Dump The Pump Rider Stories

Capital Metro, Austin, TX

Sharon M. Reeves
Austin, TX

I have been riding the bus now for about four and a half months. I can tell you it has greatly improved my life in many ways.

First and foremost, being a nurse, I have great concerns about the emission of pollution from all the traffic in Austin. Having asthma, clean air is very important to me. I'd like to think that in 10 years my children would still have a clean city to live in. I think that by riding the bus, in my own small way, I have contributed to less pollution.

The second improvement in my life is quality, stress-free time with my family when I get home. Let's face it, driving in Austin traffic is stressful! I used to come home tired and grouchy. Not anymore. I have time on the bus coming home to take a nap, listen to my music or read a book which unwinds me before I get home. Believe me, with two teenagers this is a plus.

The third improvement is less wear and tear on my vehicle and saving on petroleum bills which has saved me about $100 a month by taking the bus five days a week.

I LOVE CAPITAL METRO and intend to use it for a long, long time.

Dino Cisneros
Austin, TX

I was tired. Tired from working two jobs. I had to have two jobs in order to pay rent, car payment and insurance, and of course, gas.

In August I said enough was enough. I moved out to the South Side of town where not only was it cheaper, but not even half a block away there was a bus route (bus 27) that took me downtown and practically every major part of town that i frequented before.

I decided to sell my car. No more car pay ments, no more car insurance and the best part, no more paying for gas. Because of the money I saved just from riding the bus ($10 a month compared to $500+) I was able to cut down to just one job.

Who knew that a single monthly bus pass meant a better quality of life?

Louise Nelson

Austin, TX

My husband and I have always commuted in separate cars. Since we work two miles apart, this meant one of us usually followed the other for most of the trip into town. Although we joked about this, we never did anything to change it.

Then last September, when fuel prices hit $3.00/gallon, we decided to do something to save gas.

Part way through our usual commute was a bus stop. After some investigation, I realized the bus route passed near my office. So one morning, instead of riding separately, my husband and I rode together to the stop and I took the bus the rest of the way. We’ve been doing this for the past five months. Recently, I’ve even begun taking a different bus in the evening to the YMCA, where my family meets me and we all work out.

Saving money on gas was a nice benefit of this change, but there were other benefits I didn’t expect. For instance:

• I get to hear the children’s after-school chatter.
• My husband and I can catch up with each other before the hustle of preparing dinner gets underway.
• I can read or do Sudoku puzzles on the bus.
• Going to the Y means the entire family is in better shape.

Dumping the pump and riding the bus has done more than save us money. It has improved our family life and our health. Pretty big results for a pretty small change in lifestyle!

The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T)

The story of two mass transit riders:

A City of Fort Worth employee. Lives just west of I-30 at Loop 820 West. Uses an express bus, a regular route bus and his bike to commute from Ridgmar Mall park and ride to his office at Martin Luther King Blvd. A triathlon sprinter, the biking saves workout time. He began his mass transit commute program this spring when gasoline rose again to $3 a gallon. City of Fort Worth is one of EPA's National Best Workplaces for Commuters.

An employee of American Airlines. Lives in the Eastchase area of Fort Worth. Walks to The T bus stop at Boca Raton & Bridgewood. This bus takes him to the Trinity Railway Express Richland Hills station where he rides to Centreport station. From Centreport, he boards the Centreport circulator shuttle to his office on Amon Carter Blvd. A long-time TRE rider, he previously drove his truck to the TRE station but replaced it with the bus beginning with gas price spikes following Hurricane Katrina. He is a representative on a customer view committee that provides citizen input on bus and train service for The T.

Lower Hudson Valley readies for Dump the Pump Day

Steven Shaffer, White Plains, NY

"I've lost 15 pounds since I started walking," he said. "It's good for me physically. It's good for my car, because I don't put so many miles on it. It's good for my wallet. And one less car on the road is good for the environment."

RRTA wants you to 'Dump the Pump' National day is response to soaring fuel prices

Carla Di Fonzo
Intelligencer Journal
June 3, 2006