Northwestern Students, Faculty To Get Free Rides On CTA Bus Route
(CBS) -- Northwestern University is parking its Ryan Field shuttle buses and will let CTA do the job, beginning this fall.
Until now, Northwestern has contracted with a private carrier to provide the service. But under terms of a five-year agreement approved Wednesday by the CTA's board, students will be provided free rides on CTA's 201/Central-Ridge bus route, which also links the campus and the Ryan Field parking lots.
The agreement calls for Northwestern to reimburse CTA for all rides for those who board the bus displaying a valid Northwestern ID card at a rate of $2 per ride. CTA expects ridership by Northwestern students to average about 600 each weekday.
The changeover takes place Sept. 1.
"The university folks will fill in the empty seats," said CTA Vice President/Service Delivery Michael Connelly.
The 201 route operates weekdays between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., and on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. There is no 201 service on Sundays.
CTA has agreements with the University of Chicago to operate bus lines in its South Side campus area, but Connelly said this is the first time CTA has struck such a deal involving a previously-existing route and said CTA would like to work a similar arrangement with the University of Illinois at Chicago, if possible.
