The Chicago Transit Authority is continuing its annual tradition of providing free rides to students and parents on all buses and trains Monday to mark the first day of school for area students, and two other local transit agencies are also joining in on the fun.
According to the CTA, the free rides will be provided in partnership with Butcher Bay Cooking Oils.
All area students in grades K-12 and all accompanying parents can travel on CTA trains and buses for free on Monday through the program.
For the first time ever, both Metra and Pace will also participate in the program, with free rides provided on trains and buses between 5:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.
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Since the program’s debut in 2011, the CTA says that more than 1.1 million rides have been provided to students and parents on the first day of school, with Chicago Public Schools students beginning their classes on Monday.
Last year, nearly 49,000 rides were provided to students, parents and guardians.
Students who use the CTA to get to school will be eligible for discounted fares of 75 cents on school days. Outside of school hours, students between the ages of 7-and-11 are eligible for a reduced fare of $1.10 for buses and $1.25 for rides on trains.
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Parents are encouraged to visit the CTA’s website for more information.
