News Releases
Bus driver’s idea inspires help for the holidays - Bring a canned good, get a free ride on the “T” and T Lift this Thursday
(Sent: 2007-12-17 07:27:37)NEWS RELEASE City of Lawrence, KS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2007
Contact: Cliff Galante, Public Transit Administrator, (785) 832-3464.
Bus driver Tony Duran can also be available for media interviews or photo opportunities.
Bus driver’s idea inspires help for the holidays
Bring a canned good, get a free ride on the “T” and T Lift this Thursday
(LAWRENCE, Ks) – In addition to cash and bus passes, the Lawrence Transit System will be accepting a special mode of bus fare on Thursday, Dec. 20—canned goods.
Riders can bring any non-perishable food item to the bus in exchange for a one-way trip. The promotion is extended to riders on the “T” fixed-route system as well as certified passengers on the T Lift paratransit service. Items collected will be donated to local agencies.
Bus driver Tony Duran knows the importance of keeping the food banks well-stocked, especially during this time of year.
“During the holiday seasons a lot of the food banks are pretty much depleted,” Duran said. “With my family, we’ve had to use them once in a while ourselves. I know that it’s really important.”
That’s why Duran came up with the idea for a holiday food drive, in conjunction with the transit system. He said he sees passengers on a daily basis trying to make ends meet. “When people get on my bus, I know where they’re going. I see them with the box of food on the bus.”
Duran, who is a driver for both fixed-route and paratransit buses, will be driving Route 6 Counter-Clockwise on Thursday. He said he hopes passengers will take part in the food drive, even if it might be cumbersome to carry a canned good to the bus instead of a few quarters.
“I have a lot of good passengers who are very big-hearted,” Duran said. “I usually round out at about 100 passengers just on my shift, so I know we could make a difference.”
In the past, the “T” has done a “Stuff the Bus” campaign, where people bring donated items to a bus stationed at a certain place. This will be the first time riders bring cans directly to the bus in exchange for their fare.
The transit system operates from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To help plan your trip or learn more about the routes, call (785) 312-7054 or log on to www.lawrencetransit.org.
-End-
