Pace officials ready commuters for fare hikes, service cuts

As Pace officials start public hearings on major service cuts and fare hikes, riders were greeted Monday with a gloomy notice dropped on their bus seats.

"We remain hopeful a solution will be achieved, but in the interim, this is the reality of the situation we have been forced into," read a letter to riders from Pace Chairman Richard Kwasneski.

Attached to the letter -- which said there is no state bailout "in the foreseeable future" -- was a list of 57 routes to be cut Nov. 4. Fares will also rise on local routes 25 cents.

By early next year Pace officials say they must also cut all weekend service and hike fares on regular routes 50 cents to fill a budget hole reaching more than $30 million. About 200 bus drivers and nearly 30 administrators are also slated to lose their jobs starting the week of Nov. 4.

The moves come as CTA officials are gearing up for fare hikes and bus route cuts on the same day and Metra officials are pondering fare hikes up to 20 percent for next year along with service reductions.

The three transit agencies are about $240 million in the hole this year and officials say they must cut service and raise fares to stay in the financial black. At the same time, they are pushing lawmakers to approve some mix of tax hikes to bridge the funding shortfall.

So far, lawmakers have been slow to act as internal fighting among Democrats has ground action at the state Capitol to a standstill.

Pace has set up several suburban budget hearings for riders to air complaints and learn the details. The hearings run from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Lake County Building in Waukegan and at Pace headquarters in Arlington Heights. A Wednesday hearing is set for the same time at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.