Governor: 32,000 seniors have pre-registered for free rides

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor Rod Blagojevich says 32,000 senior citizens have pre-registered to receive free rides on public transportation.

Illinoisans aged 65 and older qualify for the free rides. The governor's office says there are about 1.3 million seniors statewide who live in areas with mass transit.

Madison County is set to begin offering the senior service on Monday to those with an Illinois driver's license or state-issued ID.

In most cases, the free rides begin in March. They're part of a contentious deal between the governor and state lawmakers to fund Chicago-area mass transit.

Seniors can register by calling the Illinois Department on Aging at 1-800-252-8966 or 1-800-447-4278 or by going online at www.illinois.gov/transit .