Monday, December 12, 2011

Utah free transit a big success

Wednesday, December 14 is the day the Cache Valley Transit District is expected to reach an all-time ridership milestone since operations started in 1992. Two million passengers will have been transported during 2011.

..since the beginning annual passenger trips have grown from 450,000 in 1992 to 2,000,000 in 2011.

CacheValleyDaily

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Bonner County, Idaho - free buses

Changes ahead for PCDC, city - Bonner County Daily Bee: Local News: ponderay, bonner county, ponderay community development corporation, selkirks-pend oreille transit, pend d'oreille bay trail: "Kunzeman also shared her strong support for the Selkirks-Pend Oreille Transit buses. The free public transportation system, which peaked at around 1,000 riders a week during the summer, dipped in ridership slightly after kids returned to school. However, it recovered quickly to a stable ridership of 800 per week.
The bus system’s success has prompted community organizations to embrace it with continued support. Ponderay Rotary Club members announced at the meeting that they are investigating grants and fundraising means to establish shelters at the bus stops. Kunzemen also said system officials would like to decrease the time between buses from an hour to a half-hour if possible."

'via Blog this'

Monday, November 14, 2011

Streamline [free] bus service celebrates 1 millionth rider - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: News

Streamline bus service celebrates 1 millionth rider - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: News: "Roberta Stevens stepped off a yellow Streamline bus Friday morning, as she often has in the past half decade.
But this time, a crowd was awaiting her with a bouquet of flowers and a basket of gifts.
Stevens, 80, was Streamline’s millionth rider—a benchmark in the program’s more than five years of service.
“The Streamline has been a lifesaver for me and I’d be heartbroken (without it),” Stevens said."

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Thursday, November 3, 2011

Gettysburg buses free - Evening Sun

In this 2010 photo, Judy Spoonemore, from Atlanta, Ga., rides the Freedom Transit trolley on Monday afternoon in downtown Gettysburg.
(File Photo)

Gettysburg buses free - Evening Sun: ""Is this aimed to increase ridership? Obviously. We hope that happens," Farr said. "But what we're also trying to do is increase the transit element in the community. Here's a great opportunity for local businesses to see a significant increase in foot traffic."

Farr hopes a free bus system in Gettysburg will encourage visitors to shop downtown."

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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Bus system goes fare-free -- ridership up 138%

Bus drivers energized by student community | Kansan.com: "KU on Wheels finds itself carrying more passengers. This is due a great deal to the University going fare-free for the last three years. Students now pay a flat fee as a part of their student fees.
This led to KU on Wheels, in association with the City of Lawrence, winning the 2010 Federal Transit Association Ridership Award. The award was based on ridership increasing 138 percent in the first year of implementation, according to the Kansas Public Transit Association.

As a result of the increased ridership, the busing system helps traffic flow and makes campus greener."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Streamline Bus  |  Catch the Current


Streamline Bus  |  Catch the Current: "Upstream to Downtown   Catch the Current! is more than a catchy title, Streamline offers service throughout the Bozeman area to fulfill everyone’s transportation needs. Economical, efficient, eco-conscience and fare free!"

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Fares - City of Corvallis (none)

Whether your ride is a few blocks
or across town, CTS buses are
fareless to all!
Fares - City of Corvallis: "Corvallis Transit System is fareless!

Any person wishing to ride CTS or the Beaver Bus may do so without paying a fare.

Other bus systems that connect to CTS, the Philomath Connection, 99 Express and Linn-Benton Loop, still charge fares. See the Connections page for links to these systems.

CTS became fareless on February 1, 2011 because of a new Transit Operations Fee which replaced the fares. It also replaced the portion of the City’s General Fund (property taxes) previously dedicated to Transit, making those funds available for other uses such as the Library, Parks and Recreation, and the Police and Fire Departments. The Fee was adopted by the Corvallis City Council at its January 4th meeting.

"

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

City of South Padre Island, Texas / Transit Systems

City of South Padre Island, Texas / Transit Systems: The WAVE is a FREE fixed route system that operates within the City of South Padre Island and Port Isabel and has been developed by the South Padre Island City Council with the input of our drivers and passengers, as well as citizens and business persons on both sides of the Memorial Queen Isabella Causeway.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Durango Herald 08/06/2011 | Easy and free

The Durango Herald 08/06/2011 | Easy and free: "Whether it's these reasons, the economy or both, one thing is clear: Usage of Durango's public transit service is up dramatically.

