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Reconnect Rochester is a non-profit organization I founded a few years ago to advocate for transportation alternatives in Rochester. We work for pedestrian-friendly streets, and we push for improved public transportation. These things are important to me because I’ve seen firsthand what happens to places that focus too much attention on providing spaces for automobiles, and not enough on spaces for people.

If you don’t quite get what I’m talking about, you can listen to me blabber on . But if you’re already with me, please make plans to leave your car at home this Thursday; a day we’re calling “ROC Transit Day”…

ROC Transit Day is a campaign organized by Reconnect Rochester to encourage Rochesterians to use public transit. Our lofty goal is to get every Rochesterian to leave their car at home on June 19 as a show of support for a healthier community. Buuuut even if we just get a few hundred to join us, we think that’s a good start.

To do this, we have been giving away 1,000 RTS bus passes to people who normally drive, and we’re educating them about why public transit is important, and how to use it.

As added incentive to participate, we’ve also planned a bunch of fun activities for anyone who rides the bus that day:

• we’ll be giving away free prizes to random transit riders all day
• we’ve got 107 local shops & restaurants to give exclusive deals to anyone who shows a bus pass
• we’ve planned fun bus trips including one with Rex Rhino to Sahlen’s Stadium , and one to Ontario Beach
• we’re hosting a city-wide Treasure Hunt where participants have to walk, bike, or ride the bus to find clues which lead to a $500 prize
• and we’re pulling together some free street entertainment downtown… buskers and a HUGE Swing Dance

Together with about 20 volunteers, I’ve invested dollars, many months, and countless sleepless nights planning this event. The only thing that can make it a success is you.

You do not need an invitation or a special ROC Transit Day fare card to participate. All you need to do is make your travel plan and leave your car parked for the day. And if you have an RTS bus pass (of any kind) this Thursday, it will be like having your very own key to the city. Actually, I should say “key to the county”… it’s THAT big.

Tags: bus, event, mass transit, mass transportation, public transit, Reconnect Rochester, Regional Transit Service (RTS), ROC Transit Day, Rochester, Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA), Rochester NY

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 at 12:35 am and is filed under Events, Opinion, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.