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RIVERSIDE, CA — October 26, 2009 — Viridiana Jimenez is one in a million! On her commute to class today at the Riverside Community College aboard Riverside Transit Agency’s (RTA) Route 1, the student became the one millionth rider to benefit from the popular Go-Pass program.
To celebrate the milestone, RTA presented Jimenez with a gift basket containing an iPod touch, hat, coffee mug and other promotional items. Other passengers on the bus enjoyed the celebration with give-aways at the bus stop at the corner of Magnolia Ave. and Terracina Dr. in front of the campus.
Jimenez, an 18-year-old criminal justice major, rides the bus to the school five days a week from her home in western Riverside. For her, the Go-Pass program has been a godsend.
“Both of my parents work full-time, so without this program, I wouldn’t have a ride to school,” she said. “It’s removed some of those barriers standing in the way of getting through college.”
Launched in August of 2008, the Go-Pass Program allows students at the college district’s Riverside, Norco and Moreno Valley campuses to ride RTA buses for free by swiping their student identification cards. The program is the product of the Go Riverside Task Force, which was launched five years ago by Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge with the goal of enhancing public transit in the area.
Attending the morning event were RTA Chairman of the Board Karen Spiegel, Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, Riverside City Councilman Andy Melendrez, RTA CEO Larry Rubio, Mayor Loveridge, Moreno Valley Councilwoman Robin Hastings and RCC’s Vice President of Student Services Edward Bush.
“Each of these one million rides represents someone going to class, to a part-time job, to the mall or other popular destinations,” Spiegel said. “The program’s success has been remarkable, resulting in reduced traffic and enhanced travel in and around Riverside Community College District campuses.”
Said Supervisor Ashley, “We’re excited that students have embraced this program so quickly and in such great numbers. Not only is the program helping students, it’s also removing cars from our roads and cleaning our air.”
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.
“This program has become an academic lifeline for so many students who would have otherwise struggled to find a ride to class,” said RCC’s Edward Bush. “The results have been quite amazing.” |
