(File Photo: Tim Boyle/ Getty Images)
UPDATED 11/9/10 4:45 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS/WBBM) - The Regional Transportation Authority is setting the stage to soon do away with the program to provide seniors with free rides on public transportation. The agency released a study Tuesday that showed the program costs transit agencies tens of millions of dollars.
Top Illinois legislative leaders met Monday to discuss funding problems for Chicago-area transit systems. Abolishing the program providing free rides to seniors was the one action everyone agreed upon.
And in a news release Tuesday afternoon, the RTA said that a new study has concluded that free rides for seniors and the disabled costs the local transit system between $37.7 million and $116.2 million in lost revenue in 2009.
“The low end of the range represents the annual loss assuming that all current riders were previously using the reduced fare program, while the higher end of the range represents the losses assuming they were paying the full fare,” The RTA said in a written statement.
The study was commissioned by the RTA and conducted by the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Plainfield) told WBBM Newsradio 780 that the free rides for seniors are a Blagojevich legacy that should be replaced with a means-tested system.
“You need to say look, if you are a millionaire and you’re going to the city and you’re a certain age, I hope you don’t expect to be riding to the city free on public transportation. It could be done based on income,” Cross said, “and I think people don’t expect in this climate – and I really don’t know that they ever do – literally, a free ride.”
But Monday’s talks did not result in any new hope of coming up with new funding for mass transit in Chicago — whether on the CTA, Metra or Pace.
The legislative leaders did not agree on whether voters would support a hike in the state motor fuel tax to help defray mass transit costs, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Currently, more than 426,000 seniors are enrolled in the free rides program. More than 43,000 disabled riders also are enrolled for free rides.
The RTA noted that surveys throughout the six-county region served by CTA, Metra and Pace have showed that 44 percent of seniors in the free ride program did not have a reduced fare card before the program.
Since-disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich demanded a law allowing seniors to ride free in exchange for passing a state transit funding bill at the beginning of 2008. The free ride program was expanded to include the disabled and active duty members of the military in October 2008.
Gov. Pat Quinn has vowed to veto any bill that does away with the free rides. Whether opponents can come up with enough votes to override the veto is uncertain, but Cross said he hopes they do.
“Clearly, this is something I think most people expect us to do, and should have done some time ago,” Cross said.
WBBM Newsradio 780′s Regine Schlesinger contributed to this report.
16 Comments
If they can afford it they should pay.
November 9, 2010 at 7:53 am
I allready have a .05 tax added to EVERYTHING I buy to pay for public transportation that does not even exist in the far northern burb of Antioch.
Here is a thought…….Run the CTA like any other business.
If a business is not making money cut cost or raise the price of the product.
If ANY other business does not make money they go out of business.
Gas price goes up it cost more to fill the tank of everyones tank.
Gas goes up CTA fair does not???????????????
November 9, 2010 at 8:01 am
There are many considerations supporting the subsidizing of pubic transportation. For example, busses pollute less, they chew up the roads less, they require fewer parking garages, use less of everything in addition to allowing people to get to work who otherwise might not be able to work at all.
November 9, 2010 at 8:14 am
MAKE THEM PAY NO MORE FREE RIDE ALOT OF THEM ARE STILL WORKING DOWNTOWN I SEE THEM EVERYDAY GETTING ON THE BUS LIKE THEY OWN IT WEARING THEIR FURS IF UYOU CAN BUY A FUR THEN YOU CAN PAY THEY COME DOWNTOWN TO TO SEE PLAYS THAT COST $50 TO $75 BUT CAN’T PAY THAT NOT RIGHT
November 9, 2010 at 8:15 am
If the income is below 24K a year for a one person household, and it is a senior
they should be able to ride free, most at that age have drug costs, need assistance in many areas. The free rides may be the determning factor as to whether they can leave their homes or not. Many cannot walk a mile.
