Hoping to increase ridership, Star Metro will be offering free bus rides this Thursday for their eleventh annual “Dump the Pump.”
“Dump the Pump” is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association. It comes as ridership on Leon County’s Star Metro system continues to fall. But Star Metro spokesperson LaVonia Sampson-Jones says they have programs in place to boost those numbers.
“We try to do different things that appeal to certain target audiences, for example, Summer Wheels Pass is one of them. We understand that a lot of kids do go to summer camps during the summer, especially older kids who are not driving but their parents are still at work," says Jones.
Ridership on Star Metro has been dropping since 2010, and Florida A&M University just canceled its contract with the company. With a 33 dollar Summer Wheels Pass, kids under 17 years old can ride the bus from June to August. Jones is also encouraging people to use the new Find My Bus App. Star Metro will host an event from 3 to 6 in the afternoon at CK Steele Plaza, providing food and drinks as well as help navigating Tallahassee bus routes.
