Durango Transit is offering free bus rides all summer long.
Every transit route and service will be free for everyone starting June 1 and lasting through Aug. 31, according to a news release from the city.
Every city bus has a bike rack and is Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible. Detailed route maps are also available at DurangoTransit.com. Bus routes across city limits are serviced every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., the release says.
The free service is an expanded version of a similar event the city put on last year through the month of August, except this time free bus service will be available for three times as long.
Why would the city give people free rides? According to the news release, getting people onto public transportation reduces the number of cars on the road, which does its part to limit congested traffic during the tourist-packed summer months, reduces carbon emissions and, naturally, encourages the use of city buses.
Sarah Hill, city transportation director, said in the release that offering free rides is also a chance for the city to showcase the benefits of public transportation.
“We are excited to offer free services during the summer months as we continue to make sustainable transportation more accessible and convenient for Durango residents and visitors,” she said.
The three-month stint of free public transportation is being funded through the city’s lodgers tax as well as the Colorado Ozone Season Transit Grant Program, the release says.
“Durango Transit encourages all members of the community to take advantage of the opportunity to use public transportation to help reduce their carbon footprint,” the release says.
cburney@durangoherald.com
