3-year veteran driver George Sirovy pulls his JAC bus into the transit station near the Carson Nugget Wednesday afternoon.
Jump Around Carson (JAC) will commemorate a decade of bus service in Carson City by offering free rides to all comers on Monday.
The actual 10-year anniversary date is Saturday, Oct. 3, but free usage is authorized for the first work day of next week.
“The city is proud of service provided by the JAC system,” said Transportation Manager Patrick Pittenger, “as it has become a vital community resource.”
He said city government and JAC operators are happy to provide the free service for those who often use the service and to let those who may ride for the first time a chance to learn what’s offered. The ride normally costs $1 for regular riders, but already is free to about a third of the users who are senior citizens, Pittenger said. He said cost of the free ridership for a day won’t ding the city much. “The financial impact is only going to be in the hundreds of dollars,” said Pittenger, while the gesture shows regular riders appreciation for their continuing patronage.
Over the past decade, the city’s JAC transit system has provided more than 1.5 million rides, city government reports. Annual ridership doubled from the first year of service, reaching the current level of more than 200,00 a year. JAC in recent years has provided the free rides for seniors, amounting to about 70,000 annually. More than a year ago, JAC also extended service on its four regular routes by an hour on weekdays, according to a news release.