SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA– Your Tuesday commute could come with a little something extra today.
September 15 is All Aboard Bay Area Transit Day, a regional celebration encouraging people to ride public transportation, pick up transit giveaways and share feedback about their experience.
For East Bay riders, BART has a sticker giveaway with a fun twist. In the South Bay, VTA is offering free bus and light rail rides.
Here’s how to participate.
Take a Ride and Look for Giveaways
Joining in can be as simple as taking transit to work, heading out for lunch or trying a trip you would ordinarily make by car.
The event is organized by Bay Area transit agencies in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Agencies will distribute stickers and other giveaways throughout the day while asking riders for feedback, according to the official event announcement.
It’s also an invitation for people who haven’t used transit recently to see what has changed. Organizers say the day highlights improvements to service and the customer experience.
Riding BART? Wear Your Sticker
BART’s celebration gives riders a reason to hang onto their morning giveaway.
The agency says staff will be stationed throughout the system Tuesday morning handing out special stickers. If staff spot you wearing one later in the day, you could receive BART swag while supplies last.
So if you picked up a sticker on your way to work, wear it on the ride home.
BART describes the giveaway in its Transit Month announcement. The announcement does not provide a station-by-station distribution schedule.
VTA Is Offering Free Rides
For anyone traveling in the South Bay, today’s celebration includes a direct savings opportunity.
VTA is offering free bus and light rail service on Tuesday, September 15, from the beginning of service through 3 a.m. Wednesday, September 16.
Marketing staff will also travel around the system distributing special Transit Month stickers beginning at 9 a.m., while supplies last, according to VTA’s announcement.
The free-fare offer applies to VTA buses and light rail. Check the fare requirements for any other agencies you use during your trip.
Keep Going With the Transit Month Ride Contest
Today’s event is part of September’s broader Transit Month celebration, and riders can participate beyond today.
The annual Ride Contest lets participants log transit trips from September 1 through September 30 for chances to win prizes. Some awards reward the most rides, while others offer raffle entries for individual trips.
BART’s listed prizes include a holiday sweater, a model legacy train car and an opportunity for a winner and guest to ride in the BARTmobile during a 2027 parade. Riders can sign up for the contest and log their trips, as outlined in BART’s event guide.
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