Pace's board of directors voted to go ahead with a variety of service cuts and fare increases this year, if the agency doesn't get additional money from the state legislature to balance its budget.
But Pace put off the worst of the cuts until January, hoping a solution will be found in Springfield before then.
Some highlights of the plan approved Wednesday:
(By Sept. 1)
- Fares for local Pace routes and Metra feeders will increase from to $1.50, from $1.25
- ADA paratransit fares will go up from $2.50 to $3.
- Taxi Access fares would increase to $5.50.
(By Oct. 1)
- 23 underperforming Metra feeder routes will be cut (by the end of September)
- Pace will stop accepting CTA passes
(By December)
- All remaining Metra feeder routes will be cut
(By January)
- All weekend service would be eliminated
- Taxi Access fares go up to $6.50
- Regular Pace fares would increase to $2, from $1.50
Should Pace receive funding from the legislature, the agency's board will revisit the any cuts that have been made, but there's no guarantee that current fares and service levels would be reinstated, Pace spokeswoman Judi Kulm said.
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