Greenway asks residents to give up their cars "Just One Day A Week"

Greenway Public Transportation (The Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority) announces the "Just One Day A Week" campaign, encouraging automobile drivers in the region to give up their cars one day out of the week and ride public transportation instead. 

Camille Sterling, Marketing and Communications Director for the multi-county transportation authority, explains the thought process behind the campaign, "We know that people have reasons that they can't ride the bus every day, but when you think about whether you can give up your car just one day out of the week, the excuses of why you can't seem to diminish."

The local transit authority is getting positive feedback for their initiative from state officials. "North Carolina is seeing a rapid population growth in areas throughout the state," said N.C. Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. "If everyone who commutes to work committed to taking public transportation just one day a week, we could see a dramatic decrease in congestion on our roads and an improved environment. I commend Greenway Public Transportation for its leadership in this area."

The transit authority points out several reasons why area residents should give up their car for riding the bus one day out of the week:

• Savings - on both gas and car maintenance. If you have a car that is just used for work, you can save 20% off of maintenance fees and extend the life of your car, while saving hundreds of dollars in gas.

• Lower emissions - a lot of people talk about helping the environment, this is a way that people can actually do something constructive. By leaving their car at home just one day a week they can lower their emissions by almost 2,000 pounds per year.

• Reduce the dependence on foreign oil - if everyone rode the bus just one day a week, the country's dependency on foreign oil would see a substantial reduction.

• Use the time constructively - rather than being stressed, stuck behind the wheel, people can use the time reading a book, listening to their i-pod (maybe learning a foreign language), planning their day, or conversing with other commuters that are also leaving their cars at home.

AUTHORITY UPDATES / ALERTS

Community Transportation Service Plan (CTSP) Public Hearing: will be held on Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the monthly WPRTA Board of Directors meeting. Join others in providing input into transit future public transit improvements. For more information contact Mike Bradshaw at 828-465-7628.

The Rural Operating Assistance Program Grant is due to NCDOT by August 13, 2010. There will be a public hearing held in each county on the following dates.

Alexander County ROAP Public Hearing - August 2, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

Burke County ROAP Public Hearing - August 3, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

Caldwell County ROAP Public Hearing - August 16, 2010 at 5:30 p.m.

Catawba County ROAP Public Hearing - August 2, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.