Western North Carolina kicks off its annual Strive Not to Drive week celebrating sustainable transportation on Friday, May 15, and you can join the effort with free rides on Asheville Rides Transit (ART) buses all day on Monday, May 18.
Even on regular days, an ART ride is only $1, a great way to get around the city and cut down on traffic congestion and emissions. Local businesses can join the ART Passport Program to allow employees to ride ART for free with their employee ID, cutting down on commuter traffic and helping employees avoid parking fees.
ART is also partnering with Mountain True and AARP to sponsor group ride along events, including one from the Wyre Apartments to Hi-Wire Brewing for Trivia Night on Tuesday, May 19th. These events not only involve fun community events, but also serve as an introduction to the ART Bus System by teaching residents how to use the bus, purchase tickets, and use resources to plan their trips around Asheville – more details are on the Buncombe County events page.
To learn more about ART, including real-time bus tracking and trip planning, check out the newly launched ridetheart.com website.
Riding ART is just one way to join this yearly effort encouraging people to travel by bus, bike, foot or carpool, or work from home, to ease traffic congestion, improve air quality and create safer streets for all. The website strivebeyond.org has full details, including the Strive Not to Drive pledge and a chance to win prizes.
Strive Not to Drive, led by Go Mountain Commuting with local government and community partners, started in Asheville in the 1980s, but has spread to multiple counties across the region. Check out these links for a detailed list of events by county:
The week gets rolling on Friday, May 15, with National Bike to Work day – Asheville on Bikes is inviting cyclists to gather at Bear’s Smokehouse on Coxe Ave at 5pm for a 5.6 mile ride that ends in Pack Square. Other cycling events throughout the week include a Smart Cycling Class and the Ride of Silence, which honors cyclists injured or killed in traffic accidents, and promotes sharing the road.
So, make a plan to drive less (or not at all!) during the week to help Asheville reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.