Carless organized Raleigh’s second Try Transit Week, which began Monday with Free Fare Day — in celebration of World Car-Free Day — during which all passengers were allowed to ride capital area transit buses for free.
Today marks Operations Appreciation Day, during which organizers encourage commuters to thank their drivers.
The transit department estimates that it serves about four million passengers per year, and travels a total of 2.5 million miles a year, operating on 26 routes throughout Raleigh.
“Transit is very important in any living area,” Carless said. “It helps out economically and provides transportation to those who would otherwise not have it.”
Raleigh’s huge growth over the past few years, and the traffic congestion that follows, urged the department to develop a five-year plan to revamp the transportation system, she said.
The plan, which Carless said is now in its third year of existence, aims to increase awareness and use of CAT buses, as well as improve the current system of transit, with hopes to extend the routes to areas of North Raleigh and into Cary.
Utilizing public transit has cost and environmental benefits to both the user and to the city itself.
“To ride all day on a CAT bus is only $2 per day — a monthly pass is only $36. With current gas prices averaging $3.89 dollars per gallon, the cost benefit is obvious,” Carless said.
She said the week’s kickoff on Word Car-Free Day also speaks on the transit system’s wish to better the environment.
“When there are less cars on the road, there are less vehicle emissions in the air and eases traffic congestion,” Carless said. ” [The City of Raleigh] also just bought 15 new buses that are bio-diesel compatible and up to California emissions standards.”
On Wednesday, Try Transit encouraged participation in a “Stuff the Bus with Food” drive for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Passengers were asked to bring three canned goods to be stuffed into a CAT bus for a free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich.
“This week we collected over 1,000 pounds of food to go to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina,” Carless said.
Though N.C. State students primarily rely on the Wolfline to transport them around campus, students may also ride on the CAT buses and TTA buses free of charge.
As outlined on the NCSU transportation page, students may take advantage of the U-pass system, one in which they are granted rides if they show city bus drivers their NCSU identification cards.
“I like riding [the bus] because I live in Wood and it saves a lot of walking, ” Gozde Agan, a freshman in engineering, said, ” and it was really easy to figure out which bus to ride.”
