The Ride to Promote Service Improvements
The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) and its getDowntown Program will be among the organizations participating in the 15th annual Mayor’s Green Fair on June 12. During the zero-waste event which will take place along portions of Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor, TheRide and getDowntown will host tables in the Fair’s “Green Commute Area” and have a bus parked for fairgoers to explore.
Employees will be available to answer questions and will have information about alternative commuting options, as well as the service improvements that will be implemented beginning Aug. 23. The improvements continue the implementation of TheRide’s Five-Year Transit Improvement Program and include expanded weekday and weekend service, more frequent service, and a new route with hourly service from Meijer on Carpenter Road to the Wal-Mart/Michigan Avenue area near Saline.
In addition to promoting transit as a convenient, affordable, and reliable local option, TheRide will be promoting National Dump the Pump Day, which takes place on Thursday, June 18. With the continued fluctuation of gas prices, TheRide is joining with other public transportation systems nationwide to participate and urge communities to “Dump the Pump. Ride Public Transit.”
Started in June, 2006 when gas prices were $3 per gallon, this national day which is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), emphasizes that public transit is a convenient travel option that also helps people save money. According to the April APTA Transit Savings Report, individuals in a two-person household can save an average of more than $9,394 annually by downsizing to one car. Additionally, public transportation is a cornerstone of local economies in urban, suburban, and rural communities. In fact, public transportation helps to make a community economically prosperous and competitive. Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns, powering community growth and revitalization.
