The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro), Austin, TX, and its partners—Whole Foods Market and the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas—brought in nearly 13,000 pounds of donated food through the 45-hour “Stuff the Bus” marathon event. The donations, equivalent to more than 10,000 meals, filled 70 percent of the interior of a 45-foot Capital Metro bus.

In the days leading up to Christmas, Santa Claus took time out of his schedule to drive buses in the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority fleet. Here he greets passengers at the Windermere Stokes Station, which serves bus, HealthLine Bus Rapid Transit, and Red Line rail customers in East Cleveland.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) employees and agency consultants collected donations of cash and almost 68 tons of food items for the Union Gospel Mission during its 16th annual “friendly food fight.” DART’s Transportation Department won this year’s contest, which included a donation of dairy products from a local dairy.

The North County Transit District (NCTD) in Oceanside, CA, collected $7,548 for two area charities—the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Military Mentoring Initiative, which helps veterans transition from military service to the workforce, and the Community Resource Center, which serves at-risk women and children—through the annual Santa’s Coaster Express holiday event—a 90-minute train ride with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Grinch, attended by more than 600 people. Each of the charities received $3,774. NCTD Board Chair Chris Orlando presents an oversized check to Laurin Pause, executive director, Community Resource Center. In the back row are NCTD board members and alternates, from left, Mark Packard, John Aguilera, Tony Kranz, Ed Gallo, Jim Wood, Bill Horn, Mike Nichols, and Donald Mosier.

For the 17th year, the Lane Transit District (LTD), Eugene, OR, partnered with a local radio station to Stuff the Bus with donations of food and toys for those in need in Lane County. During the two-day event, Wal-Mart stores in the area hosted a 40-foot LTD bus where the public donated almost 7,000 pounds of food and about $400 in cash for the local food bank, Toys for Tots, and more than 60 local service agencies.

Employees of Salem-Keizer Transit in Salem, OR, delivered a donation of cash and supplies to the Mid-Valley Women’s Crisis Center in Salem, a shelter for women and children who survive domestic abuse.

Employees of Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County distributed approximately 4,000 pairs of clean, new socks to homeless residents of the city on Dec. 21. This is the fourth year for the agency’s “Put a Sock in It” holiday collection, organized by MetroBus operator Patricia Moon.

Just before Christmas, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Employees’ Charity Club presented toys—including bicycles—to 5,000 area children during its annual Holiday Shop. Each year, the Charity Club works with the Federation of Charities and United Way to invite area families to select from thousands of holiday gifts.