There will be a lot of celebrations honoring veterans this weekend since Saturday, Nov. 11 is Veteran’s Day, and, one way the City of Greensboro will show its thanks and respect is by providing free transportation on that day for those who have served their country.

The Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA)) stated this week that the city continues to express its appreciation for military veterans, and will do so with free bus rides on GTA.

The city’s transportation system will also provide free rides for veterans on Access GSO, which is the Greensboro Transit Agency’s shared-ride service for riders who have a disability that prevents them from riding on fixed bus routes.

 To qualify for the free transportation, riders boarding the buses must show the driver a current or past military ID card or other supporting documents.

(Free rides won’t be available on Access I-Ride services – a private, door-to-door transportation service provided by Greensboro Transit Agency.)

Throughout the year, Veterans can ride the Greensboro Transit Authority for half-fare by presenting the free GTA Veterans Discount Identification Card to operators.

To obtain the card, a veteran can visit the GTA Customer Service Office at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or by calling 336-335-6499. (Appropriate documentation must be provided for approval.)

There are other local perks and discounts that are being offered year-round for those who’ve served in the military. Guilford County Register of Deeds Jeff Thigpen created a program several years ago that provides verified veterans with an ID card that allows them to get special discounts and other benefits at select restaurants and other businesses in Guilford County.

On Thursday, Nov. 2, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners honored area veterans with a “Proclamation In Observance And Remembrance Of Veterans Day.” It was sponsored by Commissioner Pat Tillman, who is a veteran.

The proclamation stated in part, “WHEREAS since the birth of our Nation, American patriots have stepped forward to serve our country and defend our way of life. With honor and distinction, generations of servicemen and women have taken up arms to win our independence, preserve our Union, and secure our freedom.

“From the Minutemen to our Post-9/11 Generation, these heroes have put their lives on the line so that we might live in a world that is safer, freer, and more just, and we owe them a profound debt of gratitude. On Veterans Day, we salute the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who have rendered the highest service any American can offer, and we rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our commitment to all those who serve in our name.

“NOW, THEREFORE, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Saturday, November 11, 2023 as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us recommit ourselves to the task of promoting and enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”

About