2020 NEBRASKA PUBLIC TRANSIT WEEK EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Beatrice Office

• Monday – One free one-way ride with a donation of a can of food for the food pantry.
• Tuesday – One free one-way ride with a donation of a can of food for the food pantry.
• Wednesday – Stuff the Bus: Bring items to Russ's Market that can be donated to the food pantry.
• Thursday – One free one-way ride with a donation of a can of food for the food pantry.
• Friday – Open House: Stop by 103 Eastside Blvd. from 1:30-3:30 p.m. for coffee, tea, and cookies. Raffle drawing will be at 3 p.m.

Nebraska City Office

• Monday – Dump the Pump: Ride for free today and word search and squares game.
• Tuesday – Open House: Stop by 703 Central Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for coffee, tea, donuts, cookies, and cupcakes. Ride today for a donation to the food pantry and word search and squares game.
• Wednesday – Stuff the Bus: Bring non-perishable items, personal care items, diapers, and baby wipes on your ride to donate to the food pantry. Items may also be dropped off at the office at 703 Central Avenue. Half price rides for all passengers and word search and squares game.
• Thursday – Luck of the Draw: All passengers pick a bag of goodies and word search and squares game.
• Friday – Scavenger Hunt: The passenger who finds the most items wins a prize.

Wymore Office

• Wednesday – Free ride to and from Walmart in Beatrice: Leaving Wymore at 9:30 a.m. and leaving Walmart in Beatrice to return to Wymore at 1:30 p.m.

All Week

• Tickets $10 for 12 rides are BOGO 50% off.
• Passengers can enter for a FREE ticket (12 rides). Winner will be drawn at 3 PM Friday.

Monday

• One free ride ticket per passenger.

Wednesday

• Passenger Appreciation Day: Each passenger will receive a pen and bag.

Friday

• Staff Appreciation Day: Lunch and water tumblers will be provided to all transit employees.

• Monday – Passenger Appreciation Day: All passengers receive promotional items.
• Tuesday – Class Coin Challenge: The elementary students will be challenged with a coin collection challenge and the winning class will win a party. OR Trivia Tuesday: Test your trivia knowledge for a free punch card for 10 rides.
• Wednesday – Senior Day: Seniors 55+ will ride for free.
• Thursday – Staff Appreciation Day: Drivers will be honored.
• Friday – Public Awareness Day: We will speak at two local establishments about the public transit services we offer.

POSTPONED - to be celebrated on new dates yet to be determined

• All Week - Riders may enter to win a $10 Bus Pass. Winner will be drawn on Friday.
• Monday – Free donuts for all riders.
• Tuesday – Veterans ride free for the day.
• Wednesday – Food Pantry Donation Day: Bring along two items and get one free ride.
• Thursday – Purchase a $20 gift certificate and get $5 free.
• Friday – Draw a winner for the $10 Bus Pass.

All Week

• Giving to Give Back: Anyone that donates an item from the list below will be entered to win bus tickets or gift cards. Please give items to the bus driver so we can enter your name for the drawing.
• Personal hygiene items, shampoo/conditioner, body soap (bar or liquid), deodorant (men's or women's), toilet paper, or laundry soap.

Monday

• Buddy Day: Bring a buddy for our Beatrice trip. Pay one fare for two passengers. First come-first serve. ($15 round trip for two passengers).

Wednesday

• Funny Hat Day: Any passenger that wears a funny hat will get a free round trip ride. Let’s see all those funny hats!

Friday

• Customer Appreciation Day: We will be handing out cookies to all passengers that ride the bus and to community members.

• July 23-24 – Hand out tickets for free rides to be used during Nebraska Public Transit Week.
• July 27-31 – Penny Wars contest. Employees will be divided into two teams and will compete to see which team can collect the most pennies in their respective jar. Proceeds will be donated to a local organization to be named later.
• Monday, July 27 – Rider Contest Trivia Quiz: All passengers who return the quiz with their name and phone number will be entered in a drawing for a free 10-ride ticket. Drawing will be held Friday, July 31.
• Tuesday, July 28 – Public Awareness Day: We will be visiting various organizations and businesses around town to hand out flyers and explain how transit can benefit them.
• Wednesday, July 29 – Passenger Appreciation Day: All passengers riding public transit will receive a free gift.
• Thursday, July 30 – Food for Free Rides: Any passenger donating an unexpired non-perishable food item will be given one free boarding.
• Friday, July 31 – Employee Appreciation Day: Lunch and a free gift will be provided to all transit employees. We will also draw for the winner of the Trivia Quiz.

