FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Drivers fed up over high gas prices are encouraged to find another way to get work Thursday.

The third annual "National Dump the Pump Day" is June 19 and motorists are urged to put it in park.

Anyone upset at the oil companies should meet Brent Brady. Local 10 spotted him on U.S. Highway 1 in Hollywood recently during the morning rush hour holding a big hand-made sign that reads, "Boycott $4 Gas."

"You need to send the message, maybe cut back on your gas consumption a little, maybe take public transportation, the bus or tri-rail every once in a while," Brady told Local 10's Roger Lohse.

Sound crazy? Well, that's the idea behind "Dump the Pump Day." For just one day, drivers around the country are encouraged to park their cars and use public transportation. It's an idea that's already catching on in South Florida.

Tri-Rail ridership is up 46 percent from June of last year. Nearly 15,000 people a day take the train. Buses in Broward County are busier, too, with about 129,000 passengers. That's up 5 percent since January.

But not everyone is ready to dump the pump. The fact is the perception that public transportation is dirty and inconvenient will keep many behind the wheel.

"I'll stay at home before I take the bus," one driver told Lohse as she filled up her tank.

Another woman said she worked from 4 p.m. until midnight and wondered how she would get home if she used public transportation.

There's also a problem with parking.

While Tri-Rail ridership nearly doubled since last year, at the 18 Tri-rail stations there are only a combined 4000 parking spaces.

“I get dropped off now, that’s my way around it,” said Tri-Rail passenger Todd Saunders.

A Tri-rail spokeswoman told Local 10 they are well aware of the problem and are in the process of expanding lots and adding parking spaces.

Broward County Commissioner Kristen Jacobs is initiating what she calls "Green Thursdays." She'll ride her bike and take the bus to work one day a week all summer long and invites everyone along for the ride.

"If everybody took one day a week or one day a month, you can see what a difference it will make and it all starts with our behavior, and hopefully we can change the mentality and culture about mass transit," Jacobs said.

As extra incentive for drivers to use public transportation, Broward Transit and tri-rail will raffle off prizes, gift certificates and free passes to riders Thursdays all summer long.