Rural Transit Day

The nation's first Rural Transit Day was celebrated on July 16, 2019. This special holiday focuses on what rural and tribal transit agencies are doing to recognize passengers and staff on Rural Transit Day and through the year. 

Take the Rural Transit Day Pledge

On Rural Transit Day (July 16) and every day throughout the year, I/we pledge to:

  1. Understand the unique needs of rural and tribal passengers and plan services to meet those needs.
  2. Provide all passengers with helpful, courteous, and respectful customer service.
  3. Coordinate with community organizations to provide transportation to as many destinations as possible. 
  4. Involve passengers, community stakeholders, and elected officials in service planning.
  5. Assure that vehicles and facilities are safe, clean, well-maintained, and comfortable.
  6. Invest in training and education that keep staff current, knowledgeable and skilled.
  7. Contribute to an organizational culture where staff are motivated and successful.
  8. Have a plan for potential emergencies and disasters and communicate that plan to all stakeholders.
  9. Keep up with and invest in new technologies and funding opportunities to continually improve services.

Join Other Agencies Who Took the Pledge in 2025

Take the Rural Transit Day Pledge to show your commitment to rural transit. For Rural Transit Day 2025, 54 agencies from 27 states (as well as national organizations and individuals) took the pledge.

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38 Rural and Tribal Transit Agencies

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2 State Agencies

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6 Community Agencies

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 1 Intercity & Regional Agency

Rural Transit Day Toolbox


Use the images in this Rural Transit Day Toolbox to spread the word about Rural Transit Day and the benefits of rural transit through social media. Our designer, Lexy Santiago, has created free images for you to use for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Note that the images may not be used for any commercial purposes. If you have any questions, or need assistance, please contact us at  info@nationalrtap.org.


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Rural Transit Day Hero Cards

Click on either of the buttons below to download an MS Word Rural Transit Day Hero card. Open the document and click on the silver frame in the middle of the card to insert a photo of your hero. Then edit the Name, Organization, and Date to personalize the card. Print out or email your card to your hero and make their (Rural Transit) Day!

  • Rural Transit Day Hero badge with a blank photo placeholder, name, organization, and date sections.

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    Rural Transit Day Hero Card 1

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    Rural Transit Day Hero Card 2

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We've hosted Twitter/X #RuralTransitDay chats and a Facebook Live Chat (access the video and read the summary). Register for our Rural Transit Day Zoom Chat on July 16, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET, moderated by John Andoh and Stephanie Lewis.  The chat will focus on what transit agencies are doing to recognize passengers and staff and include a discussion about challenges, solutions, and best practices.

Rural Transit Day Chat

Rural Transit Day Student Art Contest:

What I Like about Rural Transit

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Calling All Students! For Rural Transit Day 2026, National RTAP invites students (through their school or parents) to submit drawings and paintings of what they like about rural transit for a chance to win a prize for themselves and their school. The contest is open to all K-12 students in the United States. Original drawings or paintings (no computer-generated artwork, please) can be about the bus, driver, riders, bus stop, looking through the window at scenery, etc. We want to see what YOU like about public transportation in rural areas and small towns. For inspiration, we're showing an entry from our 2024 Contest – The Art of Transit. Entries will be showcased on our website and social media and displayed at one or more upcoming conferences.  All entries must be accompanied by an artwork release form.  Prizes: 3 awards of $25 to the student and $25 to the school. The awards will be mailed to the school. The deadline is June 20, 2026.

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What does rural transit mean to you?

What does rural transit mean to you?  Email us your answer or post to our Twitter page about what rural transit means to you and tag us with #ruraltransitday, and we may post it on this page.

National RTAP Review Board in Rural Transit Day T-Shirts
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What does rural transit mean to you?

What does rural transit mean to you?  Email us your answer, and we may post it on this page.

National RTAP Review Board in Rural Transit Day T-Shirts

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Our official Rural Transit Day t-shirts like the ones above will be on sale again in the Spring of 2026.  Please contact us at info@nationalrtap.org if you would like to purchase them for your team. There will be an opportunity to win one during our Rural Transit Day Chat.