[il-talk] Pace Bus fare changes

Thu Nov 13 16:00:09 UTC 2008

Pace will no longer accept the U-Pass from CTA. That sucks. NEIU 
students don't even get the U-Pass.

Robert Hansen

Pace Logo Pace Store | Employment | Site Map | Customer Service | 
Transit Links

Pace Home » News & Events » Press Releases » PACE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
APPROVES 2009 BUDGET

More Information: • News & Events • Calendar of Events • Public Hearings 
• Press Releases • Rider Report Newsletter • Express Services • What's 
New • Información en Español

PACE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES 2009 BUDGET

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 12, 2008 6:00:00 PM Media Release Office: (847) 228-4295 
Contact: Patrick Wilmot (847) 228-4295

Fare increase for fixed route service and resolution to 7-Day Pass issue 
are included

Fares on Pace buses will increase for the first time in nearly eight 
years this January, following approval of the proposed 2009 budget by 
the agency’s Board of Directors. The general fare increase takes effect 
January 1 and raises adult fares on fixed route service by $0.25. Also 
on that date, Pace will stop accepting the CTA 7-Day, Visitor/Fun Passes 
and U-Pass, though an alternative Pace/CTA 7-Day pass will be instituted.

Citing budget pressures, specifically expectations of continued 
volatility in the price of fuel, increased costs of labor, services, and 
materials, as well as the oversight of the RTA, which urged a small fare 
increase to stabilize Pace’s 3-year business plan. The regular adult 
fare will increase by $0.25 to $1.75, and adult fares on Metra Feeder 
service as well as in Local Fare Zones- found in Joliet, Aurora, Elgin, 
and Waukegan- will increase by $0.50 to $1.75. Vanpool fares, except the 
Advantage program, will increase by 10% beginning in January. Pace Board 
Chairman Rick Kwasneski said, “We’ve been able to avoid a fare increase 
for many years thanks to our efforts to streamline costs and operate 
efficiently. We hope riders understand that this small fare increase is 
the fiscally responsible thing to do by helping to expand service in the 
region while avoiding the need for a potentially steeper increase in the 
future.” The last fare increase on Pace fixed route service was 
implemented in April, 2001. The budget contains no fare increases for 
ADA Paratransit service, as the Pace Board awaits reports from the Blue 
Ribbon Committee on Paratransit and an RTA audit of paratransit operations.

Other budget-related action included the creation of a new Pace/CTA 
7-Day pass. The new pass will be sold at the beginning of 2009 and will 
be sold to passengers that use both CTA and Pace service for their 
commute. After December 31, 2008, Pace will no longer accept the CTA 
7-Day Pass- only the joint pass will be accepted on Pace buses. The new 
pass is the result of nearly a year of discussion between Pace, RTA, and 
CTA regarding Pace’s acceptance of the existing pass, which will have 
been used for an estimated 7.7 million trips on Pace during 2008- 
roughly 23% of all fixed route ridership. Pace received no reimbursement 
during 2008 for trips for which the 7-Day pass was used as the fare 
media, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of $6.4 million- the value 
of the trips taken. “This is not a perfect alternative, but we’re glad 
to have reached agreement on this new pass as opposed to outright 
elimination of a 7-Day pass on our buses, which would have been very 
difficult for many of the people who use it,” said Kwasneski. The new 
joint Pace/CTA pass will be sold for a $5.00 premium over the cost of 
the CTA-only 7 Day Pass, which is proposed to be sold for $24 pending 
CTA Board approval. As a result, the joint pass would be sold for $29. 
Pace is also eliminating acceptance of the CTA’s Visitor/Fun Passes and 
the U-Pass. The CTA/Pace 30-Day pass, Chicago Card and Chicago Card 
Plus, and CTA stored value farecards will all continue to be accepted on 
Pace buses.

The Suburban Service operating budget, comprised of fixed route bus, 
vanpool, and non-ADA dial-a-ride programs, totals $204.6 million. That 
budget includes $7.5 million to be invested regionally on development of 
new or expanded service. Pace intends to work with local and regional 
stakeholders to develop plans for how and where to improve service. 
Operation of ADA paratransit service in Chicago and suburban areas 
comprises the Regional ADA Paratransit budget, and amounts to $107.2 
million. The budget for Pace’s capital program adds up to $43.3 million 
and will be used largely for replacement of aging buses and 
infrastructure improvements, both of which have been deferred in recent 
years because of the need to divert capital funds to cover shortfalls to 
the operating budget. “We have a critical need to replace nearly 20% of 
the buses in our fleet, and it’s our hope that state leaders will be 
able to reach consensus in the coming year on a new capital plan,” said 
Kwasneski.

Pace held 13 public hearings throughout its service area regarding its 
proposed 2009 budget and accepted comments via e-mail and post. A total 
of 96 people attended the hearings.

# # #

More information regarding this press release.

Home | Schedules/Maps | Programs | News & Events | About Pace | Business 
Opportunities | Pace Store | Customer Service

Passenger Notices Fare Information Pass/Ticket Information Park-n-Ride 
Locations Transit Center Locations Adopt-A-Shelter Student Haul Pass 
Campus Connection Location Efficient Mortgage Ticket-By-Mail Referral 
Vision 2020 Planning Initiatives Development Guidelines Advertising 
Opportunities Employer Commuter Grant Calendar of Events Public Hearings 
Press Releases Rider Report Newsletter Express Services What's New? ADA 
Information ADA Advisory Meetings Contact Pace History & Facts Board of 
Directors Citizens Advisory Board Annual Budget Annual Financial Report 
Divisions Employment Opportunities Title VI Policy Doing Business With 
Pace Vendor Application Bid Definitions DBE Program Active/Inprocess 
Bids Awarded Bids Contact Pace Purchasing

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from 
http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm