For immediate release

June 03, 2002

Ottawa - OC Transpo and Société de Transport de l’Outaouais have teamed up to do their part for the environment. Clean Air Day is Wednesday, June 5 and when OC Transpo and STO customers pay a fare by pass, smart card, cash or ticket, companions can ride for free on that day.

The one-day “Bring a friend” offer encourages commuters to find more environmentally friendly ways to get to work. By choosing smart alternatives like walking, cycling, inline skating or public transit residents can help the protect the environment by reducing the number of motorized vehicles on the road.  

Also during Canadian Environment Week, cities across the country are taking part in the Commuter Challenge. This is a weeklong competition between Canadian cities to see which one can cut its air pollution the most by using alternative modes of transportation. Residents make a commitment to choose another way of getting around the city such as walking or biking and then they let the Commuter Challenge team know the distance they traveled. This year the National Capital area has challenged Vancouver to see which city can motivate the highest number of commuters to go green 

Residents can register for the Commuter Challenge by phone (613) 230-3608, by e-mail – commuterchallenge@perc.ca, or on the web – www.commuterchallenge.net.  The offer is not limited to new passengers – residents who regularly travel by transit are encouraged to register, too.  

Residents who are riding transit for the first time can obtain trip-planning and schedule information at any OC Transpo Sales and Information Centres, by phone at 741-4390, or on the web at www.octranspo.com. To get more information about the STO, bus schedules and routes, residents can consult the User's Guide, the STO web site at www.sto.ca or contact Information at 770-3242.