 if they make donations twice each week. Earl C. said sheepishly, “I go sometimes [to earn money] to pay bills, get groceries, pay fines. City fines for traffic tickets or things of that nature. It’s pretty beneficial to have that open. I was surprised it’s open because of the COVID virus. I don’t know how long that’s going to be open.”

As long as it remains open, and GoDurham remains operating, Earl C. and Glenwood J. will continue to ride here to donate plasma so that they have the money to pay their bills and get groceries. It’s an important source of income for them. This is the underlying message in all of these stories - GoDurham is essential in connecting them to ways to earn money and to all of life’s necessities. While some are nervous about exposure to the virus, nearly all are more concerned about what it would mean for GoDurham to stop running.

NOTE: This post is the second in a series about how people are using transit and bicycles during the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Durham.