Fare and Pass Information
Pricing
| Pass Type | Regular Fare | Reduced Fare Eligibility requirements listed below table. |
| One Ride Pass | $2 | $1 |
| 10 Ride Pass | $20 | $10 |
| 24-Hour Pass | $5 | $2.50 |
| 7-Day Pass | $20 | $10 |
| 31-Day Pass | $80 | $40 |
| Transfer Pass Must be requested from bus operator at time of boarding. For use only on fixed route. |
Free | Free |
| Dial-A-Ride Transportation(DART) One-Way Pass Accessible van service available only to those enrolled in the program – also called Paratransit |
$4 | Not applicable |
| Dial-A-Ride Transportation(DART) Ten Pass Book Accessible van service available only to those enrolled in the program – also called Paratransit |
$4 | Not applicable |
| RideMICRO One-Way Pass Cannot be used to transfer onto fixed route or in place of a fixed route pass. |
$2 | Not applicable |
How to Purchase a Bus or DART Pass
Passes are available for purchase on any Wave bus, RideMICRO van, or DART van with cash. Please note, drivers cannot make change. If exact change is not provided, a change card containing the balance will be issued for future rides.
Bus, RideMICRO, and DART passes are also sold at Forden Station, located at 505 Cando St., Wilmington, NC 28405; and Padgett Station, 520 N 3rd St, Wilmington, NC 28401; every day until 15 minutes before closing.
Reduced fare bus passes can be purchased without associated ID at Forden Station or Padgett Station, however one of the IDs listed below must be presented to the bus driver when the pass is utilized in order to receive the discount. Reduced fare passes will not be honored on the bus without an accompanying ID. In order to qualify for reduced fare and/or use a reduced fare bus pass you must present one of the following IDs: Wave Reduced Fare Card, 65+ Photo ID, valid student ID, red white and blue Medicare Card with Photo ID, NHC Veteran ID.
Bus passes and RideMICRO passes may be purchased at Forden Station and Padgett Station with cash, credit/debit card ($10 minimum), or Apple Pay. Personal checks are NOT accepted as payment for fixed route bus passes.
DART passes may be purchased at Forden Station and Padgett Station with cash, money order, personal check, credit/debit card ($40 minimum), or Apple Pay. DART passes only available in multiples or quantities of 10.
RideMICRO fare may be paid in the RideMICRO app using a debit or credit card at the time of booking. RideMICRO passes and cash (exact change) are also accept on board the vehicle.
Reduced Fare and Free Fare Programs
We offer free and reduced fare bus passes to the groups listed below. Customers eligible for reduced fare may also purchase multi-ride passes at half price. Discounts are not available for DART service or RideMICRO.
- Older Adults: Customers age 65 years or older are eligible to ride for half price with a red, white & blue Medicare card, or a valid photo ID.
- People with Disabilities: Individuals with disabilities are eligible to ride for half price with a red, white & blue Medicare card or a valid Wave Reduced Fare Card. Click here to download a Reduced Fare Card Application for persons with disabilities.
- Local Veterans: Military Veterans are eligible to ride for half price with a valid New Hanover County (NHC) Veteran ID card. ID cards are available at NHC Register of Deeds offices, free of charge. For more information call (910) 798-4530.
- Local Students: Students in grades K through 12 or attending local colleges are eligible to ride for half price with a valid ID. Students enrolled in a school that does not provide ID cards may apply for a Wave Transit Reduced Fare Card. For more information about this option, please contact us at (910) 202-2045 or bditri@wavetransit.com Click here to download a Reduced Fare Card Application for students. UNCW students, faculty and staff ride free as transportation fees are included in the cost of tuition.
- Young Children: Children ages zero to four (0-4) ride free with a fare paying adult. No more than three children may ride for free with each fare paying adult.
Transfer Passes
An optional transfer pass is included in the price of a one-way bus pass to provide continuous service for a trip not served by a single route. A transfer pass must be requested at time of boarding. Transfer passes are valid for seventy-five (75) minutes. Transfers cannot be used to/from RideMICRO.
Multi-Ride Bus Passes
24 hour bus passes are valid for twenty-four (24) continuous hours from the time the card is first used for transportation. Passes can be purchased from any bus operator or at either of our two transfer stations.
Ten (10) Ride passes are valid for ten one way trips. Optional transfer passes are included in the price and must be requested at time of boarding. Ten Ride passes have no expiration and can only be purchased at Forden Station or Padgett Station.
Seven-day (7) passes are valid for seven (7) consecutive days (ie. Monday- Sunday. Holidays are considered as consecutive days, although bus service may not be provided). The first day of the pass begins when the passenger first uses the pass and is valid for the next seven (7) consecutive days Passes can be bought from any bus operator or at either of our two transfer stations.
Thirty-one (31) day passes are valid for thirty-one (31) consecutive days (ie. Monday- Sunday. Holidays are considered as consecutive days, although bus service may not be provided). The first day of the pass begins when the passenger first uses the pass and is valid for the next thirty-one (31) consecutive days. Passes can be bought from any bus operator or at either of our two transfer stations.