Chicago area officials this week announced assistance to help alleviate the cost burden of transportation during the state of Illinois' recently enacted stay-at-home order that is serving as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city recognizes that first-responders, healthcare workers, and others need to have access to reliable transportation to get to and from work, while residents must maintain access to essential services. Transportation relief measures ranging from passenger credits to discounted usage fees will be in place through the duration of the order, anticipated to last through April 7.
“During this unprecedented event, it is essential we provide needed transportation relief to the dedicated individuals working on the front-lines of this crisis, as well as ensure our city’s families and residents still have access to essential goods and supplies,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “Despite the challenges we face, Chicago is committed to ensuring reliable and accessible transportation for every neighborhood and community, and we are taking every measure possible to provide the pricing support needed to keep our residents mobile and our city moving forward.”
One of the steps the city is taking is that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will continue to operate its regular service schedule so that riders can conduct essential travel. In order to help residents that for the duration of the stay-at-home order no longer need their CTA pass, CTA will be offering them a prorated credit for any unused days on active 7- and 30-day passes. Customers with an active Ventra pass that they are no longer using are eligible to receive a prorated credit for any remaining days, based upon when the pass was last used.
Also, the Chicago DOT is working with the City’s bike-share partner, Divvy, to offer steeply discounted memberships through April 30, 2020. An annual Divvy membership will be cut in half and "Dollar Divvy" single rides, for 30 minutes, will be offered at a 66% discount. Divvy is also launching a 30-day program to give critical healthcare workers free bike-share rides; starting this week and continuing through April 30, eligible healthcare workers can sign up through their employer to access unlimited 45-minute trips on classic bikes for 30 days.
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SOURCE: City of Chicago
