Phillips Transit Authority Free Fridays promotion set to run all November

In honor of the newest vehicle to their fleet, and fancy new paint jobs, the Phillips Transit Authority will be offering free rides aboard their buses each Friday of November, starting next week.

"It is our way of inviting people to use our busses and to get around the county," said PTA Director Betty Halser. "We want everyone to know that they can ride our buses and we think Free Fridays is a great way to get that message out to the public. We are totally excited."

The PTA recently added a new 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan to the their fleet which now consists of seven vehicles all freshly painted and all have uniformed green and purple stripes running down their sides.

"The colors ended up being the same colors as FedEx," joked Dale Salveson, driver for the PTA. "But they look really nice and I think the color really makes our vehicles stand out."

Hasler said that she also wanted everyone know that all Phillips County residents can ride the PTA's buses. When the organization originally started, it was geared to helping senior citizen get around town, but that has changed in the last few years so that now anyone can use the buses to get around town.

"It is a really a great service," Hasler said. "For a $1 you can ride the bus everywhere you need to go in town and we pick you up and drop you off right at your doorstep. We transport people ages four through 100-plus. Everyone is welcome. This is public transportation and anyone can ride."

The PTA buses run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., but if someone needed a lift to Billings, or Great Falls or just about anywhere else in reason, they are encouraged to call the PTA at 654-5301. On Sundays, one of the PTA drivers is out and about town giving folks a lift to and from church. To set up a ride to church, you are encouraged to call the PTA by 4 p.m. on Friday's.

Besides the PTA's regular bus trips, on special occasions the buses deploy to take people to events around the state. PTA has recently taken people to the plays in Fort Peck, to watch elks bugle and last Thursday took some Mustang Parents to Harlem to watch the football team.