Pace (transit agency)

Pace (transit agency)
Name	Pace
Founded	1983
Headquarters	Arlington Heights, Illinois
Service area	Chicago metropolitan area
Service type	Bus transit, Paratransit, Vanpool
Hubs	Pace Park-and-Ride, Chicago Union Station, O'Hare International Airport
Fleet	Approximately 1,000 buses (2020s)
Annual ridership	~38 million (pre-pandemic)
Operator	Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority

Pace (transit agency) is the suburban bus and paratransit operator serving the Chicago metropolitan area, coordinated under the Regional Transportation Authority alongside Chicago Transit Authority and Metra (commuter rail system). Established in the early 1980s to consolidate suburban bus services around Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, and Kane County, Pace provides fixed-route buses, express services, vanpools, and ADA paratransit across a service network connecting to intermodal hubs such as Chicago Union Station, O'Hare International Airport, and Midway International Airport. Pace operates in coordination with municipal transit agencies including Chicago Transit Authority, regional agencies such as Metra (commuter rail system), and municipal authorities like the Village of Schaumburg and City of Evanston.

History

Pace was created by the Regional Transportation Authority in 1983 amid efforts to rationalize suburban transit operations previously managed by municipal operators and private carriers like Greyhound Lines and LaSalle Street Railway predecessors. Early history involved route consolidation with suburban systems from municipalities including Arlington Heights, Aurora, Naperville, Waukegan, and Skokie and coordination with regional planning by entities such as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. During the 1990s and 2000s, Pace expanded express services to employment centers in the Chicago Loop, Rosemont and corporate campuses such as Schaumburg Business Park and facilities for employers like United Airlines and Boeing. Federal funding from Federal Transit Administration programs and state assistance from the Illinois Department of Transportation supported capital procurements and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Recent decades saw integration with regional fare initiatives involving Ventra technology and partnerships with suburban operators including DeKalb Public Transit and private contractors such as First Transit and Transdev.

Organization and Governance

Pace operates as the Suburban Bus Division under the governance framework of the Regional Transportation Authority, with a board appointed by suburban counties and municipal officials from jurisdictions like Cook County Board of Commissioners, Lake County Board, DuPage County Board, and Kane County Board. Executive leadership reports to a CEO and is accountable to oversight from state legislators in the Illinois General Assembly and regional officials involved in transportation policy at agencies like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. Operational contracts are managed with private operators including Keolis, Transdev, and First Transit, and labor relations engage unions such as the Amalgamated Transit Union and national bodies like the AFL–CIO. Budgeting and capital planning are coordinated with funding partners including the Federal Transit Administration, the Illinois Department of Transportation and county governments.

Services and Operations

Pace operates a diverse portfolio of services spanning fixed-route local buses, limited-stop express routes to downtown Chicago, suburban circulators in municipalities such as Evanston and Skokie, and vanpool programs used by commuters to suburban business parks like those in Schaumburg and along the Tri-State Tollway. Paratransit services under ADA requirements connect riders with accessible vehicles coordinated via reservation systems influenced by standards from the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Intermodal coordination includes connections to commuter rail lines operated by Metra (commuter rail system) at stations such as Naperville and Aurora Transportation Center, as well as connections to rapid transit operated by the Chicago Transit Authority at transfer points like Forest Park, Harlem/Lake, and Damen. Special event shuttles have linked to venues such as United Center, Soldier Field, and Wrigley Field.

Fleet and Facilities

Pace's fleet historically comprised diesel buses from manufacturers like New Flyer and Gillig Corporation, with recent procurements including hybrid buses and battery-electric buses as part of sustainability efforts modeled on deployments by agencies like King County Metro and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Maintenance facilities and garages are strategically located in suburban centers including Arlington Heights, Elgin, Waukegan and Joliet to support operations across Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County and Kendall County. Park-and-ride facilities at sites such as Northbrook Court and suburban transit centers coordinate with municipal parking authorities and tollway authorities like the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Capital investments have been supported by discretionary grants from the Federal Transit Administration and state programs administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Fare System and Ticketing

Fare collection transitioned into integrated fare systems in coordination with Chicago Transit Authority and regional initiatives exemplified by Ventra, permitting transfers between Pace buses, CTA trains, and Metra (commuter rail system) services under specified fare agreements. Payment options include contactless smartcards, mobile payment apps similar to systems used by TriMet and MBTA, and traditional cash fares with reduced fare programs coordinated with agencies such as Social Security Administration for disability certification and with county veterans affairs offices. Fare policy has been influenced by regional farebox recovery goals, federal grant conditions from the Federal Transit Administration, and state budget appropriations from the Illinois General Assembly.

Ridership and Performance

Pre-pandemic annual ridership levels were in the tens of millions, with significant declines during the COVID-19 pandemic that mirrored trends at Chicago Transit Authority and Metra (commuter rail system). Performance metrics tracked by Pace include on-time performance, mean distance between failures, and cost per passenger trip—benchmarks comparable to peer agencies such as SEPTA, MBTA, and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Service planning uses data from automatic passenger counters, APC deployments similar to King County Metro pilots, and on-board surveys aligned with methodologies from the National Transit Database. Equity analyses and Title VI compliance reviews align with federal requirements overseen by the Federal Transit Administration.

Future Plans and Projects

Pace's capital plan includes fleet electrification projects inspired by deployments at agencies including Proterra pilot programs and transit-oriented developments coordinated with municipalities like Arlington Heights and Schaumburg. Regional coordination efforts include integration with Metra (commuter rail system) schedules, potential bus rapid transit corridors similar to Mineta San José and BRT projects in Cleveland models, and enhancements to express services targeting employment centers such as O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Loop, and suburban business parks. Funding strategies involve pursuing competitive grants from the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants program and state discretionary funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation, while planning processes engage community stakeholders, county boards, and metropolitan planners at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Category:Public transport in Chicago Category:Bus transport in Illinois