RTA Urges Region’s Residents to Take Transit and “Dump the Pump” on June 18
June 5, 2015
June 5, 2015
(CHICAGO) – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is challenging RTA region residents to take the pledge to ‘Dump the Pump’ and take transit on Thursday, June 18. First time and veteran transit riders can log onto the RTA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ChicagoRTA now through June 18, click the tab “#dumpthepump”, pledge to Dump the Pump and be automatically entered for a chance to win prizes.
This is the 10th 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 transit on the third Thursday in June each year.
“It’s the summer time and in Chicago that means construction season with congested highways and hard-to-predict, fluctuating gas prices. So, we’re asking people to leave their cars at home, go on our website to pledge and take transit for the day,” said Leanne Redden, RTA Executive Director. “There’s no time better to board a train or bus and join the Americans who took more than 10 billion trips on public transportation last year—the highest number in nearly 60 years.”
Research shows that in the RTA region, a two-person household can save on average more than $13,000 a year by downsizing to one car. Transit offers a myriad of benefits, including saving time and money, preserving the environment, creating jobs and improving quality of life.
The RTA is asking riders to spread the word about how they Dump the Pump on their own Facebook pages and Twitter accounts using the hashtag: #Dumpthepump on or before June 18. In addition, riders are encouraged to share the RTA’s social media posts about Dump the Pump with their friends and family.
Don’t forget to look for the RTA's street teams around Chicago as they will be handing out more information about Dump the Pump Day.
Learn more about Dump the Pump Day at www.RTAChicago.org.
###
About the RTA
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is the only transit agency charged with regional financial oversight, funding, and transit planning for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace bus and paratransit. Riders take more than two million trips each weekday on the RTA region’s transit system in six counties with 7,200 transit route miles throughout Northeastern Illinois. The Agency also provides customer services including on-line and telephone travel planning assistance and travel training for seniors and people with disabilities. For more information, visit www.RTAChicago.org.
Press Information
