NEWS RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jill Smith
Office: 661.869.6307
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2019
Golden Empire Transit Reading Express Book Drive
Bakersfield, CA — Golden Empire Transit District (GET) will be hosting a community-wide book drive to promote literacy among young children in the Bakersfield community and expand the Reading Express (GET’s on-board library program).
The Reading Express provides books on GET fixed-route buses for children to enjoy while riding with their parents. “We hope this book drive will improve the reading selection for our young riders and continue to promote a world of literacy on-board GET,” said Karen King, GET CEO. “GET employees, friends, and family members have been donating to the Reading Express, and now we’d like to invite the community to participate as well,” said King.
Residents are encouraged to donate new and gently used books for reading levels 0 through 3rd grade. Boxes for donations are located at the GET Headquarters at 1830 Golden State Avenue. GET is partnering with Barnes & Noble for a book fair on Saturday, August 24, and the District is looking to partner with other local bookstores to also collect donations.
GET launched the program in September 2008 with a grant from First 5 Kern. The Reading Express offers many benefits to GET’s youngest riders. It provides a way to reduce the stress of commuting while exposing kids to books and the world of literacy. It offers busy parents additional opportunities to interact positively with their children during their daily commutes, and it gives children who may not have books in the home easy access to them while going about their everyday activities. For more information about GET’s Reading Express, please visit www.getbus.org/rider-info/the-reading-express.
GET was formed in July 1973 and is the primary public transportation provider for the Bakersfield Urbanized Area. It is the largest public transit system within a 110-mile radius. The District’s legal boundary includes Bakersfield city limits as well as adjacent unincorporated areas. GET has a fleet of 90 compressed natural gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET serves 16 routes, operating 7 days a week and transporting more than 6 million passengers each year with its fixed-route buses. In addition, GET operates 21 compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses. For more information, visit www.getbus.org or call 869.2GET (2438).
