Heading to the mall or a movie on Black Friday or just planning to hang out with friends and family? Instead of driving around town in all of the traffic, the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee are encouraging you to ride public transit by offering free rides all day on MTA and RTA buses and the Music City Star regional train.
“The Fareless Friday promotion on Black Friday is an excellent opportunity for people who do not ride transit to try it and for us to demonstrate our appreciation to the loyal customers who already utilize our services,” MTA and RTA Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Ballard said. “This particular day was selected because it is the first day of the holiday shopping season, and parking and traffic around area malls can be challenging.”
The free rides last all day and are unlimited. They will begin early Friday morning on Nov. 29 when the first bus departs the garage and will end when buses and the regional train complete their final runs late Friday night.
Individuals who live in outlying areas such as Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Clarksville, Springfield, Franklin, Brentwood, Gallatin or Spring Hill may take advantage of the RTA express buses that travel to and from Nashville each weekday, as well as save gas and wear and tear on their family vehicles.
Once in the city arriving at MTA’s downtown transit center, riders have the option of boarding local buses such as:
- #34 – Opry Mills
- #7 – Hillsboro to The Mall at Green Hills
- #10 – Charlotte to Nashville West
- #15 – Murfreesboro Pike
- #55 – Murfreesboro Pike BRT lite for Global Mall at the Crossings (formerly Hickory Hollow Mall)
- #26 – Gallatin Pike
- #56 – Gallatin Pike BRT lite for RiverGate Mall
“People who live along the Music City Star line have an opportunity to ride the train for free and should take advantage of this promotional event, especially if they have never had an opportunity to ride our train. Just think what a great family activity this could be for the kids who are out of school on Black Friday,” Lebanon City Mayor and RTA Board Member Philip Craighead said.
The Nashville MTA and RTA provide more than 50 local and express bus routes in the Middle Tennessee area, as well as the Music City Star regional train that travels from Lebanon to Riverfront Station.
For schedule information, visit online or call Customer Care at (615) 862-5950.