The 8th annual National Dump the Pump Day will be held this year on Thursday, June 20. Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), in partnership with the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, this national public transportation awareness day encourages people to “dump the pump” by parking their car and riding public transit instead.

Public transit systems around the country are planning to participate in the National Dump the Pump Day on June 20 in a variety of ways.

• In Indianapolis, where gas recently hit $4.26 a gallon, IndyGo will host a free “how to ride” event the day before, so people new to public transit can “dump the pump” on June 20. In addition, IndyGo is partnering with Commuter Connect, who will hold a drawing with a variety of gifts for individuals who log their “dump the pump” trips to work online.

• Valley Metro in Phoenix, Ariz. is hosting an online pledge drive in which people pledge to “dump the pump” and take transit instead. Valley Metro is also providing stickers and lottery style scratchers with awards to local businesses for distribution to employees that have taken the “dump the pump” pledge.

• MARTA in Atlanta is holding the first “Dump the Pump” scavenger contest. You have to take public transit to participate in this challenge, which will take people on a 3 ½ hour hunt through the MARTA rail system.

• Red Rose Transit Authority of Lancaster, Pa. is asking riders to tell their story on how they “Dumped the Pump” to be placed in a random drawing for prizes. The Grand Prize winner will receive a free year of transit on any bus route.

In some places a “Dump the Pump Week” will occur. For example, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, three transit systems — Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Denton County Transportation Authority and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority) — are currently collecting gas receipts from people who want to receive a free weekly regional transit pass good starting June 16.

The first National Dump the Pump Day was started in June 2006 after gas prices had reached $3 per gallon. Public transit systems and other organizations across the country participate in National Dump the Pump Day. Last year some public transportation systems offered free rides, held contests, provided giveaways as rewards for riders, and partnered with local Sierra Club chapters and businesses to spread the word.

Public and private organizations can also participate by encouraging their employees to ride public transportation. If your organization would like to participate, go to the APTA website www.apta.com to use the 2013 Dump the Pump Toolkit.