Pace adds incentive to Ventra cards

Commuters can walk away with $2 in Pace rides on a new Ventra card starting next week.

Pace staff members will hand out the Ventra cards from Monday to Dec. 6 at nine suburban transit centers, including locations in Aurora, Elgin, Waukegan, Wheaton, Crystal Lake and Schaumburg.

The move comes as the CTA and Pace are pushing back the deadline to transition to Ventra, the new fare card that provides rides on both systems. Complaints about technical problems online and card malfunctions prompted the decision.

Pace officials said they want to get Ventra cards into the hands of riders so they can start trying them out and as a thank-you gesture are loading $2 onto each, which pays for one adult fare and two transfers within two hours.

Customers first must register on-site and present identification to Pace staff members. Cards will be processed and issued after a short wait time or riders can turn in their forms and cards will be mailed out.

Events include:

Ÿ 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at the Aurora Transportation Center, 233 N. Broadway, inside the Metra station;

Ÿ 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Elgin Transportation Center, 102-06 Chicago St;

Ÿ 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 at Waukegan Pulse Point, Washington and Sheridan roads.

Ÿ 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Wheaton Metra Station, 402 W. Front St.;

Ÿ 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Crystal Lake Metra Station, 70 E. Woodstock Ave.;

Ÿ 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Pace Northwest Transportation Center, 1730 Kimberly Drive, Schaumburg.

To learn more, go to http://www.pacebus.com/ventra/.