National Dump the Pump Day

National Dump the Pump Day was established in June 2006 by the American Public Transportation Association, or APTA, as a public service campaign with a memorable slogan: “Dump the Pump. Ride Transit.” The timing was no accident. Gas prices had climbed to $3 per gallon, and public demand for public transportation was growing in direct response. APTA launched the day to prove that public transportation is not only a great way to help the planet, but also a powerful way to save money, and the day has been observed every third Thursday of June ever since.

The day is designed to show people that they have options outside of sitting in traffic and watching their hard-earned money tick away at the gas pump. Riders are invited to park the car for a day and try the bus, subway, light rail, or commuter train instead. Letting someone else drive turns the commute into reading time, call time, or quiet time with headphones and a good playlist. The train or subway shortens long distances through metropolitan areas, and the bus sure beats the morning crawl on the freeway. For short trips, the day nudges people toward bikes and walking too.

The organization behind the day has deep roots in American transit. APTA began in 1882 in Boston, Massachusetts, as the American Street Railway Association, when its initial focus was the country’s railway system. In 2000, the association merged with the Institute of Rapid Transit, becoming APTA as we know it today. It is a nonprofit and the only North American organization representing all public transportation systems, made up of more than 1,500 public and private transportation organizations. When APTA talks about transit, it speaks for the whole industry.

The numbers behind the day are persuasive. According to the June 2016 Transit Savings Report, an individual in a two-person household can save nearly $9,500 a year by downsizing by one car and taking public transit instead. One study shows that every dollar spent on public transportation returns four dollars to the country’s economy. Americans took more than 10 billion trips on public transit in 2017 alone. And the benefits reach beyond wallets: communities that use public transit see higher property values and more robust local economies, because businesses become more accessible to everyone.

The environmental case is just as strong. Dumping the pump for a day means fewer cars on the road, which means less traffic congestion and less pollution. Gasoline is a finite resource, and the wise use of it benefits both the environment and the economy. Public transportation is also safer than driving your own car. More than 140 public transit systems and organizations have celebrated the day in past years, many offering free rides or contests for riders as a way to persuade people to change their travel habits. One Thursday of transit can turn into a habit that lasts all year.

The day also shines a light on a quieter inequality: millions of Americans have no transit alternative at all, so when prices soar they have no option but the gas pump. Celebrating the day is one way to start conversations about transit access, funding, and the everyday freedom that comes from having more than one way to get around. Every community deserves options, and every rider deserves a system worth riding.

First-time riders often discover that the transit commute comes with unexpected perks. Without a steering wheel in your hands, the trip becomes yours again: time to finish a chapter, answer messages, watch the city roll by, or simply arrive at work without the tension of stop-and-go traffic. Many riders report that they reach their destinations calmer than they ever did behind the wheel. National Dump the Pump Day is really an invitation to test-drive a different rhythm for a day and see how it feels.

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL DUMP THE PUMP DAY

🚌 Born in June 2006 When Gas Hit $3 a Gallon
APTA first started National Dump the Pump Day in June 2006, when gas prices reached $3 per gallon and public demand for public transportation was growing in response to the high prices. It began as a public service campaign to show Americans they had options beyond the gas pump, and it has been observed on the third Thursday of June ever since.

💰 Nearly $9,500 a Year in Savings
According to the June 2016 Transit Savings Report, an individual in a two-person household can save nearly $9,500 a year when downsizing by one car and taking public transit instead. One study shows that spending one dollar on public transport returns four dollars to the country’s economy.

🚌 “Dump the Pump. Ride Transit.”
The day’s official slogan is “Dump the Pump. Ride Transit.” It captures the whole campaign in five words: park the car, hop on the bus or train, and let transit do the work. Transit agencies celebrate with free rides, contests, and pledge challenges, and riders share their alternative commutes on social media with the hashtag #DumpThePumpDay.

🌱 An Organization Rooted in 1882
The American Public Transportation Association was created in 1882 in Boston, Massachusetts, as the American Street Railway Association. In 2000, it merged with the Institute of Rapid Transit to become APTA, the only North American organization representing all public transportation systems, with more than 1,500 member organizations.

🌎 Good for Your Wallet, Your City, and Your Air
Communities that use public transit see higher property values and more robust local economies because businesses become more accessible. Public transportation is safer than driving your own car, and it is not available to 45% of Americans, which makes the day a reminder of what transit access could mean for every community.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

🚌 Ride Transit for Your Whole Day
Challenge yourself to commute to work, the grocery store, or a coffee shop using the city bus, subway, or light rail on June 17. Grab a transit card or some loose change, thank your driver, and enjoy the ride. If your transit system is offering free rides for the day, even better.

🚲 Bike, Walk, or Carpool Instead
If your commute is short enough, strap on a helmet and turn the morning drive into a morning workout by biking. Walking is another great alternative. Team up with a coworker who lives nearby and take turns driving each week, or make the third Thursday in June your dedicated work-from-home day to eliminate the commute entirely.

💰 Calculate Your Transit Savings
Use an online transit calculator to see exactly how much money you could save over a month or a year by dumping the pump just one or two days a week, then put those projected savings toward something fun like a vacation or some badly needed home improvements. Then share your alternative commute photos on social media with #DumpThePumpDay and challenge a friend to try it next Thursday too.

Celebrate National Dump the Pump Day

On June 17, leave the car in the driveway and let transit take the wheel. You will save money, skip the traffic, and do the planet a favor, all before your first cup of coffee. Dump the pump, ride transit, and see how good the commute can be.