K-12 students riding Pace buses through Park Ridge and Niles will pay 75 cents per ride starting Aug. 24, down from $1. That day, all student rides on Pace and CTA are free.

The reduced fare, announced Thursday, Aug. 13, by Pace and regional transit officials, applies year-round at any time of day. Students who transfer between Pace and CTA ride the second system free within a two-hour window. Both CTA and Pace student fares are now standardized at 75 cents.

"Lowering Pace's student fare from $1 to 75 cents will make a meaningful difference for families while giving students more opportunities to travel independently throughout the region," Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger said in the announcement.

What it means locally

District 207 classes began Aug. 12, so Maine East and Maine South students are already in school. But the 75-cent fare and free-ride day kick in Aug. 24, meaning local students will see savings starting that date.

Pace Route 250 along Dempster Street runs daily through Park Ridge and Niles, with Maine East High School listed as a major destination. Routes 240 (Dee Road), 241 (Greenwood–Talcott) and 290 (Touhy Avenue) also serve the Park Ridge corridor, while Routes 410, 411 and 412 cover Niles neighborhoods. District 207 confirmed in an Aug. 10 notice that Pace provides dedicated school bus routes for both Maine East and Maine South.

A student riding Pace both ways on each of the roughly 180 school days would save about $90 over the year at the new fare.

How it's funded

The fare cut is paid for by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, which took effect June 1. The legislation, Senate Bill 2111, passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly on Oct. 31, 2025. State Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), whose district includes Park Ridge and Niles, supported the bill. When it passed, Murphy called it "a huge step toward a safe, modernized and affordable transit system for residents in the 28th District."

The RTA will formally transition to NITA on Sept. 1. Gov. JB Pritzker and NITA Chief Transition Officer Maulik Vaishnav joined CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen and Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski in the announcement, calling the coordinated student fare "one of the first tangible benefits" of the new authority.

Free rides on Aug. 24 are funded by NITA on Pace and sponsored by Chicagoland-based Butcher Boy Cooking Oils on CTA, marking the company's sixth consecutive year covering first-day fares.

How to access the fare

Families can find eligibility requirements and sign up for student passes at pacebus.com/fares. CTA student fare details are at transitchicago.com/fares. The 75-cent fare and free rides begin Monday, Aug. 24.