ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – Pace is thrilled to express its thanks to loyal riders with a weekend of free rides on June 8th and 9th to kick off their 40th anniversary celebrations, allowing the community to experience the convenience and benefits of public transportation at no cost. This anniversary special is also a great way for people who are not regular Pace riders to try services for free and become more familiar with suburban transit. Metra is also offering free rides this weekend, so passengers are encouraged to utilize both services to attend popular events in Chicago and the suburbs or otherwise explore our region.
Recent data from the American Public Transportation Association shows growing weekend ridership and suburb-to-suburb commuting as two emerging trends that transit agencies could capitalize on as they work to earn back riders amid rapidly changing commute patterns.
Pace is already making strides toward capturing a greater share of the weekend commuting market by expanding service frequency on Saturdays and Sundays on Routes 318 and 381, starting June 2. This expansion builds on a trend of growing ridership on existing services. Pace's weekend fixed route boardings in March 2024 increased 33 percent from March 2023 figures and increased 31 percent in April 2024 from April 2023 figures.
For four decades, Pace has been a cornerstone of public transportation in the region, offering safe and efficient services that connect communities, reduce traffic, and promote environmental sustainability.
“Forty years is a remarkable milestone for any organization. We’ve provided access to transportation through rain, snow, heat waves, and a pandemic,” said Melinda Metzger, Executive Director of Pace. “We are excited to give back to the communities that have supported us through the years by offering a weekend of free rides. It’s our way of saying thank you and inviting everyone to celebrate with us.”
As Pace celebrates its 40th anniversary, the agency remains committed to innovation and improvement. Pace looks forward to a year filled with service enhancements to boost access and frequency, the introduction of more zero emissions buses, and the continued work to modernize our infrastructure and build the world-class transit network our region deserves.
Please note that Pace Connect, the Taxi Access Program, and the Rideshare Access Program are not included.
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Pace Suburban Bus safely and efficiently moves people to work, school, and other regional destinations with its family of public transportation services. Pace offers affordable and environmentally responsible transit options for the residents of 274 municipalities in Cook, Will, DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties. The backbone of Chicago's suburbs, Pace serves tens of thousands of daily riders. One of the largest bus services in North America, Pace covers 3,677 square miles, an area nearly the size of the state of Connecticut and about 15 times the size of the City of Chicago. Pace's innovative approach to public transportation gives the agency a national reputation as an industry leader.