BRADENTON, Fla. — County officials say public transportation use is up 12% in Manatee County since a new ride program kicked off on Nov. 1 that allows anyone to ride the bus for free.

For Bradenton resident John Maria, who often rides the Manatee County Area Transit bus, one ride is his ticket to staying healthy.

“It’s my medicine,” Maria said. “I have to take it to the house and drop it off.”

It takes two bus rides for him to get from the downtown Bradenton bus stop to his home near Cortez Plaza.

Maria said he was in a terrible automobile accident years ago and has not been able to work since then.

“For five years, I was in a wheelchair,” he said.

He says money is pretty tight right now, so getting a free ride when his car is broken down is a huge help. Without the free bus, Maria said getting necessities for his family would have been much more challenging.

“For people, like I said, it’s really good,” he said.

Manatee’s 18-month pilot program aims to reduce traffic and targets select riders, like people who would normally use their cars.

“Those are the riders we target to give MCAT a try,” said MCAT’s transit division manager Jason Harris. “Give transit a try again. That helps with traffic congestion, which then points to the element of air pollution, noise pollution.”

Higher gas prices also give residents a reason to take the bus, and the program also helps people who are struggling financially, Harris said.

MCAT officials said they hope for an extension after the pilot program ends and to eventually make free rides a permanent option.