Thursday, June 16, is 6th annual National Dump the Pump Day. Begun when gas prices were $3 per gallon, this day encourages people to ride public transportation and save money. Today, with even higher gas prices, the day seems a perfect opportunity to seek out alternatives.

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) is celebrating the day by offering FREE rides on Tri-Rail. In addition to rides, there will be several radio stations broadcasting live from train stations and members of SFRTA staff will be present to talk to passengers about the benefits of public transportation and Tri-Rail.

Riding public transit is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. The latest APTA Transit Savings Report shows that a two person household that downsizes to one car can save – on the average – more than $10,000 a year.

In addition to helping the pocketbook and creating jobs, public transit reduces our carbon footprint by 37 million metric tons annually:

According to the American Public Transportation Association, on www.apta.com, “This is equivalent to the emissions resulting from the electricity generated for the use of 4.9 million households or every household in Washington, DC; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined.”

If only one person switches to public transit, they are reducing daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or 10 percent. That quickly adds up to 4,800 pounds over a year.

If you haven’t tried the Tri-Rail, today would be a perfect opportunity to ride the rails and explore what it has to offer!