Not enough riders take late bus in Lisle

In a cost-saving move, Pace will eliminate evening trips for a commuter route that serves riders in Lisle and nearby towns.

The Lisle evening service bus was a combination of Routes 820, 822, 824, 825, 826 and 827, picking up commuters who took late trains from the city.

The evening bus served Lisle, Bolingbrook and Woodridge. Its last trip will be June 30.

Declining ridership was the reason bus service officials gave for dropping trips that left the Lisle Metra station weekdays at 7:25 p.m., 8:33 p.m. and 9:37 p.m.

"It was seen as a more efficient way of providing late evening service without operating six buses," Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot said at a Wednesday meeting where the agency's board of directors voted to discontinue the three trips.

Recently, the bus has averaged five to seven riders a trip, or 15 to 20 people a night. "Unfortunately, costs have risen while ridership declined and it was no longer meeting our performance standards," Wilmot said.

Fifteen riders gave written and in-person objections.

Wilmot said one alternative for commuters who need the service could be Pace's vanpool program. The vanpool system allows groups of five to 13 people who live near each other and have similar schedules to use Pace vans to get to work. Participants pay a monthly fare, and one person acts as the primary driver.

For more information, visit www.pacebus.com