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Sanford, Lee County

Sanford: W.B. Wicker Elementary partners with Buzzline on family transit vouchers

A Friday city notice says the Tiger Den will offer ride vouchers for school events and local services. Lee County Schools posted the same partnership Oct. 21. The Sanford Herald reported it Saturday.

ConfirmedThe main facts are confirmed by official or first-hand sources.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published · Updated

A downtown street in Sanford, N.C.

File photo: Indy beetle (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • The City of Sanford posted Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, that W.B. Wicker Elementary School has partnered with Buzzline Microtransit and the County of Lee Transit System so students and their families can get rides.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026
  • That notice says families who need help with transportation can apply at the school's Tiger Den Family Resource Center for vouchers that cover school activities and trips to community resources.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026
  • Lee County Schools posted the same partnership on Oct. 21, 2026, naming the Tiger Den, Buzzline, and COLTS.Confirmed by Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026
  • The Sanford Herald, in a Saturday write-up, independently described the same voucher arrangement among Wicker, Buzzline, and COLTS.Confirmed by The Sanford Herald, Oct. 24, 2026
  • Community Schools Coordinator Brittany Degraffenreaidt, who leads the Tiger Den, said in the city post and the district article that lacking a ride can keep a parent from a school event or from reaching help.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026; Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026
  • Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon, quoted in that post, said the arrangement with Wicker helps fill transportation gaps for Sanford families.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026, quoting Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon
  • The city said Wicker is joining other nonprofits, employers, and education providers that already use the voucher program.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026
  • Debbie Davidson, COLTS mobility manager, said partner groups buy the vouchers so people tied to those groups can ride Buzzline and COLTS.Confirmed by Debbie Davidson, Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026; The Sanford Herald, Oct. 24, 2026
  • The Friday city notice, the Oct. 21 district article, and Buzzline's own site all list weekday hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekend hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a $5 fare that covers up to five riders on one trip.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026; Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026; Buzzline Microtransit site
  • Bookings can be made at buzzlinemicro.com, through the mobile app, or by calling 919-776-7201, the city notice, the district article, and the city's Buzzline page all say.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026; Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026; City of Sanford Buzzline page
  • The city notice and the official Buzzline page say the service is a City of Sanford and Lee County project, funded through the N.C. Department of Transportation and run by COLTS.Confirmed by City of Sanford news flash, Oct. 23, 2026; City of Sanford Buzzline page; Buzzline Microtransit site
  • The official Buzzline page names the NCDOT Mobility for Everyone, Everywhere in North Carolina grant as the funding source.Confirmed by City of Sanford Buzzline page; Buzzline Microtransit site
  • Lee County Schools opened the Tiger Den in March 2026 as a place to connect Wicker households with food, supplies, and other aid. Appointments come first for people tied to that campus.Confirmed by Lee County Schools, March 27, 2026

Still unknown

  • How many vouchers are available and who qualifies beyond families the Tiger Den serves
  • When the first rides under this school arrangement will happen

What this means for you

Instructions from City of Sanford; Lee County Schools; Buzzline Microtransit

This site is not the city, the school district, or an emergency service. To book a ride, use buzzlinemicro.com or 919-776-7201. For vouchers, contact the Tiger Den or Debbie Davidson at 919-718-4605, extension 5589. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

What happened

In Sanford, W.B. Wicker Elementary School is joining Buzzline Microtransit and the County of Lee Transit System so families can get rides to campus events and local services.

A Friday city notice says the Tiger Den Family Resource Center will offer ride vouchers to households that need them. Lee County Schools posted that partnership on Oct. 21. The Sanford Herald reported the same arrangement on Saturday.

Community Schools Coordinator Brittany Degraffenreaidt, quoted in the city notice and the district article, said a missing ride can keep a parent from a school program or from reaching help. Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon said the deal with Wicker helps close those gaps.

