Passenger Amenities

Shelter Program

Bus stop shelters greatly improve the public transportation experience by providing riders with a safe waiting area, protection during inclement weather and service information. Pace’s multifaceted shelter program can meet the needs of all northeastern Illinois communities.

Bus stop shelters are generally located in roadway rights-of-way unless private property owners have consented to the shelter being placed on their property. In situations in which a sidewalk connection to the shelter location is needed, Pace can partner with the municipality or property owner to complete that construction work.

Pace’s shelter program includes other amenities that improve the experience for waiting passengers. Most shelters have a map and schedule of the bus route, either inside the shelter itself or in a “transit tube” located on a pole just outside the shelter.

Types of shelters

Non-Ad Shelters

There are already approximately 500 non-ad shelters in the Pace region. New shelters are most often installed in response to external requests, for which Pace obtains the necessary approvals from the municipality, IDOT and the county.

 
This non-ad shelter design is prevalent in many communities in northeastern Illinois.

For all non-ad shelters, Pace staff provides repair service on demand, and maintains and thoroughly cleans the shelters up to four times a year.

Advertising Shelters

There are also nearly 300 advertising shelters, implemented jointly by Pace and CBS Outdoor, in communities throughout the region. The revenue stream generated from advertisers offsets the cost of regular maintenance and cleaning, as well as electric lighting in the shelter for enhanced passenger security.

Pace sets forth strict advertising guidelines for these shelters, and allows free ad space for municipalities and non-profits for the promotion of local events. In addition to providing their constituents a more hospitable environment to wait for the bus, municipal governments or private property owners who approve ad shelters on their property also share in the advertising revenue generated by these shelters; Pace distributes thousands of dollars each year to municipalities as part of this program.

Requesting a shelter

Individuals or communities interested in recommending that a bus stop shelter be installed at a particular location should contact Doug Sullivan.

Pace staff will review ridership statistics for the recommended site to determine its viability. If a unit of local government or property owner desires a special shelter design, Pace can usually accommodate the request, but Pace will pay only up to $5,000 towards the cost of any non-standard shelter.

To report damage to a Pace bus stop sign or shelter in northeastern Illinois, contact Allan Lee

Other Passenger Amenities

Lighted Signs

Nearly every Pace route has bus stop signs posted along the route with the bus route number and Pace’s customer relations phone number. Some bus stop signs are on poles with solar-powered lamps that can be illuminated at night by a passenger to enhance security and more effectively alert the driver that a passenger is waiting at the stop.

Transit Centers

Pace, through partnerships with its external stakeholders, has invested heavily in building transit centers at locations with significant passenger activity. This page shows the list of current transit centers.

Some bus stop signs are on poles with solar-powered lamps.