Congratulations, TravelSmarties — you set a new record with Metro, recording 3,870 bus rides in the month of September. That averages out to 681 trips each weekday and 233 trips each weekend day.
Did you know that by riding the bus you are:
- Saving yourself money on parking, gas, and vehicle maintenance;
- Reducing stress by not having to worry about other drivers;
- Using commuting time for actions of your choice (reading, homework, social media, etc.);
- Reducing pollution in Omaha, including extremely hazardous ground level ozone;
- Improving health for everyone in the area, especially those with lung diseases, and helping to meet our mission; and
- Reducing traffic congestion around the med center and reducing parking pressure on campus.
That’s a lot of positives for taking a free bus ride.
Maybe you have thought about using active transportation, but don’t feel that it works for you. That could be the case, but TravelSmart has been designed to work for most. I’ll admit, when I started carpooling it was hard to be without my car. What if I needed to leave suddenly or became ill? How was I going to make this work? I know many of you have these concerns too, especially if you have children. We took those concerns seriously in our planning.
So keep in mind:
- We offer a free emergency ride home. You call, a car comes and takes you where you need to go, 24/7. This also includes a free stop along the way — to pick up a prescription, a child, whatever you need.
- It’s free to participate in all options, including the free bus pass, and you can use more than one option. There’s no cost to you, no applying for reimbursement.
- You do not have to give up your parking permit to participate. It’s an option for you to save more money, but is not required. If you do, we provide flexible parking on the days you need to drive.
- Carpoolers park in the same lot (or better) that they already use, and neither carpooler pays for parking (free parking).
- Don’t have a carpool partner? Try out our carpool matching program. You can check it out without signing up or making a commitment.
- Cyclists and walkers have free access to showers, lockers, and secure indoor bike parking.
- You don’t have to use TravelSmart every day to participate. Use it when it works for you.
Soooo glad for this program. And I'm super happy that others have embraced it, as well. It's a win-win-win!
Still need a shelter at 44th and Dodger for 92 express. No bench no – no shelter. Just standing out in the elements for 30 to 40 minutes till the late bus finally arrives. (Has gotten better over the last 3 to 4 months since changed schedule. But definitely not as advertised repeatedly that there would be a covered shelter there.