Ozark Regional Transit is offering free rides next week

SPRINGDALE -- Ozark Regional Transit is offering free rides next week as part of a national campaign to promote public transportation.

Dump-The-Pump Day is set for Thursday, and the organization says it will offer free rides Monday through Friday. The national campaign is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association and is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of using public transportation, especially the economic benefits.

#Autosprawl bad for business

Why business, political leaders want big change for Greenville transit: "That is based on this premise: If Greenville is to truly transform into the modern metropolitan area it aims to be, the buses must run at night and on the weekends and more than once every hour. And with that comes a multimillion-dollar investment that must be generated locally, some way, somehow, every year.

Greenville County faces a crossroads. The majority of Greenlink’s mileage runs in the county even though the county's financial contribution, a little more than $400,000 a year, amounts to less than that coming from the city that operates the system.

But in what is a commentary on how long-chilly relations between the city and county have thawed, the Greenville City Council and Greenville County Council will convene a joint meeting for Greenlink to present its vision for transforming the system over the next five years. No date has been set yet."

Oil men block bus progress

Koch network group takes aim at Nashville Mayor Megan Barry's transit referendum: "The political organizing group Americans for Prosperity, founded by the conservative donor network of the billionaire brothers David H. Koch and Charles Koch, is taking aim at Nashville Mayor Megan Barry's transit referendum proposal."

Alabama may start to move into the 20th Century on #publictransportation

AL.com : "It's been a futile attempt, and Alabama has long remained in dubious company as one of only five states that does not provide any state money for public transportation.

...."We know that both rural and urban areas need public transportation funding," said Forrister, state coordinator with Alabama Arise, the non-profit which advocates for low-income families. "Unfortunately, this is an area where we have not gone forward, we've gone backward. Public transportation is the future.""

Free bus rides for Seminole State students, employees

SeminoleState : "Through a partnership with LYNX, students, faculty and staff at Seminole State College of Florida can now enjoy unlimited rides on LYNX buses for free. The service begins today."

Fort Worth Tx, #publictransit advocate group starts

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "If we don’t start doing this in some form or fashion, we might as well announce to the world that we’re not planning to be a city that has good transit. We will just grind into congestion and people will stop wanting to come here; stop wanting to live here."
https://www.facebook.com/TarrantTransitAlliance/

Opinion: It’s time for Asheville to move to fare-free transit

citizen-times : " Right now the fares paid by riders cover 14 percent of what it costs to operate our transit system. That does not include the cost of maintaining the fare boxes, accounting, or printing tickets and passes. It also doesn’t include the cost of buying new buses, installing bus shelters and other capital expenses.

Going fare-free could potentially save the City of Asheville money by eliminating the impending investment in proposed fare boxes, which would cost upwards of $15,000 per bus. Other cities that have gone fare-free realized the fares generated barely cover the expenses of collecting fares, purchasing and maintaining fare boxes, accounting costs, and managing the funds that are collected."

Oil-trolls wreck #publictransit, tell poor to get a car

Dallas News: "But for the working poor, that dollar-a-day boost in bus and train fares — which comes to $5 a week or more than $20 a month — takes on meaning beyond the comprehension of those who've never lived in poverty."

Car culture has the elderly under house arrest

theeagle.com: "As the transportation needs of the aging baby boomer population increase, researchers and service providers are at a crossroads as they seek to find effective solutions for the challenges impeding availability and accessibility -- particularly to those living in rural areas."

East Ridge (TN) seeks input for possible public transportation expansion

Times Free Press : "East Ridge and Chattanooga Area Regional Transport Authority officials want the city's residents and business owners to weigh in on the possibility of expanding public transit services."