SAN ANTONIO (May 5, 2016) — Your bike is your ticket to ride free with VIA on Friday, May 6, 2016. Customers who board with a bicycle will be offered a complimentary bus ride in support of National Bike Month and the annual Walk & Roll Rally. The rally, hosted by the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, happens from 8 to 9 a.m., Friday, at Main Plaza, 115 Main Plaza, downtown.

VIA has partnered with the Alamo Area MPO to provide complimentary service for bicyclists on Walk & Roll Rally day since 2005. The Walk & Roll Rally kicks off a full calendar of events throughout May offering opportunities to learn more about walking and bicycling in the Greater San Antonio Region.

VIA’s bus fleet is equipped with bicycle racks mounted on the front or inside of each vehicle. The popular amenity provides public transportation options for extended trips throughout the region.

“VIA is happy to partner with the Alamo Area MPO for this annual celebration of cycling, walking, and initiatives like the Walk & Roll Rally that get our community moving,” VIA President and CEO Jeff Arndt said. “VIA helps to make the connection between the first mile and last mile of travel for thousands of riders—cyclists, pedestrians and motorists—all sharing roads and sidewalks daily. We congratulate the Alamo Area MPO on the 20th anniversary of the rally, and appreciate their continued commitment to moving our region forward.”

The first Walk & Roll in the Alamo region was held on the steps of San Antonio’s City Hall in 1996. Since then, there have been numerous public safety and transportation enhancements to help support multimodal travel in our community, including an expanded bike lane network and bike-sharing options. The Alamo Area MPO and its community partners, including VIA, work to make biking and walking more accessible and comfortable through various initiatives and services. For more on the Walk & Roll Rally, visit www.alamoareampo.org/walkandroll/.

VIA Metropolitan Transit provides public transportation services to 13 cities in the Greater San Antonio Region and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. VIA operates seven days a week on 90 routes and provided 41 million rides across the region in 2015. VIA’s mission is to enhance the community’s quality of life by providing regional and customer-oriented public transportation that is dependable, cost-effective and enticing to more riders. VIA’s AAA bond rating reflects the organization’s sound management and financial practices. Visit www.VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on www.Facebook.com/VIATransit, www.Twitter.com/VIA_Transit, and www.Instagram.com/VIATransit.