FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘Feel Free to Take a Seat’ Initiative Offers Free Rides on All Services

BALTIMORE, MD (February 2, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) will celebrate the life and legacy of Rosa Parks on Saturday, February 4 – Transit Equity Day – with free rides on all service, including Local Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MARC Train, Mobility and, where operating, Commuter Bus. Transit Equity Day is observed annually nationwide on the birthday of Ms. Parks, an iconic figure in the Civil Rights era who refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Ala., public transit bus and was arrested in 1955.

“We are proud to celebrate the courage of Rosa Parks and to demonstrate our commitment to equity in public transportation as a core value of MDOT MTA every day of the year,” MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold said. “The freedom for all of us to get around easily and efficiently is fundamental to our personal wellbeing and our success as a region.”

For Transit Equity Day, riders are invited to explore as many of MDOT MTA’s systems and routes as they desire, at no charge. If you’re a regular rider – enjoy the free ride. If you’re trying transit for the first time, use the website mta.maryland.gov or Transit app to plan your trip.

“Public transit broadens opportunities for Marylanders to reach destinations for education, employment, health care and other essential needs,” Paul J. Wiedefeld, Acting MDOT Secretary, said. “Transit Equity Day reminds us that providing our customers with convenient and equitable access to goods, services and economic opportunity is fundamental to the mission of MDOT MTA.”

Transit Equity Day highlights the vital role public transit plays in the health of the communities it serves. In addition to providing access to key services, transit produces less pollution per passenger mile compared to cars. With MDOT MTA’s transition to an all-zero emission fleet, that contrast will become even greater. As they walk between stops and destinations, public transit users get more than three times the physical activity per day compared to automobile users, and households requiring one less car through the use of public transit can save nearly $10,000 annually.

MDOT MTA is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States. MDOT MTA operates LocalLink and commuter buses, Light RailLink, Metro SubwayLink, MARC Train Service and a comprehensive Mobility paratransit system. MDOT MTA’s goal is to provide safe, efficient, and reliable transit across Maryland with world-class customer service. As a participating agency in APTA’s Health and Safety Commitment Program, MDOT MTA is dedicated to keeping our employees and passengers safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more, visit www.mta.maryland.gov, check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mtamaryland and follow us on Twitter @mtamaryland.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jerimiah Moerke                               
Office: 410-767-8367                         
Cell: 667-392-3625
jmoerke@mdot.maryland.gov

Paul Shepard
Office: 410-767-3935
Cell: 443-622-4181
pshepard@mdot.maryland.gov

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