Since the City Council voted in 2009 to make the Main Avenue trolley free, ridership numbers have seen double-digit increases."

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Duke Offers Free Pass To Ride Public Transit | Duke Today

Duke Offers Free Pass To Ride Public Transit | Duke Today: "GoPass allows for unlimited rides on DATA, Triangle Transit, Capital Area Transit and C-Tran, the town of Cary's transit service, at no charge.

'I'm thrilled that now I can say that Duke is encouraging public transport in this way,' said Troost, who plans to use GoPass to commute by bus four to five days per week.

Duke partnered with Triangle Transit to provide GoPass."

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Lifehacker’s Free Public Transport Guide, 2011 Edition


If you’re in the middle of a capital city, chances are you’re not too far from a free public transport service. Find one near you with Lifehacker’s comprehensive guide to free public transport in Australia.

Picture by Graham Lees

This is an updated version of our guide from last year, reflecting the changes that have happened since then and incorporating additional reader suggestions. Most of the free options are heavily geared towards tourists, which often means limited hours in the evening and, in some cases, weekends. Even if you’re a local, free services can be useful when the weather turns nasty.

If you combine this list with our guide to cheap airport transfers, you can enjoy a visit to any of Australia’s major cities without spending a fortune. The links to each service provide detailed timetable information. (Double-check if you’re planning to use one on a public holiday, as many don’t operate then.)

Sydney

The 555 bus runs in a loop in both directions between Circular Quay and Central Station. The frequency is pretty good — once every 10 minutes. On weekdays, it runs from 9:30am to 3:30pm (extended to 9:00pm on Thursdays). On weekends, it operates from 9:30am to 6:00pm.

Outside the CBD, there are also free shuttle services in Kogarah, Parramatta and Ryde .

Melbourne

The City Circle Tram is Melbourne’s most prominent free option, running every 12 minutes around the outer edge of the Melbourne CBD (both clockwise and anti-clockwise). It runs between 10:00am and 6:00pm Sunday to Wednesday, and 10:00am to 9:00pm Thursday to Saturday. The City Tourist Shuttle bus offers more access to tourist destinations, but is less frequent and slower. It runs every 30 minutes, takes 90 minutes to do a full loop, and operates between 9:30am and 4:30pm daily.

If you’re an early riser, trains in Melbourne are free prior to 7am. However, you’ll need an Early Bird metcard, which is only available from premium stations, and your journey must finish before 7am.

Brisbane

Brisbane offers a pair of loop buses, one for the CBD covering the main area of the city and one for Spring Hill. The CBD loop runs 07:00am to 6:00pm , with departures every 15 minutes. Spring Hill runs from 06:52am to 6:00pm, with departures every 10 minutes. Annoyingly, neither service runs on weekends or public holidays.

Perth

Perth has by far the broadest range of free options for any city. With the Free Transit Zone (which essentially covers the CBD, as you can see on the map, you can catch any bus or train for free. Note that the entire journey has to be within the free zone, and that if you want to use a train you’ll need a SmartRider card (since Perth has stations with electronic gates).

There are also three free CAT bus services which operate entirely within the free CBD area: the east-west Red and Yellow services, and the North-South Blue service. Services generally operate from around 06:00am to 07:00pm on weekdays, with frequencies of roughly once every seven minutes. Weekends have later starting times and lower frequencies. Outside the city, there are free CAT buses which operate in Fremantle and Joondalup (though the latter don’t run on weekends). Full details for all the services are handily collected on the CAT information page.

Adelaide

Adelaide’s iconic Glenelg tram is free between South Terrace within the city and the Entertainment Centre, and along Jetty Road within Glenelg. It runs every 7 or so minutes between 8:00am and 6:00pm Monday to Friday, every 15 minutes between 09:00am and 6:00pm Saturdays and Sundays, and every 20 minutes at other times.

