Chicago Public Schools students will be returning to the classroom next week, and officials are reminding parents of their free ride program for the first day of school.
On Monday, all students in kindergarten through 12th grade are eligible for free rides on CTA, Metra, and Pace, according to a press release.
In addition, one accompanying adult will also get a free ride on those services, with Butcher Boy Cooking Oils sponsoring that part of the program according to NITA officials.
The free fare program has been a yearly tradition on the CTA, incentivizing students to use public transit in the city, according to a press release.
After Monday, students are also eligible for reduced fares on the CTA system, and thanks to new grant money from the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, those fares are available during school hours and non-school hours.
CTA and Pace rides for students will be $0.75 per ride, with free transfers for up to two hours after the first tap on the system according to the CTA’s website.
Students must have a student Ventra card in order to participate, and those cards are available via CTA vending machines, the Ventra app, and via Chicago Public Schools.
More information can be found on the CTA’s website.
