Fair Transit: From Study to Pilot

About the Program

Category: Transportation (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The Fair Transit South Cook program is a three-year pilot to improve service options, reduce fares, and offer more convenient transfers between transit operators in South Cook County, Illinois. The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DOTH) designed the pilot in coordination with the region’s transit agencies following DOTH’s South Cook Mobility Study, which analyzed regional transit improvement proposals. Fares are being reduced by approximately 50% on two Metra lines—the Electric District and the Rock Island. Pace Suburban Bus will also run buses more frequently. Unemployment and population loss have hit South Cook hard in recent decades. Because of those factors, along with high fares, the Rock Island and Electric District lines suffered far more ridership loss than other Metra lines over the decade, even before COVID’s additional impact on the customer base for these mass-transit lines. By making transit service more affordable and convenient, the County is supporting essential workers and the regional economic recovery. By maximizing the use of existing transportation assets, the County is investing in the future, correcting historic disinvestment, and innovating to provide residents easier access to jobs and other opportunities.