What you need to know about free transit rides

In a few weeks, senior citizens will begin riding trains and buses in the Chicago region for free. The perk was a last-minute addition to a transit fund bailout approved in Springfield in January. Here's a look at the details.

Who is eligible: Anyone age 65 and older living in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.

When does it start? March 17.

How can I ride free? Seniors need to have a reduced fare card to travel without paying. If you already have a reduced fare card, that is all you need.

Where can I get a senior reduced fare card? There are more than 200 registration centers in the region, including numerous locations in the suburbs. To find one close by, call 836-7000 from any area code. An operator will take your ZIP code and find a location near you. Or you can visit the Regional Transportation Authority's customer service center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 165 N. Jefferson St., Chicago. Another source is the RTA Web site at www.rtachicago.com/seniorsridefree.

What do I need to apply? Bring a government-issued identification, such as a driver's license, that has your age on it.

How long will it take to get my new card? Processing the card will take two to three weeks. Cards will be mailed out. The RTA is urging seniors to apply now in order to start riding free by March 17.

Where can I use the card? The reduced fare card lets you ride free on Pace, Metra or the Chicago Transit Authority.

How will it work? Cards can be showed to the bus driver, ticket agent or train conductor. They can also be inserted at turnstiles and fare boxes.

Will this be my permanent card? The RTA is planning to switch to a different type of card in the future. Details will be provided to all card holders when this happens.

How many people will use it? Already, 239,000 seniors have reduced fare cards and 6,000 people have applied since the policy went into effect. But it's still a guessing game until March 17, officials say.

Where to go

Here are some suburban locations where seniors can obtain a reduced fare card to ride free on public transit.

• Addison Township, 401 North Addison Road, Addison

• Village of Antioch, 874 Main St.

• Pace headquarters, 550 W. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights

• Arlington Heights senior center, 1801 W. Central Road

• Wheeling Township, 1616 N. Arlington Road, Arlington Heights

• Fox Valley Center, 105 E. Galena, Suite 500, Press 105 at door, Aurora

• City of Aurora, 44 E. Downer Place

• Cuba Township, 28000 W. Cuba Road, Barrington

• Barrington Township, 602 S. Hough St., Barrington

• Village of Bartlett, 228 S. Main St.

• City of Batavia, 100 N. Island Ave.

• Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St.

• Bloomingdale Township, 6-N-050 Rosedale Road, Bloomingdale

• Village of Buffalo Grove, 50 Raupp Blvd.

• Vernon Township, 3050 N. Main St., Buffalo Grove

• Carol Stream, 500 N. Gary Ave.

• Village Of Carpentersville, 1200 L.W. Besinger Drive

• Village of Cary, 655 Village Hall Drive

• Pace Northwest, 900 E. Northwest Hwy., Des Plaines

• Fox Valley F.I.T.E., 730 W. Chicago St., Elgin

• Pace, 100 W. Chicago, Elgin

• Kane County, 719 Batavia, Geneva

• City of Geneva, 22 S. First St.

• Glen Ellyn, 493 Forest Ave.

• Glenview Senior Center, 2400 Chestnut Road

• Warren Township, 17801 W. Washington St., Gurnee

• Village of Gurnee, 325 N. O'Plaine Road

• Schaumburg Township, 1 Illinois Blvd., Hoffman Estates

• Shields Township, 906 Muir, Lake Bluff

• Lake Villa Township, 37908 N. Fairfield Road, Lake Villa

• Antioch Township, 1625 Deep Lake Road, Lake Villa

• Ela Township, 99 E. Main St., Lake Zurich

• Libertyville village hall, 118 W. Cook

• Lisle Township, 4721 Indiana Ave., Lisle

• Lombard village hall, 255 E. Wilson Ave.

• Morton Grove Civic Center, 6140 Dempster Ave.

• Village of Mount Prospect, 50 S. Emerson

• Fremont Township, 22376 W. Erhart Road (847) 223-2847

• Village of Mundelein, 440 East Hawley St.

• Naperville Senior Services, 139 Water St.

• Village of Oak Brook, 1200 Oak Brook Road

• Palatine Township, 721 S. Quentin, Palatine

• City of Prospect Heights, 8 N. Elmhurst Road

• Village of Roselle, 31 S. Prospect

• Village of Round Lake Beach, 1937 N. Municipal Way

• Avon Township Center, 433 E. Washington St., Round Lake Park

• Village of Schaumburg, 101 Schaumburg Court

• Schaumburg Township, 25 Illinois, Schaumburg

• City of St. Charles, 2 E. Main St.

• City of Warrenville, 3 S. 258 Manning Ave.

• Wauconda Township, 505 Bonner Road, Wauconda

• Pace North Division, 1400 W. 10th St., Waukegan

• Milton Township, 1492 N. Main St., Wheaton

• City of Wheaton, 303 W. Wesley

• Pavilion Senior Center, 199 N. First St., Wheeling

• Winfield Park District, 0N020 County Farm Road, Winfield

• New Trier Township, 739 Elm St., Winnetka

• City of Wood Dale, 404 N. Wood Dale Road

• Woodstock city hall, 121 W. Calhoun St.