BEL AIR, Md. — To celebrate National Dump the Pump Day and promote public transportation usage, the Harford Transit LINK bus system will offer free rides on all fixed routes on Thursday, June 20, the Harford County Government announced Wednesday.
The county offers six fixed bus routes that run Monday through Friday, with 12 buses running countywide and into neighboring Cecil County. The system also can connect riders with the Aberdeen train station – which offers Amtrak and MARC train service – MTA commuter buses, and regional Greyhound buses, effectively allowing access to travel throughout much of Maryland and extending to neighboring states. The routes also connect such destinations as Harford Community College, the Mary Risteau State Office Building, Upper Chesapeake and Harford Memorial hospitals, Perryman Peninsula and Riverside Business communities, Harford Mall, Constant Friendship shopping area, Edgewater Village Shopping center, and Beard’s Hill Shopping Plaza.
Though rides will be free on June 20, on other days travelers can use the RouteShout 2.0 and Token Transit free apps on their phones to purchase fares and ride. The RouteShout 2.0 app shows routes and schedules and lets riders track buses in real time. Info about the app can be found on the Harford Transit LINK website. The Token Transit app allows riders to buy exact fares, either single rides or 12-ride passes, on their smart phones.
National Dump the Pump Day is organized by the American Public Transportation Association, a group that promotes public transportation as a convenient, useful, and cost-effective travel option. According to APTA, travelers who switch from owning and using a car to taking public transportation can save on average $847 a month, or more than $10,000 a year.