All Week:

• Veterans ride free.
• Passengers will receive goodies to show our appreciation.
• A free ride coupon will be given to all passengers that donate any two of the following items to our agency nutrition pantry: canned pineapple/mixed fruit/pears, canned peas/mixed vegetables, spaghetti sauce, or canned tomatoes.

Driver’s appreciation luncheon.

• Monday – Driver Appreciation Day: Luncheon for drivers.
• Tuesday – Customer Appreciation Day: Half price in-county rides and free gift for passengers.
• Wednesday – Schools to turn in art project of what public transportation means to me. Two winners from grade school and two winners from high school for a gift basket.
• Thursday – Passengers take selfies while riding on public transit vehicle and post on our Facebook page to be entered in a contest for a ride giveaway.
• Friday – Stuff the Bus: Donate food, clothing, diapers, and household items that will be given to the VOA Food Pantry, VOA Closet, Methodist Church Diaper Depot, St. Mark's Lutheran Church Food Pantry, and St. Elizabeth's Food Pantry.

• Monday – All passengers ride free/community awareness (promotional items for transit will be distributed to doctor's office, hospitals, nursing home, assistant living facilities, schools and colleges)
• Tuesday – The cost of a ride is a canned good to be donated to the local food pantry.
• Wednesday – Customer Appreciation Day: Give out special goodies.
• Thursday – Staff Appreciation Day (training with food)
• Friday – Closed (Good Friday)

All Week:

• Stuff the Bus benefiting Lincoln People's City Mission; promoting public transit with flyers, table tents, yard signs, etc. across Innovation Campus.

Wednesday:

• Table/booth from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with promotional items and information regarding public transit in Nebraska and the Lincoln/Lancaster County area.
• Cookies and popcorn while supplies last.
• Handing out “I rode the bus!” stickers to people coming on and off the bus at Nebraska Innovation Campus StarTran bus stops.

• Monday – Employee Appreciation Day and handing out a coloring contest page to kids.
• Tuesday – Buddy Day: Half price rides with a buddy and handing out crossword puzzle and word find games.
• Wednesday – Passenger Appreciation Day: Gifts handed out to passengers.
• Thursday – Veterans Appreciation Day: Free rides for veterans.
• Friday – Prize Drawings

• Appreciation Lunch for Transit Staff
• Recognition/Appreciation of Transit Employees
• Visits to Local Elementary Schools

• Monday – Staff Appreciation Day: Staff will be treated to lunch and gifts will be given to show how much we appreciate them!
• Tuesday – Half Price Rides (Trip to Fremont): All passengers will pay half the regular fare amount. They will also receive giveaways.
• Wednesday – Public Awareness Day: Calendars and brochures will be distributed to inform the public of our services.
• Thursday – Half Price Rides (Trip to Omaha): All riders will pay half the regular fare amount. They will also receive giveaways.
• Friday – Passenger Appreciation/Free Rides (Wahoo Only): Passengers will be able to ride free. They will also receive giveaways.

• Toy buses were planted around the hospital and a scavenger hunt was held for employees. $5 Chamber bucks for winners.
• Sent out word search for all staff to complete.
• Riders rode free if they brought an item for the school’s back pack program and also placed a box at main entrance of hospital for donations to this program.
• Public Transit Week yard signs were placed in three communities.

• Tuesday – Open House: Stop by from 9-10 a.m. for donuts and orange juice.
• Coloring page will be distributed and shared with children passengers, day cares, and schools.
• Purchased fleece jackets for the team and will take a group photo to include with our news release to the Ord Quiz (newspaper) and KNLV (radio station). Will have both run the week before and the week of Public Transit Week.
• Two drivers will do a recording for the weekly Health Report that airs on KNLV regarding Valley County Health System Public Transit Week.
• Janet and Megan will be live on Party Line Part II Radio show either the week before or the week of Public Transit Week.
• Flyers will be distributed and posted with the delivery of meals, posted at the senior center, coffee shops, post office, etc., promoting VCHS Public Transit and tear off info with our phone number to call for a ride.
• VCHS Public Transit magnets will be shared the week before and the week of Public Transit Week with passengers and those that attend the open house.

• Open House: Day and time TBD. Snacks will be served and promotional items will be handed out.
• Passengers will automatically be entered in a drawing for a Village of Guide Rock Public Transit metal cup. Drawing will be held on Friday.