The Chicago Transit Board today approved service changes affecting the #168 UIC-Pilsen Express and the #154 Wrigley Field Express routes. At the request of United Parcel Service (UPS) the #168 will be eliminated in May due to low ridership. The last day of service for the #168 is Friday, May 14.
On the #154, the days of service have been changed and all customers – not just those attending the Cubs baseball game – will be allowed to board the bus. The modifications for the #154 go into effect immediately following the Board meeting.
#168 UIC-Pilsen Express
UPS began subsidizing the route in November 2001 as a means to open employment opportunities for students at the University of Illinois at Chicago campus and residents of the West Side and in the Pilsen neighborhood. At the time, UPS was expanding its workforce and already was subsidizing the #169 69th UPS Express route for employees.
The #168 route provides direct service between the UIC-Halsted Blue Line station and the UPS plant in Hodgkins, IL; however, ridership has steadily declined on the #168 over the past few years. In February the average weekday ridership for the #168 was 53 customers.
The #169 69th/UPS Express route – which operates from the 69th Street Red Line station to the Hodgkins plant – will remain in operation and serve as an alternate travel option to UPS employees. UPS employees in the Pilsen neighborhood can connect to the Red Line using either the #18 16th/18th or the #21 Cermak bus routes. The current average weekday ridership on the #169 route is 318.
#154 Wrigley Field Express
#154 buses provide direct service to Wrigley Field from parking lots at DeVry University on Rockwell, a quarter-mile west of Western and a quarter-mile south of Addison. Service begins three hours before each game and runs until one hour after night games end, and two hours after weekend games end. A $6 fee includes parking at DeVry and round-trip bus transit for a carload of fans.
Under the modified service the #154 will begin operating eastbound on school days from Lane Tech High School to Lake Shore Drive, increasing capacity in conjunction with school dismissal at approximately 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
In addition, customers who do not park at DeVry but wish to ride to Wrigley Field will be able to board the bus and travel to the ballpark by paying for a round trip regular CTA bus fare. Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2.00 for each way (total $4 roundtrip). For customers who pay cash, the fare is $2.25 ($4.50 roundtrip).
For details about all CTA service, call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the CTA Web site at www.transitchicago.com.
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