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Public Transportation Superheros
September 5, 2017 | Tags:
A Team Effort Across the SWTA Nation

The SWTA Nation came together to bring relief to small transit agencies affected by Hurricane Harvey. Sunday, September 3rd donations were gathered and delivered to Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission (Victoria Transit) in Victoria, TX. Items including an all-in-one copier/printer, ink, cork board, dry erase board, other office items, water and personal care items.
Wednesday, September 6th donations were gathered and delivered to Port Arthur, TX. Items included many cases of water, a great selection of new clothes and personal care items.
Some donations were hand delivered while others placed orders at a local Walmart and were taken to CARTS for staging using Capital Metro’s transit vehicles. Chariot Transit provided transportation for the items from CARTS to Victoria, TX.

Donations were received from:
Valley Metro
BraunAbility
KCATA
CARTS
Capital METRO
Volunteer Coordinators:

Dottie Watkins, Capital METRO
Tom Grantham, CARTS
Evan Stafford, Chariott Transit (FORD Motor)
Jameson Auten, KCATA
Kristen Roberts, Valley Metro
Colten Walle, BraunAbility
Shawna Russell, Independent Contractor
VIA Metropolitan Transit: Provides Free Service to Hurricane Evacuees
SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 29, 2017) - VIA Metropolitan Transit announced it will continue to provide free public transportation to Hurricane Harvey evacuees who are in emergency shelters in San Antonio and Bexar County. Passengers are asked to show their shelter-issued wristbands in order to access the free service and may travel anywhere within VIA’s service area.
Capital Metro: Increases Service at Mega Shelter
Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Dallas Area Rapid Transit is providing shuttle service in key areas to connect evacuees and volunteers to shelters. Photo is from Love Field where they picked up evacuees flown in by the Texas Air National Guard. They are also working with the city of Dallas to distribute passes to evacuees. Their staff has been volunteering at some of the shelters and collecting supplies for people in the affected areas.
Want to be a transit superhero?
Send your stories to Elise Manion - emanion@swta.org
Assistance Given:
Gift cards were given by:
- AFSCME Local 3624, Los Angeles, CA - $10,000
- Alphavu
- 26 Anonymous Gifts
- APTA Business Member Board of Governors (BMBG)
- APTA Staff & Members - $8000
- BART
- CATS Baton Rouge
- Charles McGraw (RYDE Nebraska)
- Ecolane
- Emily W. (Anonymous)
- Florida Public Transit Association
- Frauscher
- Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority
- INIT
- Jonnie Kusek (Panhandle Trails NE)
- Keolis
- MetroTransit (Minneapolis)
- Miller Family
- PTG International See Letter
- Denver RTD, Legal Services Division
- RTA Chicago
- San Jose Transit See Letter
- Santa Clarita Transit
- SEPTA
- Stadler
- Tri-Met
- Valley Metro
- Valley Metro Rail
- Virginia Transit Association
- Westmatic
- WMATA
Donations were given by:
- BraunAbility, Kansas City, KS
- Capital METRO, Austin, TX
- CARTS, Austin, TX
- CATS, Baton Rouge, LA
- KCATA, Kansas City, MO
- Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ
Volunteer coordinators for donation delivery:
- Colton Walle, BraunAbility
- Dottie Watkins, Capital METRO
- Evan Stafford, Chariot Transit (FORD Motor)
- Jameson Auten, KCATA
- Kristen Roberts, Valley Metro
- Shawna Russell, Independent Contractor
- Tom Grantham, CARTS
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