In honor of Veteran's Day, the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA) Board of Directors has launched Vets for the Holidays so that military veterans can ride RTA commuter bus services and the Music City Star commuter train for free. The program, which begins November 1 and ends December 31, 2018, is a first for the RTA. It aims to make public transportation services more accessible to military veterans, both as a gesture of appreciation and in recognition of the fact that access to transportation services is a critical resource for returning and disabled veterans as they connect to medical, employment, and support services while reintegrating to civilian life.
"As Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation Authority and Mayor of the City of Clarksville – home to so many military veterans – I am delighted that we at the RTA are able to offer free service on our commuter buses and the Music City Star during the holiday season to our veterans who have served us with such honor and bravery," said RTA Board Chair and Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan.
"It is a pleasure for the members of the Regional Transportation Authority to be able to offer free rides to our veterans throughout the holiday season. It is a small token of our appreciation for their service to our country," said Williamson County Mayor and RTA Board Member Rogers Anderson. "Hopefully there will be many of our veterans to take advantage of this opportunity and save some money they can utilize elsewhere."
To qualify, participants need only show a valid form of military veteran identification to the RTA bus operator or Music City Star train conductor. Forms of identification that will be accepted are:
- DD Form 2 (Retired United States Uniformed Services Identification Card)
- Tennessee Driver’s License or Identification Card with "Veteran" designation on front
- VA Health Benefits Identification Card
- DD214 form in lieu of a Veteran's identification card
For more information on the Vets for the Holidays program, contact
RTA Customer Care at 615-862-5950 from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, or visit
www.rtarelaxandride.org