June 21, 2011
Alison Gatterson of Guilderland Center is the winner of our 2011 Dump the Pump promotion! Her name was randomly drawn among the 400+ pledge entries. Here’s her CDTA story.
Alison rides the bus many days during the work week to get to work. She often drives to her parents’ house in Altamont to drop off both her car and her dog for doggie care and takes Route #21X Altamont Express bus into downtown Albany to her work at the Department of Social Services. She says the 21X bus operators are wonderful and she likes to say hello to her riding peers every day.
With 179,000+ miles on her car, Alison is riding the bus to reduce wear and tear and save on gas. With no guaranteed available lots or garages near her, riding the bus also helps ease her parking situation. She takes advantage of the Swiper parking program when she does drive her car, or parks several blocks from her work and then takes a bus the rest of the way.
Alison gets the 5 Day Swiper through her employer at a discounted rate. Working as an Eligibility Examiner in the Employment Unit she assists individuals with finding employment, as well as provides them with necessary support services they may need to participate in these activities which can include handing out CDTA bus passes, or single base fares.
As the Dump the Pump winner, for her choice of CDTA passes, since Alison already gets a monthly pass, she would like to be the bearer of random acts of kindness and give out ten-trip passes to people she sees on the bus who come on paying cash and don't have a bus pass.
