Like all local transportation agencies, Pace suburban bus service is having to cope with stiff headwinds right, as customers and revenue have plummeted during Illinois' Stay at Home order. Today Pace announced that it is temporarily cutting 15 bus lines, as well as modifying another 12 routes, in order to cut costs, as well as providing other pandemic-related updates.
Pace's bus ridership is currently down about 67 percent compared to last year. Paratransit use has dropped by roughly 75 percent in Chicago and about 77 percent in the suburbs.
Beginning Monday, May 18, Pace will suspend all service onRoutes 241, 320, 327, 355, 372, 566, 573, 608, 610, 611, 616, 696, 757, 877, and 888.
The agency will reduce/modify service on Routes 302, 311, 314, 319, 332, 356, 357, 379, 383, 384, 386, 504, 507, 561, 564, 569, 604, 850, 851, 855, and the Pulse Milwaukee Line.
As of May 18, COVID-19 will have affected service on a total of 100 Pace routes: 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 241, 302, 311, 314, 319, 320, 327, 332, 355, 356, 357, 372, 379, 382, 383, 384, 386, 410, 411, 412, 461, 462, 463, 465, 471, 472, 504, 507, 534, 561, 564, 566, 569, 573, 602, 604, 608, 610, 611, 616, 619, 620, 623, 627, 628, 629, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 640, 662, 663, 664, 665, 668, 669, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 687, 689, 694, 696, 709, 754, 757, 811, 820, 821, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 850, 851, 855, 877, 888, 895, 905, and the Pulse Milwaukee Line.
You can view detailed schedule information on the passenger notices page at PaceBus.com.
All routes with boosted school year service are operating on temporary schedules. In addition, all express service to popular destinations, the Rosemont Circulator, and the Schaumburg Trolley are temporary suspended.
Pace has waived the fees on all of its vehicles to speed boarding. In keeping with Illinois' revised Stay at Home order, which requires face coverings to be worn in indoor public spaces, as of this month, the transit agency is asking all passengers to wear masks on it vehicles.
Drivers are provided hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, masks and gloves, as well as thermometers to take their temperatures before starting a shift. Operators can bring their own masks if they prefer. Last month the transit agency MacGyvered protective shields for drivers out of clear vinyl and PVC pipe.
The transit agency disclosed the mid-April death of a paratransit driver from the company CDT, originally attributed to a heart attack, was found to be the result of COVID-19. There have been 38 confirmed cases of coronavirus among people working for Pace.
You can sign up for Pace email alerts here and follow the agency on Twitter and Facebook for updates.
