Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis’ public transit services will offer free rides to the community on Tuesday, Election Day, to support participation in the democratic process.
The Knoxville Area Transit is offering fare-free rides on its fixed-route buses and Lift service for individuals with disabilities on Tuesday for residents citywide.
“Election Day is a critical moment for our community to come together and make their voices heard. By offering free rides across our system, we’re helping to make that process as accessible as possible for everyone,” Isaac Thorne, director of Transit for the City of Knoxville, said in a statement.
In Memphis, the Memphis Area Transit Authority is also offering fare-free rides for the community on Tuesday for its MATAplus paratransit service, Ready! on-demand micro-transit service, and all fixed-route buses and trolleys.
Bacarra Mauldin, MATA Interim CEO, said, “Voting provides us a voice in improving our community, including our public transportation system.”
In Nashville, the community can ride for free all day Tuesday on WeGo’s fixed-route bus service and Access service for individuals with disabilities.
WeGo’s free service on Election Day comes as Nashville residents will vote on a ballot referendum to approve or dismiss a sales tax increase to fund the Nashville mayor’s multi-billion dollar transit plan that would expand WeGo services and other transit-related initiatives.
If passed by Nashville voters, Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s transit plan, “Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety,” would increase the city’s sales tax by a half-cent to fund new and extended WeGo bus routes, the construction of new sidewalks, bus stops, transit centers, parking facilities, upgraded traffic signals, and more.
While the plan was slated to cost $3.1 billion—the number voters will see on the general election ballot—an independent financial analysis found that the referendum would cost taxpayers $6.93 billion over the project’s lifetime.
All polls are open on Election Day in Tennessee until 8:00 p.m. EST / 7:00 p.m. CST. The opening times for polls vary by county.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Bus Riders” by Andrea Schneibel/Knoxville Area Transit. CC BY SA 2.0.
