June 27, 2023 (CHICAGO) — Today, Pace and local officials celebrated the launch of Pace Connect, a new transit service designed to provide a “first and last mile” transit option during late night hours in two designated zones. The service, which is funded in part thanks to grants received from RTA and Cook County, provides crucial transportation connections geared towards third shift workers.
Pace Connect is a shared ride service where a rider can book a trip through the new Pace Connect app (available in App Store and Google Play), or through a call center for those who do not have access to a smartphone, at a moment’s notice to easily connect with nearby transit stations, or in some cases, be dropped off at their home.
The app, which is powered by Via, uses algorithms to match riders headed in the same direction into one vehicle – maximizing the service’s efficiency and affordability. Rides cost $2 each (or less if the rider pays by Ventra and transfers from a fixed route service), and riders can pay by credit card through the Pace Connect app or by using in-vehicle Ventra Card readers.
“We’re excited to unveil yet another innovation today,” said Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger. “This addition to Pace’s family of services provides a new option for third-shift workers, enhancing job access for underserved communities. It is important that Pace continues to explore innovative approaches to providing service as northeastern Illinois’s transit system faces a fiscal cliff in the coming years.”
Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski focused on Pace’s spirit of partnership embodied by this new service. “This is yet another example of Pace working with our peers at RTA and Cook County to enhance and integrate service in the south suburbs,” he said. “Riders can now utilize Pace, CTA, and Metra service at all hours and still have a way to get from our transportation center to work or to home.”
Harvey Area Zone: Riders can book a Pace Connect ride to travel between Pace’s Harvey Transportation Center and any address in a defined zone surrounding the facility, presenting a new way to connect with Pace Route 352 and the Metra Electric District. Employer sites within this zone include (but are not limited to) University of Chicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital, South Suburban College, and the Amazon warehouse in Markham.
O’Hare Businesses Zone: Riders can book a Pace Connect ride to travel between select employers at the O’Hare Airport cargo area and the Rosemont CTA Blue Line Station, where they can connect with the CTA’s “L” rapid transit service. Employer sites within this zone include (but are not limited to) airline and mail cargo areas, airport hotels, and airport catering sites.
For more information about Pace Connect, please visit city.ridewithvia.com/pace-connect.
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About Pace
Pace Suburban Bus safely and efficiently moves people to work, school, and other regional destinations with its family of public transportation services. Pace offers affordable and environmentally responsible transit options for the residents of 274 municipalities in Cook, Will, DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties. The backbone of Chicago's suburbs, Pace serves tens of thousands of daily riders. One of the largest bus services in North America, Pace covers 3,677 square miles, an area nearly the size of the state of Connecticut and about 15 times the size of the City of Chicago. Pace's innovative approach to public transportation gives the agency a national reputation as an industry leader; the agency’s strategic vision plan, Driving Innovation, charts a course for more innovative and efficient service and a zero-emissions fleet.
About Via
Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the transportation technology category (TransitTech) by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems, optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, vehicles for the disabled, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the world. By building the world's most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all passengers-including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and people without bank accounts-Via works with its partners to lower public transportation costs and provide transportation options that can rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to radically improve the way the world moves, delivering technology in 600 cities and more than 35 countries.