The Elk Grove Township Transportation Department is celebrating 50 years of bringing mobility and independence to senior and disabled residents, officials announced in a news release.
According to the release, medical appointments, grocery stores, senior centers and errands are easier to get to thanks to the township bus service and Township Riders Initiative Program, or TRIP.
“As we commemorate this milestone anniversary, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have
contributed to this invaluable service,” Elk Grove Township Supervisor George Busse stated in the
release.
Based in Elk Grove Village, the department provides 4,000 rides annually, the release states. The township also includes all or part of Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Des Plaines, Chicago (near O’Hare International Airport), Mount Prospect and Schaumburg.
Officials explained in the release that bus service for seniors age 55 and older, and for those who are 18 and older and are disabled, offers three lift-equipped buses to accommodate walkers, wheelchairs, canes, shopping
carts and other mobility aids.
Curb-to-curb service within the township is free for registered residents, the release states.
According to the release, reservations are accepted up to two weeks prior to a scheduled appointment,
“Here’s to another 50 years of enhancing the lives of our residents and connecting communities through
our Transportation Department,” Busse stated in the release.
Officials noted in the release that TRIP, in partnership with Pace Suburban Bus company, was created for township residents 60 years old and older who need to travel outside the township for medical appointments. Elk Grove, Hanover, Palatine, Schaumburg and Wheeling townships share the program, although travel
locations are limited, the release states.
According to the release, the TRIP coverage area includes Barrington, Palatine, Hanover, Schaumburg, Maine and
Wheeling townships, and some downtown Chicago Veterans Affairs facilities and hospitals.
Currently, rides cost $5 for each township border crossed, with a maximum $10 out-of-pocket expense each way, and one caregiver or service animal is allowed to accompany the rider for free, the release states.
