11/14/05
To achieve regional consistency, Chicago Transit Board Chairman Carole Brown said today that she will recommend that the Chicago Transit Board reduce from $3.50 to $3.00 the paratransit fare increase scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2006 in order to match the fare charged by Pace. Responsibility for delivery of all paratransit services will be assumed by Pace in July 2006.
?The Governor and General Assembly recently amended the RTA Act so that paratransit decisions will be made on a regional basis. In the spirit of that move, I will recommend that the Chicago Transit Board reduce our proposed fare increase to $3.00 so that paratransit customers are charged a consistent fare throughout the region," said Brown.
Public transportation agencies are required under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act to provide paratransit service in addition to regular rail and bus service to customers whose disability prevents them from using fixed route services. CTA currently provides paratransit service through three private contractors. To help offset this more costly service, federal law permits transit agencies to charge double their base fare for paratransit service.
Each trip costs the CTA an average of $25. Customers currently pay $1.75 per trip. In November, 2004, the Chicago Transit Board approved an increase in paratransit fares to $3.50. That increase was subsequently delayed and rescheduled to take effect in 2006. Brown's recommendation would implement the $3.00 fare on January 1, 2006.
CTA's base fare is $1.75 and cash fares are scheduled to go to $2.00 on January 1. The CTA's bus system is 100% accessible. Each train has accessible rail cars and currently half of all rail stations are accessible.
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