On the bus, the 99C runs a loop across the northern half of the CBD from 08:00am to 09:00pm, with services every 15 minutes until 06:00pm and additional services on Friday nights. Weekend services run every 30 minutes. The Adelaide Metro site captures both these options on a single page. Additionally, Adelaide City Council runs the Adelaide Connector service, which covers a wider area (incorporating North Adelaide as well) but with only one bus an hour.

Newcastle

The Fare Free Bus scheme allows free travel on any government bus in the city centre between 07:30am and 6:00pm every day.

Wollongong

The Gong Shuttle runs from Wollongong Station to Wollongong University and back. It operates every 10-20 minutes between 7:00am and 10:00pm Monday to Friday, and every 20 minutes between 8:00am and 6:00pm on weekends.

Know of a free transport option we’ve missed? Tell us about it in the comments. (We’re aware of the various tricks to get extra time on tickets, such as buying after 3pm for a weekly in Sydney to get an extra day, but we want to focus on purely free options here.)

Lifehacker Australia editor Angus Kidman hasn’t used all of these options, but he’s working on it. His Road Worrier column, looking at technology and organising tips for travellers, appears each week on Lifehacker.

Comments


Give up your car, get free public transportation








Would you ever surrender your car? We don't mean to trade in your gas-guzzler for a high mileage vehicle, or swap your Toyota Prius for a Nissan Leaf, or even agree to trundling around in a G-Wiz. In this case, we're talking going automotive cold turkey. What would it take for you to make that jump? Would a lifetime of free public transportation do it for you?

Well, this is what the city of Murcia, Spain is offering. The city is trying to lure residents into a unique trade-in offer: turn over your car, and you get an unlimited pass to the city's new public transportation system.

Like many cities in Europe, Murcia has become a constant traffic jam. Car owners are also finding it harder and harder to find a place to park. City planners in the U.S. might prescribe construction of additional parking lots and new highway lanes as the solution, but Murcia is taking this other route. Sound like a deal?

[See story below for more information: Ed]

Autoblog Green



Monday, July 18, 2011

Trade Your Car For A Free Lifetime Bus Pass (If You Live In Murcia)

BY Morgan ClendanielTue Jul 12, 2011
A Spanish city, in a bid to end congestion, has made its citizens an offer: Give up your car and ride our trolley for free, forever.

Mejor en Tranvia trolley offer

People love their cars. They're willing to maintain a car even when it's expensive and difficult. In the Spanish city of Murcia, which had become crowded with vehicles, the government decided to try to pry people's hands off the wheels by offering a little economic incentive. Not only would you not have the inconvenience of trying to park, you could ride the city's public transit for free for the rest of your life.

To promote the campaign, the city made a series of adorable advertisements showing how unpleasant it is to be stuck in traffic and looking for parking all the time.

And just in case some Murcia residents hadn't noticed how annoying it was to have a car in the city, they also started leaving cars in impossible parking spots, like this one, where the car is forced to sit on two other cars to find a space.

Seeing that, a lifetime trolley pass looks quite enticing. While many cities have campaigns to encourage public transit use, and a few use congestion pricing to help limit the number of cars in the city centers, this is an impressive use of city funds to directly influence how people get around the city. A lifetime trolley pass is probably a minimal cost for the city (though most transit systems are already bleeding money without giving away free fares), but with enough given away, could make a drastic difference in the livability of the city.

[Images: Mejor en Tranvia]

[Hat tip: Springwise]

Follow @fastcompany.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

MUSC, College of Charleston students and staff to keep getting free CARTA bus fare

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) has struck a deal to continue its transportation agreements with the Medical University of South Carolina and College of Charleston.

This is the sixth year that MUSC has had a partnership with CARTA and the eighth year for CofC of offering students, faculty and staff of both institutions unlimited rides with their organization identification card.

The result is free bus service to these riders, with costs covered by MUSC and College of Charleston.

“Our constant focus is to encourage use of public transit throughout the Charleston area,” said Christine Wilkinson, interim executive director for CARTA. “These two partnerships further our continual pursuit of that goal. We encourage other Charleston area businesses to consider how CARTA can help their employees and staff.”

CARTA also has ongoing partnerships with the City of Charleston, Charleston County School District and Roper St. Francis Hospital.

