RTA Encourages Residents to “Dump the Pump” on June 16

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace bus are reminding residents to ‘Dump the Pump’ and take public transportation on Thursday, June 16. First time and veteran transit riders will have a chance to win great prizes by showing that they dumped the pump.

This year, transit riders can submit a picture of themselves “dumping the pump” and riding the RTA region’s transit system. Riders can begin posting their pictures now and can do so until the end of National Dump the Pump Day on June 16. Riders should upload photos of themselves riding on CTA, Metra or Pace to their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages, along with one of these hashtags: #DTPChi or #DumpThePumpSweeps, to be automatically entered into a drawing to win great prizes. Riders can enter multiple ‘dump the pump’ photos however rules allow only one raffle entry per rider no matter how many photos are entered. More importantly, with each ride, commuters contribute to the regional economy, help preserve our environment and save time and money by “dumping the pump”.

“It’s the summer time in Chicago which means construction season, congested highways and fluctuating gas prices,” said Leanne P. Redden, RTA executive director “We’re asking people to leave their cars at home because we know that taking public transportation means saving time and money and, hopefully, decreasing the stress in all our lives.”

This is the 11th annual Dump the Pump Day, a national initiative sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association, that encourages everyone to leave their cars behind and take public transportation on the third Thursday in June each year.