To help kick-off the 2021-2022 academic school year, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is encouraging all area elementary and high school students to take part in the return of the popular ‘First Day, Free Rides’ program on Monday, August 30 – the first day of classes for Chicago Public Schools.
Thanks to the generous support of Chicagoland-based Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, the sponsor of this year’s program, all area students (grades K-12) from public and private schools and their accompanying adult(s) can ride FREE on CTA buses and trains on Monday.
The “First Day, Free Rides” program is a back-to-school tradition for Chicago students since 2011. In 2019, the program provided approximately 106,000 free rides to students and their parents or guardians. The program started ten years ago and since then, more than 1.1 million free rides have been provided for Chicago area students.
Students (and accompanying adults) are reminded that per federal and local mandates, properly worn masks are required at all times while on CTA buses, trains, stations/platforms – regardless of one’s vaccination status. For those who may have lost, forgotten or damaged their masks while in transit, free disposable masks are available on all CTA buses and at all CTA rail stations.
For the entire academic school year, students can take advantage of discounted fares of 75 cents on school days, between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Beyond school hours, elementary students (ages 7-11) are eligible for reduced fares of $1.10 for a bus ride and $1.25 for a train ride. Students who are age 12 and older will continue to pay the full fare of $2.25 on buses and $2.50 on trains. Children ages 6 and younger ride free with a fare-paying customer.
For more information about Student Reduced Fare, please visit: www.transitchicago.com/students/.
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