Pace (transit)

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logo
image
Pace Orion VI in old color scheme.
Slogan A Fresh Approach To Public Transportation
Founded July 1, 1984
Headquarters Arlington Heights, Illinois
Locale Northeastern Illinois
Service area Cook, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry and Du Page Counties
Service type Commuter, Paratransit
Routes 220
Fleet 702 buses
696 vans
355 owned vehicles in paratransit service[1]
Fuel type Diesel
Operator Pace divisions or contract operators
Chief executive T.J. Ross
Web site http://www.pacebus.com/

Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to CTA, Metra and Pace.

Pace's headquarters are in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Pace is governed by a 13 member Board of Directors, 12 of which are current and former suburban mayors, with the other being the Commissioner of the [Chicago] Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, to represent the city's paratransit riders.[2]

The six counties that Pace serves are Cook, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry and Du Page. Some of Pace's buses also go to Chicago and Indiana. In some areas, notably Evanston and Skokie, Pace and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) both serve the community.

Many of Pace's hubs are located at CTA rail stations (especially terminals) and Metra stations. CTA and Pace transit cards are valid on Pace, but Pace cards and passes are not valid on the CTA. Additionally, since CTA no longer issues transfers with cash bus fares, it no longer accepts Pace transfers, either, but Pace transfers remain good between Pace routes.[3] Pace honors some, but not all CTA passes; CTA and Pace have established a new joint 7-day pass, in substitution for the CTA 7-day pass, which Pace no longer accepts.[4] Metra fares are completely separate.

Pace buses generally have longer headways (often between 20 and 60 minutes) than CTA buses. Due to its broad geographic service area, service is provided by 9 operating divisions, as well as under agreements with several municipalities and private operators (school bus and motor coach companies).

All Pace buses are wheelchair accessible and have racks accommodating two bicycles, available during all hours of operation.

Pace buses provide service from the suburbs to various special events in the city, such as Routes #282 & #779 for Chicago Cubs games, Routes #773, #774 and #775 for Chicago White Sox games, Routes #237, #768, #769 and #776 for Chicago Bears games, Route #222 provides extra service to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont for events scheduled there, Route #284 to Six Flags Great America, and Route #386 for events at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.[5]

Pace is responsible for ADA paratransit service in its service area, and, effective July 1, 2006, for paratransit service in Chicago.[6] Pace also coordinates various Dial-a-Ride projects, usually sponsored by various municipalities and townships.[7] One of the largest is Ride DuPage, sponsored by Du Page County Human Services.[8]

Pace operates a Vanpool Incentive Program, where groups save by commuting together in a van owned and maintain by Pace and driven by one of the participants.[9] There is also a Municipal Vanpool Program, under which Pace provides a van to a municipality, for any public transportation purpose (such as demand response service for senior citizens).[10]

Pace is not an acronym, but a marketing name.[11]

Pace paratransit vehicle.

Contents

[edit] Operating divisions

Pace bus with new logo and blue livery.

[edit] Municipal operators

[edit] Municipally supported shuttles and "trolley" services

[edit] Other major facilities

[edit] Active Bus Fleet

Fleet Numbers Year Model Length Engine Type Headsign Assigned Divisions Handicapped/disabled access Comments
2272-2291, 2378 1993 Orion I 35 Diesel Flip Dot Northwest, North Shore, Contractors These buses are currently being retired.
2292-2377 1993 Orion I 40 Diesel Flip Dot North, Northwest, North Shore, Contractors These buses are currently being retired.
2379-2400 1997 NovaBus Classic 40 Diesel Flip Dot North Shore, Southwest, West
2401-2422, 2453 1999 NABI 40-LFW 40 Diesel Flip Dot North, South
2423-2452 1999 NABI 35-LFW 35 Diesel Flip Dot North, South
1-7 2000 Chance American Hertiage Streetcar 25 Diesel Contractors
6000-6161 2000-2004 Orion VI 40 Diesel Flip Dot / LED Northwest, Southwest, West
6900-6907 2002 MCI D4000 40 Diesel Flip Dot South
6162-6261 2003 NABI 40-LFW 40 Diesel LED North Shore, South, West
6600-6684 2003 NABI 35-LFW 35 Diesel LED Fox Valley, River, Heritage, West, Contractors
6262-6322 2005 NABI 40-LFW 40 Diesel LED North Shore, West Feature new Pace livery.
2600-2741 2006-2007 Eldorado EZ Rider II 30 Diesel LED River, Fox Valley, West, North Shore, Northwest, Contractors Feature new Pace livery.
Options for up to 222 buses.


  • Individual units in a series may be retired or out of service (also, a few units in a mostly retired series might still be operating).
  • No buses with fleet numbers ending in 13 (i.e. 6262-6322 consists of 60 buses, and there is no 6313).
  • Some light routes operated with paratransit vehicles.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Per 2009 proposed Pace budget.
  2. ^ Pace. "Pace Board of Directors". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/about/board_of_directors.asp. Retrieved on 2008-10-22. 
  3. ^ Pace (2005-12-27). Pace Riders who transfer to the CTA should avoid cash fares. Press release. http://www.pacebus.com/sub/news_events/press_release_detail.asp?ReleaseID=392. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 
  4. ^ Pace. "Fare Information". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/fare_information.asp. Retrieved on 2009-01-01. 
  5. ^ Pace. "Special Events". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/news_events/special_events.asp. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 
  6. ^ Illinois General Assembly (2005). "Public Act 0370, 94th General Assembly". http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/94/094-0370.htm. 
  7. ^ Pace. "Dial-a-ride Service Directory". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/paratransit/sd_dial_a_ride.asp. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 
  8. ^ DuPage County. "Ride DuPage". http://www.dupageco.org/humanservices/generic.cfm?doc_id=1306. 
  9. ^ Pace. "Vanpool Incentive Program". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/vanpool/default.asp. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 
  10. ^ Pace. "Municipal Vanpool Program". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/vanpool/municipal_vanpool_program.asp. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 
  11. ^ Pace. "Frequently Asked Questions". http://www.pacebus.com/sub/general/frequently_asked_questions.asp#faq15. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pace_(transit)"
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