November 9, 2010 at 8:16 am
Seniors and disabled should have a break…I agree with Anna Michael many cannot walk a mile or even a block. If seniors & disable apply, they should have to fill out a form stating their financial situation. With medicines, and utilities raising ,people on fixed incomes are really forcing to either eat or buy medicines.HINT: Maybe bigwigs in the community should have a bus on a certain day take fixed income people to local shopping areas/local banks etc(within local area) . I know a close neighborhood here has one but that is the only one I know in the whole city.ALDERMAN IN WARDS..STEP UP FOR YOUR VOTERS!!!!
November 9, 2010 at 8:36 am
What village are you speaking about? I know of one also.That is free to ride.
November 9, 2010 at 1:51 pm
How many seniors are actually riding the CTA free? 20 million dollars is a very large amount of money that is being attributed to seniors. Seniors must be 65+ to receive benefits from this program. Are they riding the bus that much? With the amount of crime on CTA buses, trains and in neighborhoods 24/7 I do not believe seniors are debiting 20 million dollars to CTA. Tell the truth! Let the ride free.
November 9, 2010 at 8:43 am
I pay half fair and it’s cool by me, however; I don’t ride daily because I have no business to go to and no other reason other than to go to movies, shows or events downtown. Even so if I were having to go downtown daily it would put a serious dent in my only income (social security). That said if you’re going to limit seniors maybe it could be done with a thought out idea like more ground transport supplied free and a card for working seniors….it needs work.
November 9, 2010 at 8:54 am
Public transportation should be free for everyone. Over 75% of the operating budget goes to payroll for the bus and train operators. That could be eliminated by having driverless buses and trains. They’re actually safer too. I’m working on it.
November 9, 2010 at 9:36 am
I do not ride I should not receive an extra tax in the gas that I purchase. I pay enough taxes.
This country needs to start cutting pay from the top and not the bottom. Why does someone need to make $400.00+ a year? WHY?
Are their lives in jeopardy like our Armed Forces? I do not think so.
Most of us live with making just over $100.000 a year combined income of two working people. Why should I have to help support the income of the greedy people? That is all they are.
Start cutting at the top. Leave my money alone, I do not have any!!!!!
Furthermore, our seniors should ride free and receive free food and medications if they bring in under a specific dollar amount a year.
They deserve it.
Cut the pay at the top and we would have plenty to go around.
November 9, 2010 at 1:48 pm
What is the idiot’s name that thinks millionares take public transportation?? Is that the same one that CLAIMS 20 mil is lost due to seniors taking the bus? He probable thinks that taking 20 mil away from those over 65 on very small pensions is a good idea. Who were the idiots that voted for him????????.
November 9, 2010 at 1:50 pm
This program should be needs-based, not age-based. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen seniors going home to the north shore on Metra after attending the theatre. They are wearing furs and huge diamonds, and probably just paid $100 for a theatre ticket. Yet they are getting free rides on Metra?? Really??
November 9, 2010 at 3:52 pm
They should only give free rides to Seniors and disabled. Seniors, under 25K income and all disable people. Alot of them, can not walk. My husband has MS and I drive him everywhere. We do not live near CTA or Metra. But It sure would help if we could get help. It is a program that needs to be fixed, but not tossed out.
November 9, 2010 at 4:17 pm
I’m 68 and can afford public transportation so I never signed up for the freebies. The only people in this town who should get free rides are people who can’t afford it. Other cities have public transit that’s a lot less expensive and more efficient but remember, this is Chicago. We have politicians and their buddies to support. I came back here five years ago after a 30 year absence and politically, nothing has changed and never will. If Chicago “lifers”really cared about how much corruption costs them, they’d get the hell out.
November 9, 2010 at 7:23 pm
how naive can you be? big lobbying money is paid by the rta and cta lobbyists in springfield to do away with the free rides program. they are using hugely exagerated figures of what the savings would be which would probably be about the same as administering a means based program. anyway, i’m sure we can trust the honorable legislators (a bunch of crooks) to use the money for serivice improvements and not to line their pockets and the pockets of the rta and cta management. sure!!!!!!!!
November 14, 2010 at 4:03 pm