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Free bus rides available in N.Va. on days when air is unhealthy
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(Examiner file)
Northern Virginians can now ride any local commuter bus for free on days with poor air quality Northern Virginia transportation officials are offering an incentive for residents to leave their cars at home and take a bus to work. Through Sept. 15, Northern Virginians will be able to ride any of the local commuter buses for free on days with poor air quality. The free rides will be available on days that weather forecasters designate as “Code Orange” or “Code Red.” The designations indicate how much ozone — a bad form of oxygen — is in the air. Ozone, which is unhealthy to breathe and damages plants, is more prevalent on hot days with stagnant air. High ozone levels can aggravate symptoms in people with respiratory ailments such as asthma. “Whenever the weatherman says it is going to a Code Orange or Code Red day, we are encouraging everyone to ride the bus because it will be free,” said Kala Quintana, a spokeswoman for the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, which is implementing the free-ride program. “Having more people ride the bus will also improve our quality, which is very important during the summer.” All local bus routes in Northern Virginia are participating in the free-ride offer, including Metrobus, Fairfax Connector, Arlington Transit, Loudoun County Transit and the OmniRide/OmniLink system. jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com |
