(Photo By Flickr User David Clow)

CityLink will participate in the 13th Annual Dump the Pump Day on Friday, June 15th.

This is a national event recognized by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and it is celebrated by transit agencies across the United States. According to the APTA June Transit Savings Report, the average annual savings is $10,160 for a person who switches his or her daily commute from driving to taking public transportation. This is the highest transit savings recorded this year. Individuals who ride public transportation instead of driving can save, on average, more than $847 per month. In 2017, Americans took 10.1 billion trips on public transportation.

CityLink will celebrate Dump the Pump Day with a “Get Caught Riding” activity on June 15th. Representatives from CityLink will board random buses throughout the day and surprise passengers with prizes for riding the bus. Among the potential prizes are Day Passes, 30-Day Passes, restaurant gift cards and Peoria Chiefs ticket vouchers. The activity will occur between the 8:15 a.m. lineup and 4:15 p.m. lineup. Up to 250 prizes will be handed out to passengers that day.

Dump the Pump Day is a great opportunity for CityLink to not only showcase how using public transportation can save an average American household thousands of dollars, but how it is also beneficial for the environment. CityLink buses act as an air filter because the exhaust they emit is cleaner than the air they take in.

Additionally, CityLink added a total of four 40’ New Flyer Xcelsior® diesel-electric hybrid buses in its fleet in 2016 and 2017. These buses can reduce emissions by up to 90% when compared to conventional diesel-fueled buses. They have a combined use of both diesel fuel and an electric battery, the latter of which stores energy and recharges when the bus decelerates. When the demand for power exceeds the battery’s capacity, the diesel engine provides the extra energy needed to keep the bus running. Diesel-electric hybrid buses can reduce emissions by up to 90% when compared to conventional diesel-fueled buses and reduce vehicle noise throughout the entire operating range.

CityLink route and schedule information is available at www.ridecitylink.org or by using Google Maps.