Free-Transit On 'Bad Air Days" Popular, But Funds Exhausted

"Spare the Air" is a program operated by the Bay Area's air district to encourage use of public transit on 'bad air' days. They funded 3 "free transit" days to accompany the warnings. Ridership increased greatly but funding is exhausted too soon.

1 minute read

July 24, 2006, 3:00 PM PDT

By Irvin Dawid

To prevent violations of the Federal 8-hour standard of 80 parts per billion of ozone that can result in denial of Federal transportation funding,the Bay Area Quality Management District worked with the area MPO, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, to fund free transit on the first three "Spare the Air" days...While public transit usage increased greatly, exceedences of the ozone standard occurred nonetheless. BAAQMD and MTC are now scrambling to find more funding for future bad air days.

Thanks to Darrell Waller

FULL STORY: Ridership takes leap on Spare the Air day a try

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 in The San Francisco Chronicle

Environment Government / Politics Transportation California

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