Schaumburg steps in to keep Pace route alive

Don't panic if you're a regular rider of Pace bus Route 602 in Schaumburg, your service will continue beyond Nov. 4 thanks to the village.

Route 602, which connects about 15 commuters a day with the Schaumburg Metra station, was among the bus lines recently canceled by Pace as a result of its current funding crisis.

Pace announced Nov. 4 as the end date of service for Route 602, but the village of Schaumburg is ready to step in with its Dial-a-Ride buses on Nov. 5.

"We're going to make sure the service doesn't lapse," Schaumburg's Director of Transportation June Johnson said Tuesday.

The village already subsidized 50 percent of the bus route's cost, paying an annual amount of just over $21,000.

The commitment to take over the service would at worst double the annual cost to the village, but Schaumburg officials are confident Pace will resume the route as soon as state legislators iron out the funding problems.

But how long that will take is anyone's guess, Mayor Al Larson said.

Route 602 travels from the intersection of Golf and Salem roads to the Schaumburg Metra station twice each weekday morning and meets two returning trains each weekday afternoon.

Other stops in between include the intersections of Salem Drive and Victoria Lane, Cedarcrest and Sienna drives and Roselle and Wise roads.

The route serves several apartment complexes along the way, Johnson said.

With Pace notifying its passengers of the upcoming cancellation of the route, the village must now try just as hard to inform the regular passengers of its relief efforts before they make significant changes to their commuting plans.

Johnson said she hopes no one has already gone as far as breaking down and buying a car unnecessarily.

In general, Route 602 provides 30 to 35 rides a day between the morning and afternoon trips, Johnson said.