Ride the 'Rabbit' free

GAINESVILLE - Hall Area Transit is participating in a national one-day campaign to encourage people to use public transportation and will be offering free rides on the Red Rabbit Thursday.

National Dump the Pump Day is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association, whose membership includes almost 400 public transit agencies.

"With gasoline prices at record levels, many Americans are finding that mobility is becoming unaffordable," said Phillippa Lewis Moss, who oversees public transportation in Gainesville and Hall County. "Public transit is the quickest way to beat high gas prices."

To make the benefits - and savings - of public transportation Hall Area Transit will offer several special services and benefits on National Dump the Pump Day. These will include: Free rides all day long on the Red Rabbit.

These initiatives are particularly important to attract first-time users who are unfamiliar with public transportation in our area, according to Moss.

After housing, transportation is the second highest cost for American families, outpacing both food and health care costs. Since January 2003, gas prices have increased by 100 percent.

"By using public transportation on a regular basis, a person can save between $300 and $3,000 in fuel costs per year," said Moss. "Those savings could be used for necessities such as food and medicine, help pay a student loan, or make the dream of a family vacation a reality."

Moss added ridership on the Red Rabbit has been increasing since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina last summer, when gasoline prices skyrocketed, and is up 16 percent since then.