Free OCTA bus rides on Oct. 4 to celebrate Ride Share Week

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is encouraging commuters to give up the solo drive and save time and money by sharing the ride, trying an alternate form of transportation, or working from home, during Rideshare Week 2023, from Oct. 2 to 6.

Making it easier to try public transportation, both OCTA and Metrolink will offer free rides all day on Wednesday, Oct. 4 – Clean Air Day. OCTA will require no special ticket to ride any regular OC Bus route for free that day; Metrolink will require riders to download a ticket on the Metrolink app or get a free paper ticket at the station using code “CLEANAIR23.” For more information, visit octa.net/CleanAirDay.

During Rideshare Week, OCTA would like to see commuters “Drive Less, Save More” by considering alternative options to reach work or other destinations, such as taking OC Bus, a Metrolink train, or going by bike, electric scooter, carpool or vanpool.

“We encourage everyone to try public transportation to discover just how affordable and convenient it can be,” said OCTA Chairman Gene Hernandez, also the mayor of Yorba Linda. “When more people take the bus or a train, or share the ride with co-workers, we all benefit with fewer cars on the road and better air quality for all.”

OCTA joins transportation agencies across the region and the country in promoting the annual Rideshare Week.

Those who go online to octa.net/rideshareweek can pledge to share the ride any number of days during the week and can enter for a chance to win AirPods Pro, which is sponsored by Spectrumotion. Online pledges must be made by 11 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8.

A toolkit is available online for employers interested in promoting Rideshare Week to their employees, and OCTA is offering $100 off the first month of vanpooling through Nov. 13.

OCTA hopes that people who participate during Rideshare Week and try alternate forms of transportation will discover the lasting benefits and continue sharing the ride throughout the year. For more information on this and other OCTA services and projects, visit octa.net.

About OCTA:

The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. To sign up for more OCTA news, visit octa.net/GetConnected.