Rural Transit Day

The nation's first Rural Transit Day was celebrated on July 16, 2019. This special holiday focuses on what 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 2024

Take the Rural Transit Day Pledge to show your commitment to rural transit. For Rural Transit Day 2024, 90 agencies from 28 states (as well as national organizations and individuals) took the pledge.

70 Rural, Tribal & Small Urban Transit Agencies

6 State Agencies

2 Community Agencies

 4 Intercity & Regional Agencies

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.


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!

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    Rural Transit Day Hero Card 1

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    Rural Transit Day Hero Card 2

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Previously we've hosted a #RuralTransitDay Chat on Twitter/X. Read the summary for our 2024 Chat. Our first Rural Transit Day Facebook Live Chat on July 16, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET, will focus on what transit agencies are doing to recognize passengers and staff and include a discussion about challenges, solutions, and best practices. The chat will be moderated by John Andoh, RABA, Stephanie Bushong, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, and Stephanie Lewis, Florida RTAP. RSVP

Rural Transit Day Chat

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

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


You can order official Rural Transit Day t-shirts like the ones above now through May 31, 2025 through our T-Shirt Storefront.