Pace Bus - Pace History & Facts

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Pace History & Facts
Pace was created by reform legislation in late 1983, and began operating throughout Chicago's six-county suburbs in mid-1984. Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority. The RTA is a financial review, oversight and planning agency for Pace, Metra and the Chicago Transit Authority. Pace is governed by a 12 member Board of Directors comprised of current and former suburban mayors.

In 2002, Pace launched the biggest transit initiative ever proposed for Chicago's suburbs, called Vision 2020: Blueprint for the Future. The innovative plan is creating a faster network that is more convenient and simpler to understand.

Pace's state-of-the-art Intelligent Bus System is a major component of Vision 2020. Improved efficiency and reduced waiting times are key benefits of the IBS.

One of Pace's biggest successes is its Vanpool Incentive Program, which debuted in 1991. Groups save by commuting to work in a van that is owned, insured and maintained by Pace, but driven by a vanpool participant. It is the second-largest vanpool program in the country.

Pace has also improved transit by installing bike racks on every bus, and making its fleet wheelchair accessible.

Chairman: Richard Kwasneski

Board of Directors: Richard Welton, Vernon Squires, Aaron Shepley, Jeffery Schielke, Anna Montana, Frank Mitchell, Thomas Marcucci, Al Larson, Richard F. Pellegrino, Terry R. Wells and Kyle R. Hastings

Executive Director: T.J. Ross

Headquarters: 550 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005

Pace Employees: 1,490

Operating Divisions: 11

Service Area: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Suburban Cook

Communities served: 210

Population of service area: 5.2 million

Total ridership in 2004: 34.4 million

Regular one way fare: $1.50

Park-n-Ride facilities: 11

Metra Stations: 122

CTA Station: 25

Fixed bus routes: 240 (all accessible)

Average route length: 12.5 miles

Paratransit buses: 363

Vanpools: 600

Vanpool ridership in 2005: 1.5 million