Debbie Davidson, the COLTS mobility manager named by the district, said partner groups buy those vouchers so people linked to those groups can travel.

Buzzline's own site, the city's Friday write-up, and the Oct. 21 district article all list weekday hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekend hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a $5 fare that covers up to five riders on one trip. Bookings go through buzzlinemicro.com, the mobile app, or 919-776-7201.

The district opened that hub in March 2026 as a place to connect Wicker households with food, supplies, and other aid. Appointments come first for families connected to the campus.

What we don't know yet

Officials have not said how many vouchers are on hand, who qualifies beyond families the center serves, or when the first rides under this school deal will happen.

What happens next

To book a ride, use buzzlinemicro.com or 919-776-7201. For voucher questions, contact the school. This site is not the city or the district. If someone is in danger, call 911.

Photos

Text-only. No city, school, or newspaper photos are used here.

Why it matters

Families at W.B. Wicker who cannot get to a school event or a local office now have a city-posted way to ask for a ride. Readers need the hours, the fare, and what officials have not yet said about eligibility.

Updates

  1. Oct 24, 2026, 10:15 AM

    Lee County Schools' Oct. 21 article is posted. It matches the city's Friday notice on the Tiger Den voucher arrangement, hours, fare, and how partner groups buy the rides.

  2. Oct 24, 2026, 6:08 AM

    The city posted Friday that Wicker's Tiger Den will offer Buzzline vouchers. The Sanford Herald reported the same arrangement Saturday.

Sources

  1. W.B. Wicker Partners with Buzzline to Help Families (City of Sanford CivicAlert AID 983, posted Oct. 23, 2026: Wicker, Buzzline, and COLTS; Tiger Den applications; Degraffenreaidt quote; Mayor Salmon quote; other groups already in the voucher program; weekday 6 a.m.–8 p.m., weekend 7 a.m.–7 p.m., $5 fare up to five riders; buzzlinemicro.com, app, 919-776-7201; NCDOT-funded, COLTS-operated; cites an Oct. 21 Lee County Schools article; Davidson at 919-718-4605 x 5589)

    Official sourcePublished by City of Sanford · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 6:02 AM

  2. W.B. Wicker partners with Buzzline to help families with transportation (The Sanford Herald, Oct. 24, 2026: independently reported the Tiger Den voucher arrangement; Degraffenreaidt; Davidson on partner groups buying vouchers; $5 fare and up to five passengers)

    Published by The Sanford Herald · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 6:02 AM

  3. Buzzline Microtransit site (pilot on-demand service; weekday 6 a.m.–8 p.m.; weekend 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; $5 per ride; City of Sanford and Lee County, NCDOT MEE NC grant, administered by COLTS; book by app)

    Official sourcePublished by Buzzline Microtransit / City of Sanford and Lee County · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 6:02 AM

  4. Buzzline Microtransit department page (city-county project; NCDOT MEE NC grant; COLTS; book by app, online, or 919-776-7201; Debbie Davidson operations contact)

    Official sourcePublished by City of Sanford · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 6:02 AM

  5. W.B. Wicker Elementary Community Hub Partners with Buzzline and COLTS to Break Down Transportation Barriers for Families (Lee County Schools, Oct. 21, 2026: Tiger Den, Buzzline, COLTS; Degraffenreaidt; Davidson on partner groups buying vouchers; weekday 6 a.m.–8 p.m., weekend 7 a.m.–7 p.m., $5 fare up to five riders; buzzlinemicro.com, app, 919-776-7201; no voucher count or start date)

    Official sourcePublished by Lee County Schools · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 10:12 AM

  6. W.B. Wicker Elementary School opens Family Resource Center (Lee County Schools, March 27, 2026: Tiger Den opening; Degraffenreaidt; by appointment, priority for Wicker-connected people; food, supplies, and other aid)

    Official sourcePublished by Lee County Schools · Checked Oct 24, 2026, 6:02 AM

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