SNAP participants can grab a cheaper ride on Pace and CTA in October

Pace and CTA riders who struggle to make ends meet can benefit from a reduced-fare program that’s currently just available to Metra passengers starting Oct. 1.

Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) directors voted to expand the Access Pilot Program across the system at a Sept. 10 meeting.

The special fares are open to riders who are registered with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To apply for a four-year permit, visit GetAccess.org.

Eligible individuals will be charged rates of $1 for Pace instead of $2 for a regular fare, while CTA users will pay $1.10 for buses instead of $2.25 and $1.25 for trains as opposed to $2.50.

Metra and Cook County debuted the Access Pilot Program for South Cook residents in 2021 on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines. Its success led to extending the initiative to all Metra lines in 2024.

More than 350,000 train rides have been taken since the launch, with the highest use on the Metra Electric, followed by the Rock Island and BNSF lines.

NITA replaced the Regional Transportation Authority on Sept. 1 as the oversight agency for Metra, Pace and the CTA.

New NITA Chair Tom Kotarac said expanding Access was “an important first step,” as the agency works to create a universal fare system.

“By making Access available across CTA, Metra and Pace, we’re turning a successful pilot into a regional benefit and making transit more affordable for riders who need it most,” Kotarac said in a statement.

About 15% of CTA riders and 20% of Pace riders are enrolled in SNAP, which translates into more than 127,000 passengers daily. Those who are eligible for Access could save more than $650 a year, NITA officials said.

About 9,000 Metra riders who have Access permits will be mailed new ones that can be used on all three systems starting in October.

mpyke@dailyherald.com