Some McAllen residents are taking advantage of public transit to save money on gas. 

McAllen Transit Director Mario Delgado says just a couple weeks ago, they saw a seven percent increase in ridership, but as of last Friday, they hadn't noticed additional changes.

Delgado says despite rising gas prices, bus fares on the Metro McAllen will remain at $1 per trip and 50 cents for students, elderly people and disabled people. 

Delgado says he doesn't anticipate bus fares going up even if prices continue to rise, adding that the city is hoping this effort will help people save money by switching to public transportation.

Delgado says the city is making additional plans to reduce the cost of transit.

"We're currently working on implementing a daily pass that will make it a little more affordable if you're taking multiple trips throughout the day," Delgado said. "So that's up and coming so hopefully we can roll that out here pretty soon."

If demand rises, they may add additional services, but for now, they're encouraging people to take advantage of affordable transportation.

As a reminder, the first Metro McAllen route starts as early as 6 a.m. and runs until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.