News Release

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jill Smith

Office: 661.869.6307

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21, 2019

Free Rides All December on GET

Bakersfield, CA — The Golden Empire Transit District (GET) will launch its Free Rides for the Holidays promotion this Sunday. All GET fixed routes and GET-A-Lift buses will be free to everyone from December 1 through December 31, 2019. GET’s RYDE service will continue to collect its standard fare.

“This is GET’s gift to Bakersfield this holiday season,” said Karen King, GET’s CEO. “Free rides mean residents can keep the money they would spend on bus fare or transportation and save it or spend it on friends and family during this special time of year.”

Fares will not be collected on GET services from December 1 through December 31. All fareboxes on the GET buses will be covered to prevent residents from paying.

GET received a grant through Caltrans’ Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) to bring free ride days to Bakersfield. The LCTOP was created to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility, with a priority on serving disadvantaged communities.

As a reminder, GET services will not operate on Christmas Day (December 25), and the GET administrative office and customer service phone lines will be closed as well.

GET was formed in July 1973 and is the primary public transportation provider for the Bakersfield Urbanized Area. It is the largest public transit system within a 110-mile radius. The District’s legal boundary includes Bakersfield city limits as well as adjacent unincorporated areas. GET has a fleet of 88 compressed natural gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET serves 16 routes, operating 7 days a week and transporting more than 6 million passengers each year with its fixed-route buses. In addition, GET operates 25 compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses and 7 microtransit RYDE shuttles. For more information, visit www.getbus.org or call 869.2GET (2438).