Ride Free on Halloween

Miller Lite Free Rides will offer free bus rides on 15 Nashville MTA routes on Saturday, October 31, from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. The program will provide bus service on many popular routes that service Halloween destinations including the Miller Lite Hustler Hollywood's Nightmare in Music City, the Halloween 5k run, restaurants, bars, local events and other neighborhood celebrations.

According to MTA's website the following routes will be free after 7:00pm. (Please check there site for final routes ):

• 3 West End
  
• 4 Shelby
• 10 Charlotte
• 12 Nolensville Road
  
• 14 Whites Creek
  
• 15 Murfeesboro Road
• 17 12th Avenue South
• 19-29 Herman Jefferson
  
• 22 Bordeaux
• 23 Dickerson Road
• 26 Gallatin Road
  
• 28-30 Meridian - McFerrin
• 34X X Opry Mills

For maps and schedules either use Google Transit or MTA's Maps and Schedule Page. For more information see press release and MTA's website.

Why Ride? Video Contest: Uploading Videos

We just created the group for the Why Ride? Video Contest. Please refer to the previous post for rules and details. You can find the group at http://www.veoh.com/group/why-ride-video-contest-uploading-videos . We are looking forward to seeing what everyone has created.

Ultracapacitors

That’s right Ultracapacitors! (It’s not flux capacitors but still amazing!)

For three years, a fleet of 17 electric buses, referred to as Ultracap Buses, near Shanghai have been using ultracapacitors that require just one-tenth the energy cost of a typical diesel-fueled bus, resulting in an incredible $200,000 savings in the lifetime fuel cost for one bus.

The buses just pull up to a bus stop/charging station and recharge in less than a minute. Currently, the driving distance to the next station to recharge is just few miles but experts are planning for advancement in the technology for 20 miles or more. And when solar panels are used, the buses can be solely powered by the sun.

Companies working on the technology include Foton America Bus Company based in Germantown, TN.

Read more and learn about their one-day demonstration in Washington DC: http://www.physorg.com/news175355628.html

-Mary

Next Big Nashville

Next Big Nashville starts tonight. Hundreds of bands over four nights at a dozen or so venues throughout Nashville. It's turning into Nashville's version of South by Southwest except they are linking up with transit. Check out their site map to map out your transit route. If you want to ride the bus to the first show, grab the venue (Jack White at Grimey's), get directions, type in your address, then select "transit" on the left hand side. Presto! Now you can take the bus to the show instead of forking over mega bucks for a round trip cab ride.

Have fun and travel safe!

~ Dave

Free Train Ride to work Oct. 13

NASHVILLE – Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 13 and continuing through Friday, Oct. 23, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) will operate temporary weekday service of the Music City Star from Lakewood to downtown Nashville. The train will depart from Lakewood City Hall at 7:10 a.m., stop at Donelson Station at 7:28 a.m. and arrive at Riverfront Station in downtown Nashville at 7:40 a.m. The afternoon train will depart Riverfront Station at 5:10 p.m., stop in Donelson at 5:23 p.m. and arrive in Lakewood at 5:40 p.m.

On Oct. 13, people boarding the Music City Star at Lakewood City Hall will be able to ride the train for free to and from Nashville. Tickets will be required on the other days. A Single-Trip/one-way ticket for service from Lakewood costs $4.25. Tickets are now available and may be purchased at the Lakewood City Hall (3401 Hadley Ave.) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some tickets also will be available for purchase on the train. Shuttle buses meet commuters upon arrival at Riverfront Station. The Route 93 Music City Star West End Shuttle travels up Broadway, West End and over to the Vanderbilt and Belmont campuses. The Route 94 Music City Star Downtown Shuttle loops through downtown. Shuttles to Riverfront Station travel these same routes in the afternoon. Riders will need to show their train ticket or use their EasyRide card to board these buses or pay $1.60 bus fare. For more detailed route information, visit www.musiccitystar.org.

This temporary service from Lakewood is designed to gauge the interest of commuters from Lakewood, Old Hickory and Madison. The Music City Star, which recently celebrated its third anniversary, operates Monday through Friday from Lebanon to Nashville with stops in Martha, Mt. Juliet, Hermitage and Donelson.

For more information, go online to www.musiccitystar.org or call Customer Care at (615) 862-5950 weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Patricia Harris-Morehead, (615) 880-3943
Deborah Varallo, (615) 367-5200

Patience is Golden

I should have waited a couple more minutes this morning and I would have arrived downtown earlier. I was sitting at my stop this morning and was hoping that the new BRT #56 came before the regular #26. My wishes were not answered and I jumped on the 26. About five minutes into the trip the streamlined BRT 56 flew past us as we continued to stop at every intersection. Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind listening to the health care debate in the seat next to me and the total commute time was under 30 minutes which isn't that bad compared to the 15 minute car commute I could have taken, but I have heard that the BRT is really close to equaling that 15 minutes which is pretty sweet. I guess I will find out when I go home tonight.

I hope to see you on the bus tonight and don't forget to stop by our booth next Thursday at Live on the Green!

~ Dave