By WECT Staff | January 21, 2021 at 10:50 AM EST – Updated January 21 at 5:31 PM
RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) – Approximately $2.5 million in Coronavirus Relief Funding will be distributed to transit agencies across North Carolina to help those who need transportation to get a COVID-19 vaccine, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday.
“Every North Carolinian has a spot and needs to get their shot,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “As vaccine supply increases, we are deploying every resource to make sure people have access and are not held back by barriers like lack of transportation.”
According to DOT Secretary J. Eric Boyette, the funding will allow approximately 30,000 North Carolinians to get free transportation to get vaccinated.
“Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is everybody’s business and every organization has something they can do to help,” said DOT Secretary J. Eric Boyette. “We are committed to doing everything we can to help get North Carolinians vaccinated as quickly and easily as possible.”
Officials say that the local transit agencies will each get a set amount of funding. The program will continue until each agency exhausts its funds.
“Partnerships like this are crucial to make it possible for everyone to be able to take their shot when it’s their spot,” added DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD.
Wave Transit announced it will begin accepting requests at 8 a.m. Friday. Requests need to be made 24 hours in advance and can be made up to two weeks in advance.
To make a request, call 910-202-2053 or email ptschedule@wavetransit.com between Monday-Thursday (8am-5pm) to request next day transport and Friday (8am-5pm) to request weekend or Monday transport.
Transportation will only be offered to and from locations within Wave’s service area to designate vaccination sites between 6am-8pm Monday-Friday and 9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday.
Current designated vaccination sites include the county health department, located at 1650 Greenfield Street, the Senior Resource Center, located at 2222 South College Road, and the Pointe 14 Theater located in the Pointe at Barclay off 17th Street.
Here is a list of the local transit agencies receiving funding:
Copyright 2021 WECT. All rights reserved.