On average, as many as 65,000 trips per month are taken by MUSC and CofC ID holders. In addition, more than 30,000 riders take the Express routes each month, which are heavily utilized by MUSC and CofC.

“Continuing this important partnership is not only a benefit for our students, faculty and staff, but an investment in the community,” said John Runyon, director of business services at Medical University of South Carolina.

The partnerships offer a number of other benefits, which include:

  • Reduce traffic and congestion in the Charleston area
  • Reduce need for additional parking on campus
  • Accommodating to students and faculty – provides safe travel as well as bike racks for transportation around their respective campus
  • Brings the benefit to staff, faculty and students while increasing ridership and encouraging public transit
  • Increase in ridership enables CARTA to acquire additional federal funding for equipment and upgrades
  • Continuing a strong relationship with two valuable partners and involvement in regular events such as MUSC Green Fairs and CofC Orientation
  • Provides a valuable service to a diverse community

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Aubagne -- fare free streetcars -- a first.

French city Aubagne will probably the first streetcar in the world completely free!

Aubagne (France) never stops innovating. In 2009, the Urban Community of the Pays d'Aubagne and Etoile (100,000 inhabitants) introduced totally free public transport on the entire network for all users, whether residents the urban community of Aubagne and beyond. Today, Aubagne even start building a streetcar line!

This is, to our knowledge, the first streetcar line in the world will be totally free for users!

The work of the future streetcar is expected to begin late 2011, early 2012. The first phase will be delivered end of 2013. Two other phases are coming in 2016 and 2019.

Total cost of this project? About 144 million euros for a line of 9 km with 19 stations (one every 500 meters); this is a very low price, the cost per kilometer is € 16 million, making the project the cheapest in France.The technical and financial decisions were approved by the french government, which granted the project a grant of € 13.76 million, as part of the "Grenelle de l’Environnement" and stating that the project "fully meets the challenges of sustainable mobility."

The project will be funded by the State, the Region, the Department and a 35-year loan to be repaid by the "transport tax" annualy paid by companies.

So it is a world first, Aubagne will probably the first streetcar in the world completely free!

Source: http://carfree.free.fr/index.php/2011/07/06/aubagne-aura-le-premier-tramway-au-monde-entierement-gratuit/

Friday, May 27, 2011

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801: "“The introduction of free bus fares on four of the five routes, is aimed at encouraging the increase in use of public transport and therefore a decrease in the use of private motor vehicles, so as to deliver an environmental gain, as well as improved traffic circulation. The introduction of the new bus routes and free bus service on most routes will represent further significant progress of the Plan.”"

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Ohio College, community, partner to offer free transportation - News

College, community partner to offer free transportation - News: "Students in need of a ride are in luck, as Marietta College has teamed up with Washington-Morgan Community Action to provide free public transportation.

Executive Director of College Relations Tom Perry said that this is a relatively new service and has not been brought to the attention of many students yet."

Monday, January 3, 2011

Utah fare-free transit district adds buses to fleet.

The Cache Valley Transit District has purchased five new buses in an effort to increase the number of spares in the fleet.

Until recently, the organization had been operating with just one spare bus. Now, the CVTD will have four spares on hand and 32 total vehicles.

"What this does is it helps us get up to an acceptable spare ratio," said Todd Beutler, the CVTD's general manager. "We were operating with one spare vehicle, which is really tough when you're trying to keep service out on the street."

Beutler said the CVTD will be able to operate service more efficiently and with greater flexibility if a bus is in an accident or needs maintenance.

"We've been researching this for quite some time, and we determined it was probably time to jump into the market," said Beutler.

Two of the vehicles are 35-foot hybrid buses, and three are 40-foot commuters.

The hybrids are powered by clean diesel electrical propulsion systems. According to the CVTD, these buses help reduce emissions, save on fuel, and are quieter than conventional buses.

Beutler said the hybrids perform best in hilly and low-speed areas, noting they will be used on routes near Utah State University and Logan's Cliffside neighborhood, for instance.

The other buses, which have higher seating capacity, will be used mainly for the Cache Valley north and south routes and service to Idaho.

HJNews