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RIVERSIDE, CA — October 21, 2009 — Are you one in a million? The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) will find out next week when it celebrates its one-millionth ride by students in the Riverside Community College District (RCCD).
Based on ridership statistics and forecasts, RTA analysts have estimated that the millionth RCCD boarding will occur on the morning of October 26. In recognition of that milestone, RTA will present that lucky student with a free iPod touch, hat, coffee mug and other promotional items.
“This is such an important milestone not just for RTA but also for the college district, which is providing students with an affordable, reliable and safe option for getting around,” said RTA Chairman of the Board Karen Spiegel. “We are proud that a growing number of students are choosing RTA for their travel needs.”
Launched in August of 2008, the Go-Pass Program enables any student in the college district to ride RTA buses for free by swiping their student identification cards. Nearly 850,000 boardings were recorded during Fiscal Year 2009 at the college’s Riverside, Norco and Moreno Valley campuses.
Funding for the second year of the program comes from the jurisdictions in which RCCD students live: Corona, Moreno Valley, Norco, Perris, Riverside and the County of Riverside. RTA offers similar programs for students at UC Riverside, La Sierra University and California Baptist University.
“We know that transportation costs significantly affect whether our students can afford to go to college,” said RCCD Chancellor Gregory W. Gray. “This was a great opportunity to partner with a public agency to ease that burden. With Go-Pass, not only do our students ride RTA buses, we also show that public transportation works and that RCCD is committed to a greener and more sustainable environment — both on our campuses and in the communities we serve.”
Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, who is also a member of the RTA Board of Directors, said the millionth boarding is a significant step in RTA’s efforts to promote public transportation.
“RTA is more important than ever,” Ashley said. “We are starting to get some cars off of the streets, as indicated by out one millionth rider – this means less traffic congestion and cleaner air.” |
