Dump the Pump, Ride PART Free Thursday

THEN:  Pottstown has had a public bus transit
system for 40 years.

Thursday you can ride the PART bus system for free.

It's part of the 10th annual National 'Dump the Pump Day,' which encourages people to ride public transit and save money.

According to the American Public Transportation Association, the latestTransit Savings Report shows that a two person household that downsizes to one car can save – on the average – more than $9,569 a year.

NOW: Most bus routes converge
at the transit center downtown.

Public transportation doesn’t just help people save money, it also helps communities grow and
prosper.

For example, for every $1 invested in public transportation, $4 is returned in economic returns. Communities with public transportation are more competitive.

According to PART, in 2014, Americans took 10.8 billion trips on public transportation -- the highest in 58 years.

Now for one of those "Did you Know?" bullet lists:

• Since 1995, public transit ridership is up 39 percent, outpacing population growth, which is up 21 percent, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT), which is up 25 percent.
• People board public transportation 36 million times each weekday.
• Public transportation is a $61 billion industry that employs more than 400,000 people.
• More than 7,200 organizations provide public transportation in the United States.
  
• Every $1 billion invested in public transportation supports and creates more than 50,000 jobs.
• Every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales.
• Home values performed 42 percent better on average if they were located near public transportation with high-frequency service.
• Public transportation use in the United States saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually.
• Households near public transit drive an average of 4,400 fewer miles than households with no access to public transit.
• Public transportation use in the United States reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually. This is equivalent to Washington, DC; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined stopping using electricity. 
• One person with a 20-mile round trip commute who switches from driving to public transit can reduce his or her daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or more than 4,800 pounds in a year.
• A single commuter switching his or her commute to public transportation can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10 percent and up to 30 percent if he or she eliminates a

  

  Now you can even bring your bike along on the bus ride.

  second car.

Now back to the important part, on Thursday, June 18, in celebration of "Dump the Pump Day," anyone can ride PART for free, all day long.

Who doesn't like free?

This also marks the 40th year that PART has served the greater Pottstown area with bus service, so you might say this is their thank you to their riders as well.