Free Public Transit to Promote Clean Air Day on Wednesday

Pasadena is joining a regional effort to promote clean air and sustainable transportation by offering free rides on its public transit systems. On Wednesday, October 2, Pasadena Transit and Pasadena Dial-A-Ride will provide complimentary service to all passengers in celebration of California Clean Air Day.

According to cleanairday.org, “California Clean Air Day is built on the idea that shared experiences unite people to action to improve our community health.” This initiative encourages individual and collective actions to help improve air quality.

Joaquin T. Siques, the City’s Director of Transportation, announced the free ride day, sais, “Pasadena Transit and Pasadena Dial-A-Ride encourage you to let them be your ride!”

The free rides are part of a larger regional campaign called SoCal Transit Week, running from September 30 to October 6.

This collaborative effort, hosted by MoveLA, aims to raise awareness of alternative and sustainable transportation options across Southern California. Several other transit agencies, including Metro, Foothill Transit, Metrolink, Omnitrans, Big Blue Bus, Culver CityBus, Riverside Transit, and Montebello Bus Lines, are also participating by offering free rides on Clean Air Day.

Pasadena’s Department of Transportation pointed to its commitment to environmental sustainability. All Pasadena Transit vehicles run on renewable natural gas, derived from organic materials.

This aligns with the department’s broader goal of “achieving the safe, efficient, and convenient movement of people and goods within Pasadena, while concurrently ensuring a balance between land use and transportation to maintain a livable community in which cars are not necessary to travel within the city.”

The initiative encourages residents to experience the benefits of public transportation firsthand. By removing the cost barrier for a day, officials hope to attract new riders and demonstrate the convenience of these services.

Interested participants can find more information about SoCal Transit Week events and activities, including those in Pasadena, at https://www.movela.org/socal_transit_week.