For those facing long commutes from home to work and back each day, the pain of sitting in traffic is probably only equalled by the pain felt at the gas pump. Gas prices have dropped recently but with gas still more than $3 a gallon, filling up can be costly. Fortunately, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), the T in Fort Worth and the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) have teamed up to present the "Dump the Pump" campaign.

In exchange for a gas receipt, the transit authorities will offer commuters a free weekly regional transit pass. The regional pass, which is worth $10, is good for any DART, T or DCTA fixed route. This campaign is local version of the "Dump the Pump" campaign by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which emphasizes the economic and environmental benefits of transit.

According to APTA research, North Texans that switch to the region's transit network can save over $9,000 in annual costs by not having to drive to work. It would also greatly help the environment, as transit network's buses and light rail fleet runs on either clean diesel or natural gas.

To learn more or to find the locations where the commuters can meet transit authorities for their weekly regional transit pass, check out the DART website.