An annual program to reward
mass transit riders with prizes will likely see increased participation this
year, despite the fact that many commuters are abstaining from the contest.
Last year’s Cache in for
Clean Air program, sponsored by the Cache Chamber of Commerce, Utah State
University’s Aggie Shuttle and the Cache Valley Transit District, drew 1,400
entries. Aggie Shuttle supervisor Alden Erickson said participation in the
two-year-old program, which is designed to help combat some of the worst air in
the nation, looks to be even greater this time around. He attributed the rise
in participation to increased ridership on both bus systems.
Those riding CVTD and the
Aggie Shuttle can collect raffle tickets each day they ride the bus. After
filling out a brief survey on the back of the ticket, riders can enter raffles
at any of the 26 participating businesses including Walmart, The Diamond
Gallery, the USU Campus Store and Pizza Pie Café.
Erickson said it’s a win-win
situation for everyone.
“The businesses are always
very willing and happy to donate because it’s basically free advertising,”
Erickson said. “We receive feedback about riding habits from the surveys,
participants get prizes, and we hope that it reduces emissions in the air
and continues to promote residents to take advantage of our
transportation.”
CVTD bus driver Benjamin
Speer has noticed a change.
“I think more people know about it this year,”
Speer said. “I put in a new stack of tickets yesterday and it was almost gone
two hours later.”
Not every rider feels the
need to enter the drawing, though.
“I like to allow others the
chance to win because I already feel like I’m beyond blessed right now,” said
Elder Randal Starks, a service missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, who rides the bus to travel across the valley and meet new
people.
Utah State University student
Victoria Holman said that while it might be nice to win some of the prizes, she
hasn't put in any tickets because she has "bad luck" and has never
won a raffle.
The contest will run until
the end of the month, giving riders just over a week to submit the last of
their tickets. Winners of the drawings will be notified by phone or email
during the first week of March and will have 30 days to collect their prizes.
Cameron Etherington, Rebecca
Walker, Connor Comeau, Lilibeth Salvador and McCall Bulloch contributed to this
article.
No comments:
Post a Comment