Wichita Transit riders can ride at no cost during high ozone, or Ozone Alert, days through Oct. 31 as part of a national campaign to improve air quality by reducing emissions.
Ozone Alerts Days occur when ozone levels are expected to be high. A main contributor are vehicles, which contribute 47 percent of the area’s ozone-forming emissions. Riding transit buses on Ozone Alert days reduces ozone levels and helps the area void exceeding federal ozone limits.
Also, mark your calendars for Free Fares Week, June 15-20, which is designed to give new transit riders the opportunity to experience the public transit system for rides to work, school, errands and recreation. Wichita Transit provided 58,415 rides during last year’s Free Fares Week. More than 15,000 of those rides were new. An estimated 303,760 private vehicle miles were avoided and an estimated 464 pounds of ozone forming emissions were kept out of the air.
Free Fares Week will include a social media contest. Riders can take a “selfie” while riding a Transit bus and post the image on Wichita Transit Facebook and Twitter pages using #catcharidewichita. Posting their selfie makes riders eligible to win 1 of 10 bus passes in a drawing on June 23. The free Transit rides are made possible through a federal grant provided to help improve air quality.
City officials alert the public through media partners and marketing efforts. To learn about upcoming Ozone Alert days, residents can receive alerts through emails by visiting the city website and signing up for Ozone Alert emails. Additionally, the city of Wichita and Wichita Transit will post Ozone Alerts on their respective websites and social media sites. Residents can also learn about Ozone Alert days from the Intelligent Transportation System message boards along major highways.
