The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced the winners of its “Dump the Pump” transit rider-generated online video contest. Participants were asked to create a video that demonstrated why they were “dumping the pump” in favor of using public transportation.

Bob Richardson of Portland, Ore., the first place winner created a high-quality video, which depicts a familiar scene of a woman dumping a significant other. In this scene, however, she is leaving the gas pump behind for a more attractive suitor — her local public transit system.

“The purpose of this contest was to hear from the American public transit rider in a fun and entertaining way about how public transportation is taking us to a better future — economically, environmentally, and our overall quality of life,” said Rose Sheridan, APTA vice president, marketing and communications. “We were pleased and proud of the quality and creativity we saw in these videos, which made it hard to pick a winner. That’s a great problem to have.”

The winners of the contest were chosen by a panel of APTA officials. The top three prize-winners and their awards are as follows:

• First place: Bob Richardson of Portland, Ore. - Winner of a year of free public transportation and an Apple iPod Touch. See his winning entry here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNPA0RlsR1g
  

• Second place: Judith Keenan of Berkeley, Calif. – Winner of six months of free public transportation. See her entry here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSSQSiTkctM&feature=related
  

• Third place: Miles Clark of Atlanta - Winner of three months of free public transportation.  See his entry here:  http://www.youtube.com/dumpthepump09#p/f/40/XJQVIP4q1uA

Winning videos and all entries will be featured at APTA’s Public Transportation Takes Us There campaign Website: http://www.publictransportation.org/takesusthere/contest_videos.html