WILKES-BARRE — It is National Dump the Pump Day and bus systems all over our area were offering free rides to go along with it.
It’s meant to send a message as gas prices continue to rise.
Regular bus riders in Wilkes-Barre noticed there were quite a few more people hopping aboard the Luzerne County Transportation Authority buses on this National Dump the Pump Day. Free fares certainly meant more riders, and happy riders.
“Oh, it’s wonderful, it’s really wonderful,” said Jamie Scanislowski of Kingston.
“I didn’t know it was free. My Gram called me and told me it was free so that’s good!” said Vante Graham of Wilkes-Barre.
While it is a nice gift to riders not to have to pay, the point is to get them to think about riding the bus all the time, and save some money.
“I think it’s really good because it gives everyone a chance to get used to how to ride them. I ride them all the time with my kids and they love it. It’s a good opportunity for people to see how valuable they are,” said Desiree Green of Wilkes-Barre
And as green rides the bus, she knows she’s saving. She sees the signs showing the price of gasoline.
“Oh, it saves me a lot because I have to go a lot of places and I don’t have a car, but when I have to pay people for gas to take me places, it costs a lot more than $1.50 per way.”
“The gas prices are really getting bad and with the stuff going on in Iraq, it could get even worse,” said Kurt Schwarzwalder of Wilkes-Barre.
Transit agencies point out that public transportation saves the country 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline a year but say that could be even more, if more people chose to park their cars and ride the bus.
“Perfect time to avoid the gas prices and actually driving the cars, put your cars in the garage, relax and take a ride on the bus,” said a bus driver.
And this driver and others are happy to take you where you want to go.
