Meet Fred the Safety Tread

METRO’s friendly tire, Fred the Safety Tread, made his debut last month at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Target Free First Sunday.

The January 4th event featured an all-day exhibit on transportation - METRO’s specialty. The agency was a key sponsor of the event which brought in some 700 parents and kids in attendance.

It was at this event that METRO unveiled its Kids’ Stop page and introduced its mascot, Fred the Safety Tread.

“The Kids’ Stop Web page was created because we have an increasing interest from parents, teachers and caregivers to get more information on METRO. And this helps create a transit ethic at an early age,” said Karen Marshall, METRO’s director of community outreach. “Communicating with our youngest riders has been tricky, so, what better way to reach out to them than using a medium they’re all too familiar with - the Web.”

The colorful, fun-filled site includes age-appropriate activities such as bus safety tips, a cartoon video about light-rail safety and an activity book with games that can be downloaded.

As the Kids’ Stop page continues to develop, METRO plans to include more educational activities, expand Fred’s role online, as well as make the page interactive to engage kids on a whole new level.

The Kids’ Stop site also includes important information on the fare discounts the agency offers students through the METRO Q® Fare Card.