A. Lee Graham Reporter
North Texas commuters can swap a gasoline receipt for a week of free transit service thanks to the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Denton County Transportation Authority. In an effort to promote the economic and environmental benefits of public transit, the agencies ask commuters to try public transit the week of June 16-22, including 2013 National Dump the Pump Day on Thursday June 20. The tri-agency initiative is the local version of the American Public Transportation Association’s eighth annual “dump the pump” campaign. Beginning June 3, representatives of the three transit agencies will be available to meet non-transit users at several locations. Those commuters will be offered a free weekly regional transit pass in exchange for a gasoline receipt. Passes are good for any The T, DART or DCTA fixed-route bus and rail service. The intent is to help customers calculate the cost of commuting in a single-occupant vehicle. For example, a daily regional pass is $10, which provides access to all The T, DART and DCTA bus and train services, including the Trinity Railway Express. Using data from AAA, the American Public Transportation Association determined that North Texas commuters who switch to the region’s transit network might save more than $9,000 in annual costs of driving to work. Public transit also encourages environmental sustainability, according to DART. The T, DART and DCTA buses run on either clean diesel or natural gas. Two of the 14 ticket-exchange locations are in Fort Worth. Commuters may exchange gas receipts for regional transit passes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday June 3 at Half-Price Books, 5417 S. Hulen St. and the same hours Friday June 7, Half-Price Books, 475 Sherry Lane. More information is available at www.dart.org.