City of Edom issued the following announcement.
At their recent quarterly meeting which took place in the historic courtroom of the 1901 Harrison County Courthouse in Marshall, Texas, members of EasTexConnects display the 2020 “Get On Board, East Texas” sign to help promote the benefits of public transportation to the people of our region.
Members of the regional transportation committee, EasTexConnects, and the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) announced that they will join with other public transportation systems nationwide to participate in National “Get On Board” Day on Thursday, April 16, 2020.
The announcement about this region-wide event called “Get On Board, East Texas” was shared at the transportation committee’s quarterly meeting which took place recently at the 1901 Harrison County Courthouse in Marshall, Texas.
Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2020 National “Get On Board” Day is a day designed to encourage people to explore the public transportation options in their communities and to learn more about the benefits that public transportation provides.
Christina Anderson, chairman of the EasTexConnects regional transportation committee, stated: “EasTexConnects, along with the committee’s fiscal agent, East Texas Council of Governments, are excited to have the opportunity to work with counties, cities, transportation providers, social service agencies, and citizens throughout our 14-county northeast Texas region to help raise awareness about the economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits provided by public transportation and to reach the people who need this transportation.”
Ms. Anderson added, “Access to reliable, affordable transportation can sometimes be a barrier in some people’s lives. Public transportation can open up all kinds of possibilities for increased mobility. So, “Get On Board” Day is designed to help students, seniors, millennials, veterans, citizens with disabilities, and those who may need a ride to work or other destinations to learn about and try the effective transportation options that we, in East Texas, are fortunate to have in our large rural region.”
Some of the public transportation options available to the people of East Texas include GoBus, which is operated by ETCOG in the 14-county region of Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.
Community members in these counties can call (800) 590-3371 to arrange for a ride on GoBus. GoVet bus service for veterans to Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport is also operated by ETCOG.
Other public transportation options include Amtrak, Greyhound, Tyler Transit, Longview Transit, regional air service in Tyler and Longview, taxi service, and other options.
David Cleveland, Executive Director of ETCOG, stated: “We invite governmental entities, businesses, organizations, and the people of our East Texas region to join EasTexConnects, ETCOG, and all other participants to highlight the important benefits of public transportation on National Get On Board Day this April 16.”
Representation on the EasTexConnects committee is comprised of elected officials, transportation providers, representatives of social service agencies and transportation organizations, and users of transportation throughout our 14-county region. EasTexConnects and their counterpart steering committees throughout the various regions of Texas were created by the Texas Legislature in 2003 to enhance transportation coordination and help establish a more effective transportation network throughout Texas.
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which sponsors National “Get On Board” Day, shares some of the following statistics about public transportation at www.apta.com:
- Each weekday in the United States, 34 million people board public transportation.
- Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns, powering community growth and revitalization.
- Communities that invest in public transit reduce the nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually.
- Public transportation is a $71 billion industry that employs more than 430,000 people.
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