Free Fountain transit rides to reduce air pollution

(FOUNTAIN, Colo.) — Starting Monday, July 1, Fountain Municipal Transit will offer free transit rides through July and August.

As part of the statewide initiative ‘Zero Fare For Better Air, We’ll Get You There,’ these free rides are designed to reduce ground-level ozone by increasing the use of transit. Fountain community members are encouraged to help keep Colorado’s air clean during the summer months when pollution is at its highest.

This year, the program will be active for two months and 13 communities throughout Colorado will participate.

“The pilot program that launched August of 2022 was highly successful,” said Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA) Executive Director Ann Rajewski. “Transit systems from all over the state participated, ranging from those serving the largest cities, like RTD in Denver, to regional rural systems like SMART in San Miguel County (Telluride region). Mid-size cities throughout Colorado, like Greeley, Pueblo, and Colorado Springs participated in the program. Smaller communities in mountain towns, the eastern plains, and western slope also took advantage of this amazing opportunity. All agencies that participated increased ridership—ranging anywhere between 2% to 59%.”

In 2023, the Zero Fare program had 16 communities provide free fares to riders throughout the months of June through August. The program also provided funding for a marketing campaign promoting the state-wide initiative. These efforts helped generate a 2% to 216% ridership increase in participating communities.

Using transit doesn’t only lower emissions, but also has other benefits such as:

• Gas saving
  • If you drive 10,000 miles in a year, it totals around $900 in routine maintenance and repairs. $1,800 if you drive 20,000 miles.
• Reduction in traffic
• Reduction in stress and increased safety
  • Public transportation is ten times safer per mile than traveling by car.
• Increased productivity
• Cost saving
• Improved air quality
  • Using public transit creates 84% less carbon emissions than driving a car, which equals 63 million metric tons annually.

Riders who take public transit can experience environmental, financial, lifestyle, and community changes while also improving the air quality.

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