Try Transit Month 2023

Celebrated each October, this month-long initiative features a variety of activities and events to introduce Greenlink and its services to the greater Greenville community.

TRY TRANSIT EVENTS

The events and promotions listed below are designed to make participating in Try Transit Month educational, convenient and fun!

Man exiting a Greenlink bus

Sunday, October 1 – Tuesday, October 31
Try Transit Bingo

  • Time: Bingo Cards are due by midnight on October 31
  • Location: Drop off the card or mail it to the Greenlink Transit Center Information Booth (100 W McBee Ave) or email your completed card to nmcaden@greenvillesc.gov.  
  • Details: “Try transit” this month by doing activities that will help you become more familiar with Greenlink and its services. 

Download a PDF of the Try Transit Bingo Card to print at home or save a JPEG to your phone’s photo gallery. Qualify to win prizes by completing 4 actions to cross off a row (left to right), completing 4 actions to cross off a column (up and down), or completing 4 actions diagonally.

Don’t forget to include your contact information when you submit your card for a chance to win Greenlink prizes including notebooks and monthly passes. Greenlink will randomly draw winners from the submitted Bingo Cards on Wednesday, November 1. 

Sunday, OCTOBER 1 – Tuesday, OCTOBER 31
Free Day Pass for Students

  • Time: Apply for a free day pass (student ID required)
  • Location: Download the Umo app, create your account, and complete this form
  • Details: "Try Transit" on us with a free day pass!

Calling all students! Have you ever wanted to ride the bus? Take your first rides for free with a free day pass! 

Complete this form for your free pass!

Wednesday, October 11 - Friday, October 27
Ride-Along with a Leader

  • Date(s) and Time(s): Multiple options
      • Dorothy Dowe, Greenville City Council – Wednesday, October 11 at 10:30 a.m.
      • Walker Smith, GTA Chair – Wednesday, October 18 at 11:30 a.m.
      • Terry Merritt (Mauldin City Mayor), Paul Shewmaker (Simpsonville City Mayor), and Rick Bradley (Greenville County Council) – Thursday, October 19 at 11:30 a.m. departing from the Mauldin Cultural Center (101 E Butler Rd, Mauldin)
      • Shannon Lavrin, Greenville City Manager – Friday, October 27 at 11:30 a.m.
  • Location: Greenlink Transit Center (100 W McBee Ave)
  • Details: Take a bus ride with a leader in our community

The future of public transit depends on the voices of our community’s residents. Would you like to have a conversation about transportation and mobility with a local leader? 
 
This is your chance to claim a seat on the bus with one of our decision makers in order to hear from them about their vision for transportation and to ask questions about transit. Tickets are limited to ensure the group is able to have an intimate conversation, and to ensure seats are not being restricted for other passengers who need to use Greenlink’s services to go about their day.

Registration is required. Register online at Eventbrite.com. 

Thursday, October 12
New Passenger Orientation

  • Time: 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
  • Location: Greenlink Transit Center (100 W McBee Ave)
  • Details: New to Greenlink? Receive personalized assistance with getting to know its services.

Greenlink offers new customers the opportunity to familiarize themselves with our vehicles and boarding procedures in a controlled, relaxed environment before riding the bus for the first time. Since vehicles used for orientation sessions are not actively in service, it also allows ample time for passengers with disabilities to get acquainted with the vehicle features designed to assist and protect them.

The orientation session lasts approximately one hour and covers:

  • How to plan a bus trip
  • How to board and pay the fare
  • How to ride and signal a stop request
  • How to load and unload a bicycle on the bicycle rack

New Passenger Orientation will be held on Thursday, October 12 at both noon and 5:30 p.m. at the Greenlink Transit Center (100 W. McBee Avenue). Registration is required. Email nmcaden@greenvillesc.gov to register.

Friday, OCTOBER 13
Fare Free Day: Fall for Greenville 

  • Time: 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
  • Location: Greenlink Buses
  • Details: Take Greenlink bus rides FREE all day!

It's Fall for Greenville! Leave your car at home. Greenville Connects has sponsored a Fare Free Day in celebration of Fall for Greenville on Friday, October 13. Hop on board any fixed route bus for a free ride! Paratransit customers will also receive free rides, but reservations must be made by October 12.

Greenlink passengers can use the Google Transit tool at www.ridegreenlink.com to plan their free trips on October 13. Customers are also encouraged to download the Transit app in the Android or iOS app store to get real-time arrival information for the buses. More information about Greenville Connects is available at https://greenvilleconnects.org/. 

Friday, October 20
FREE DAY PASS FOR Umo App Users

  • Time: 9:30 a.m.
  • Location: Your Smartphone
  • Details: Download the Umo Mobility app on your smartphone and register an account to receive a push notification with a promo code for a free Day Pass ($5 value)!

To further encourage our community to “try transit”, Greenlink is providing a free day pass via push notifications through the Umo Mobility app! Download the app and enable push notifications to get your free pass. The push notification with the benefit code to redeem within the app will be scheduled to send out on Friday, October 20.

Tuesday, October 24 - Thursday, October 26
Citizens Transit Academy (CTA) Alumni Networking

  • Date(s) and Time(s): Multiple options
    • Tuesday, October 24 at 11:30 a.m.
    • Wednesday, October 25 at 8:30 a.m.
    • Thursday, October 26 at 5:30 p.m.
  • Location: Greenlink Transit Center (100 W McBee Ave)
  • Details: Network with other Citizens Transit Academy alumni

If you’re a CTA alumnus, don’t miss this opportunity to network with other CTA graduates. Or, if you’re interested in learning more about the CTA, come meet and talk with fellow transit enthusiasts! 

Registration is required. Register online at Eventbrite.com.

Tuesday, October 31
Deadline to apply to CTA

  • Time: Applications are due by midnight
  • Location: Complete this online application
  • Details: Greenlink's Citizens Transit Academy is a free, six-week program designed to offer Greenville County residents a unique opportunity to learn about public transportation and the opportunities and challenges facing Greenlink. 

Up to 18 people will be selected from the pool of applicants and classes will be held on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The class schedule is below:  

January 9:      Introductions, CTA overview, and Greenlink services
January 16:    Operations and safety, Transit Center tour, and Greenlink's new technology   
January 23:    Finances, capital needs, and maintenance facility discussion 
January 30:    Service change procedures, bus stops, and route planning
February 6:    Transit Development Plan and other community efforts
February 13:   Group takeaways and graduation

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, October 31 at midnight.

#NoCarNovember

Are you up for a challenge, Greenville? 

We’re challenging everyone to try giving up their cars during the month of November. Instead of driving alone, use Greenlink, carpool with a friend, or ride your bike. Choosing sustainable transportation options will help reduce congestion throughout Greenville and reduce your carbon footprint.

Even if you’re already using alternative transportation modes, you can still participate in the challenge.

If you pledge not to drive alone by car for at least one week (7 consecutive days) during November, you’ll be entered into a drawing for prizes. 

Take the #NoCarNovember Pledge today!