PACE Bus (Chicago Suburbs) to Eliminate 69 Bus Routes

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

From PACE Website

Many of the 69 shuttle bus routes are commuter rail shuttles timed to meet either with Metra trains from Chicago (either fixed route, or flex/on-demand) or are rush hour feeders to/from CTA trains.  Some routes did provide local service in various forms, they are mentioned with timetable information from pre-2020 for those curious:

320 (Effectively Two Separate Services) - Oak Park / Chicago City Line - Forest Park & Forest Park - Cook County Maybrook Courts

• Weekdays Only, some thru service at Forest Park
• (No Transit Alt. - Use the Long Walkway between Forest Park Station & Maybrook Courts)

372 Dixie Highway - Chicago Heights to Homewood Amtrak / Metra Station

• Weekdays only, every 60 minutes from 6:20 AM - 6:09 PM
• No Alternatives from Homewood
• Limited Alternatives from Chicago Heights on certain points with routes 352/360/890 

382 - Midway Orange Line CTA Station to Oak Lawn, Via Bedford Park Industrial Business Park

• Weekday rush hours only
• No nearby alternative for intermediate north-south Central Avenue Service
• Various options exist for service to/from Midway Station from Central Ave locations: 379, 384, 385, 390
• The 383 & 769 exist for Midway Station - southern Oak Lawn destinations

608 - Pace NW Transportation Center to Metra Roselle Station

• Weekdays only, every 30 minutes peak / every 60 minutes off-peak
• ZERO Alternatives, permanent eliminates all service in the neighborhoods it solely alone

611 - North Schaumburg Shuttle

• Rush hours only, every 15 minutes
• Route almost entirely served by the 905

696 - Randhurst Mall (Prospect Heights / Mount Prospect) to Harper College

• Weekdays Only, varying headways
• Several Alternatives for Harper College - Woodfield Mall:
  • Harper College served by 697 which goes to/from Woodfield Mall for connections to alternatives headed east
  • Golf Road served by 554 which goes to/from Woodfield Mall for connections to alternatives headed east
• Very limited and/or indirect alternatives for Woodfield Mall - Prospect Heights / Mount Prospect
  • The 594 offers limited alternative for Woodfield Mall - Arlington Heights travel
  • Arlington Heights On-Demand may also provide alternatives for 696
  • For Prospect Heights & Mount Prospect, use 208/234 (X-fer in Des Plaines) or 604/234 (X-fer in Wheeling)

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One was a suburban commuter express bus, with limited stops for transfer connections to other PACE routes and the CTA el system:

895 - Chicago Ridge Mall P & R to Schaumburg Businesses / Corporate Centers

• Intermediate stop at CTA Rosemont Station (some trips) and PACE NW TC 
• Weekday rush hours with one midday trip
• Several Alternatives from Pace NW TC to Corporate Centers: 554, 695, 905
• Alternative from Rosemont Station to Pace NW TC: 600, 606
• From Chicago Ridge Mall Area, very indirect method:
  • Use 384 bus to Midway Station, then take Orange Line into Chicago
  • X-Fer to Blue Line (O'Hare-bound) in Loop to Rosemont Station
  • Take 600 or 606 to NW TC, then either 554, 695, or 905

 

[FLX9304]

For those with no alternative routings, it’s gonna be hard for these Route eliminations to get to METRA stations. They need something like $1 vans like there is in Brooklyn. I never liked PACE routes designs because most of the 200/300/400/500/600/700/800/900 routes operate peak hours only. You hardly see most of the services unless if you go to the end lines of several CTA subway terminals