Free Bus Rides on Election Day: KRT Waives Fares All Day Tuesday

Need a lift to the polls Tuesday? If you live in the Kanawha Valley, the bus is on the house.

The Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority, better known around here as KRT, will offer free rides all day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, on its regular buses and on its KRTplus service, the agency announced. There's no catch and no voter card to flash: the free fare covers any trip that day, whether you're headed to your polling place, to work, to the doctor or to the grocery store.

Already paid for a Tuesday ride? You'll get it back

If you booked a ride ahead of time for Nov. 3 and were already charged, KRT says you'll be refunded automatically. You don't have to call or fill anything out; the refund happens on its own.

A tradition in the valley

This isn't a first for KRT. Executive Director Sean Hill has said fare-free Election Days have become a tradition at the agency, and that the goal is simple: making sure the cost of a ride is never the thing that keeps someone home on Election Day. He's also said the free rides have been popular with riders in past elections, and that KRT doesn't care who or what anyone votes for. It just wants getting there to be as easy as possible.

As the state's largest public transportation system, KRT carries folks all across Kanawha County and beyond, so a free day can make a real difference for neighbors who don't drive, don't have a car, or are simply counting every dollar right now.

What's on the ballot

There's plenty to weigh in on. Nineteen of the 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate are up Tuesday, along with House of Delegates races, a proposed amendment to the state constitution and local questions in counties across the state, including the Kanawha County Schools excess levy.

Polls across West Virginia open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Anyone in line when the polls close can still vote.

Plan your trip

Riders can check routes and schedules with KRT or call the agency's schedule information line at (304) 343-7586 to plan ahead. A little planning goes a long way, especially if your polling place is across town.

However you get there, by bus, by car or on foot, make your voice heard Tuesday, West Virginia.