As gas prices continue to soar, some national transportation agencies are hoping to lure residents to public transit with free rides on Thursday as part of the third annual Dump the Pump Day.
Commuters in the Dallas area will find a few deals, but most prices will not be slashed.
The Denton County Transportation Authority will offer free bus rides on its routes in Lewisville, Highland Village and Denton. It will also extend the deal to its route from Denton into downtown Dallas.
“People are becoming more desperate to find an alternative mode of transportation,” said Kristina Brevard, the DCTA marketing manager. “Everyone likes to have their own cars, but now, it is affecting the family budgets. They are more apt to give it a try.”
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority will offer free bus rides in the Fort Worth area, but the Trinity Railway Express will not offer a free trip on the commuter rail service into Dallas.
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit isn’t offering free rides. Still, a $3 day pass on DART continues to cost less than a gallon of gas. DART saw a 16.7 percent increase in ridership in April compared to the previous year, said Morgan Lyons, a DART spokesman.
“When you can ride to work for a month for a tank of gas, it is something to consider,” Mr. Lyons said. “Four dollar gas really has changed the dynamics for the people."
