Deadline for seniors to change to Smart Card fast approaching
More hoops to jump through to get the free rides.
For immediate release
DATE: March 13, 2009
CONTACT: Diane Palmer, RTA Communications Director
Office: 312-913-3282 Cell: 312-907-6902
Seniors with reduced fare cards will be charged a reduced rate after April 1, 2009
CHICAGO – The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is reminding seniors who have not changed their senor reduced fare cards to the Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit, and are eligible, to do so if they want to continue enjoying free rides. After April 1, 2009, seniors who use their reduced fare cards on Metra, CTA rail and bus and Pace bus will be charged the standard reduced rate.
The RTA sent notifications to seniors who reside in the RTA’s six-county service region: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, and who hold a Senior Reduced Fare Permit, advising that the RTA is transitioning card holders to the new Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit. All seniors must use the new smart card beginning April 2 to continue receiving free rides. After April 1, Senior Reduced Fare Permit users will be charged the reduced fare. “The RTA has been working on this transition early to get seniors signed up for the smart cards to avoid delays come April,” said Steve Schlickman, executive director, RTA. “We wanted to ensure that all seniors change their cards to continue enjoying the benefits of free rides on the CTA, Metra and Pace without any complications.”
Smart cards are easier to use. They are simple touch and go cards and do not have to be inserted into the fare collection box. They’re also thicker like a credit card and cannot be easily damaged.
The current Senior Reduced Fare Permit can still be used on all CTA, Pace and Metra lines. It will serve seniors who do not live within the six-county region and are required to pay the reduced fare.
If I have a Senior Reduced Fare Permit
If you currently have a Senior Reduced Fare Permit, you should have received a notice from the RTA to replace it with a Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit. Please fill out the form and returnit to the RTA. If you have not received a notice to replace your permit, call customer service at 312-913-3110. Because you are transitioning to a Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit, you will not be required to take another photograph as one is already on file from your Senior Reduced Fare Permit.
For First-Time Applicants
If a senior does not have the RTA Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit or a Senior Reduced Fare Permit and is within three weeks of their 65th birthday, they can sign up at the RTA’s Customer Service Center between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. (weekdays) at 165 N. Jefferson in Chicago. They can also sign up at any one of the over 200 registration sites in the region. To find a site nearby, seniors can go to www.rtachicago.com/seniorsridefree,
www.rtachicago.com/infocenter/reducedfare.asp or call 836-7000 from any local area code and give the operator their zip code to find the closest location.
During the registration process, applicants will be required to present government issued identification to verify their age as well as a photo (approximately passport size – 1 1/2” square) will either be taken or will need to be provided by the applicant.
Applying for the Senior Ride Free Smart Card Permit or Senior Reduced Fare Permit can only be done in-person and will take 3-4 weeks to process.
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About the RTA: The RTA provides financial oversight, funding and regional planning for the three public transit operators in Northeastern Illinois: The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus and train, Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus and paratransit. For more information, visit www.rtachicago.com and
www.MovingBeyondCongestion.org.
Free rides
- March 18, 2009
Everyone seems to have forgotten the reasoning behind free rides for seniors. Remember when sales taxes increased last year for Chicago and the suburbs? Retired folks are on limited income. So former Gov. Rod Blagojevich agreed to the sales-tax increase if seniors could ride free. Blagojevich figured he would get senior votes. The deal still takes advantage of seniors because most seniors will pay more in aggregate sales taxes than gain from free rides.
If they get charged again to ride the transit system, then the sales-tax increase should be repealed or more sales-tax revenues should be diverted to the CTA.
—Rudy Martinka Elmhurst
Free rides don’t cost much
- March 6, 2009
I enjoyed the article written by Richard Wronski (“Free rides may go way of Blagojevich,” News, Feb. 27). I think a short economic analysis would help Rep. Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine) with her decision to recommend its termination or reduction. The fact is that free rides for senior really do not cost Metra trains or buses much in addition. Seniors typically venture out during non-rush hours when the trains or buses are pretty much empty. The additional electricity or fuel used is negligible. While Metra or CTA are not getting the revenue, the city does. Seniors typically would shop and eat while they are in Chicago. This means additional revenues for the stores and restaurants and taxes for the city and state. Suppose a senior spends on average $30 for purchases and food per trip. This means $3 in tax revenue and maybe $6 worth of profit margin for the stores. This is $9 additional income to the city while the Metra and CTA incur little additional cost. So the economics work out for the “free ride.” If “free rides” are only given to the needy, one largely eliminates the additional revenue to the city and it does not save Metra or CTA any money!
Peter Tsong
Homer Glen
Tags: chicago, CTA, fare hike, Pace Paratransit, Public Transit, RTA, transit, Transit Riders for Public Transportation, Transporte publico
