ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – Earlier today the Pace Board of Directors released the agency’s proposed 2024 budget for public hearings. Starting on October 19, 2023, Pace will hold a series of in-person and virtual public hearings to present its proposed 2024 Operating Budget, 2025-2026 Two-Year Financial Plan, and 2024-2028 Five-Year Capital Program. The complete hearing schedule is available at www.pacebus.com/budget-hearings-2024.
Pace’s proposed budget is balanced, with no fare increases or service reductions for Suburban Service or Regional ADA Paratransit. Beginning in 2024, Pace proposes to offer free fares on the Pace fixed-route bus system to ADA-certified customers with a valid RTA ADA Paratransit Permit ID Card. Also included in the budget are resources to improve frequency and add trips where there is demand as well as an additional 15% subsidy to provide continued support to dial-a-ride partners.
“Pace’s fully accessible fixed route bus system provides a flexible transit option for passengers with disabilities. In our commitment to enhancing the transit experience, we are investing in faster, more frequent service and removing financial barriers for those who rely on the essential transportation we provide,” said Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger.
In November, Pace staff will return to the Board of Directors with a report on the public hearings and will present an ordinance to adopt the budget before submitting it to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) for approval.
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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.