Free Rides En Route To Being Over For Most Seniors

By Bill McMorris (312) 624-3034

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ cash-strapped public transportation system is one step closer to ending its free rides for senior citizens across the state.

The Illinois House on Tuesday voted 83-27 to end a program granting free public transportation to the elderly.

Free rides would only be available to low-income seniors — defined as a single person making $27,600 or a family of two making $36,600 — under the proposal. Those are the same limits in the state’s Circuit Breaker program, which discounts property taxes and healthcare costs for seniors.

Supporters said the means test is a reasonable way to cut costs, while not hurting service to vulnerable seniors.

“If we can’t make a simple, commonsense cut like this that is truly going to still help the people in need, I don’t know how we are going to make any more cuts this year,” said Rep. David Reis, R-Ste. Marie.

But some opponents say the proposal’s cut-off is too low.

“I’m fighting for those people that are not multi-millionaires. I’m talking about an elderly woman, 77-years-old living in seclusion, making no more than $28,000,” said Rep. André M. Thapedi, D-Chicago.

But the bill’s sponsor said Chicago’s public transportation system is in crisis and cuts are needed to keep the system running.

“There is no free ride if there is no bus,” said Rep. Suzanne Bassi, R- Palatine.

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich implemented the “free rides” program. Bassi’s proposal returns transportation services to the elderly to what it was before the program started. It would not change the half-price discount afforded to all senior citizens.

The proposal would affect the entire Regional Transportation Authority centered mostly in the Chicago area. But it also affects parts of downstate Illinois as well. RTA officials have said that more than 400,000 Illinois residents qualified for the unrestricted free ride program. An estimated 30 percent of those seniors will continue to ride for free.

The RTA’s money woes are not new at the Capitol. The state owes the system $250 million in unpaid bills this year. The RTA is now considering service cuts, layoffs and fare hikes to make up for the lost cash.

Bassi’s initiative would alleviate some of the fiscal turmoil. Ending the free ride program is expected to save $37 million for the RTA, with the Chicago Transportation Authority saving $25 million. The Metra system would save $10 million, and Pace $2 million. Both serve suburban Chicago.