Since its establishment in 1984, Pace has created a schedule in its six-county suburban service area for bus riders, including Lake County, to provide a balance between the places people need to go and how long they must wait for buses to arrive.
Schedules have been tweaked over the years, but Maggie Daley Skogsbakken, the company’s chief communications officer, said Pace is now ready to take a comprehensive approach and wants public input.
“We have made changes in some areas, but we have not taken a holistic approach to our service,” she said. “We need to see where we have the need for more frequency, and we have to find a solution before we hit the fiscal cliff.”
Launching its comprehensive “ReVision” plan, Pace is taking a look at all of its routes and programs throughout suburban Chicago, including Lake County, and inviting its riders to be part of the effort.
Pace is actively seeking public comments through Feb 24 about its ReVision plan through an online survey to help he determine the best way to remake its scheduled and on-demand services in Lake County and five other collar counties in suburban Chicago.
As people’s work routine — and with it their commuting needs — changed five years ago when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Skogsbakken said there were federal relief funds to help ease the financial impact of reduced ridership. Those dollars are running out, and changes are necessary, she said.
“We’ve got about three months before we need a solution,” Skogsbakken said. “If not, the federal funds will be exhausted. We are looking for ways to increase ridership. We need to look holistically at everything. Once we make a decision, we’ll need to invest in it.“
Once Pace receives ideas and comments from the public in February, Skogsbakken said the report will go through another revision incorporating the ideas received. Then, there will be a second request for public ideas this spring before the final document is issued late in the year.
Looking at both geographic coverage and frequency of ridership to determine how to best arrange future schedules, Skogsbakken said Pace must balance the areas it will provide bus transportation and how frequently a bus will arrive. A more comprehensive route may mean people wait longer between rides. A fare increase is not out of the question.
Increased accessibility and convenience for a greater number of riders is the goal of the three concepts introduced in the initial draft of the report, according to information on the Pace website.
A primary goal will enable riders to get to where they are going more easily, and it will reduce roadway congestion, according to the website. Skogsbakken said it will also reduce the number of vehicles on the road, cutting the area’s carbon footprint. An all-electric fleet is a long-term plan.
Currently Pace receives approximately half of its revenue from passenger fares and the rest from its allocation of tax dollars through the Regional Transportation Authority.
