SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS) - There will be no free transit on Spare the Air Days this year. But, air regulators haven't given up hope of getting some federal money to resume the free rides next year.
We've already had one spate of Spare the Air Days, and with warmer weather on the way, there are more coming. However, they won't come with free bus, train and ferry rides this year because the Air Quality Management District can't afford to pay for them any more. "Free transit on any given day, on any day we call, it's about $3 million," explained Executive Officer Jack Broadbent.
He acknowledged that the free transit incentive is one of the best ways to cut smog when the summer pollution gets thick and nasty. "If we're going to continue to make progress and make sure we don't have smoggy days, we're going to have to try to do what we can to get people out of their cars and so we're looking at whether we need to go back to free transit essentially, and that's probably what you'll see us do, not necessarily this summer, but maybe the summer after that."
KCBS' Doug Sovern reports
There might be some federal money from CMAQ, Congestion Management Air Quality funds. "We are talking to the Obama administration, we're looking at all sources of funds," said Broadbent.
He is hoping to make the case that, starting in 2010, the federal government should pay for public transportation, to help keep the air clean.
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