Classes Resume Monday for CPS Students

The Chicago Transit Authority will offer free bus and train rides to students Monday when classes resume for those in the Chicago Public Schools system.

Students and accompanying adults will not have to pay, as was the case last year, when more than 100,000 free rides were given on the first day of school. The rides are part of a partnership with the Sun-Times Media.

“Thousands of Chicago students rely on the CTA each day to travel to school and home at the end of the day safely and reliably,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool. “We’re pleased that we again can provide that free service on the first day of school."

The First Day of School Free Rides program has been an effective incentive in supporting Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s efforts to encourage attendance on the first day of school, Claypool continued. 

Students will be able to take advantage of the same discounted fares of 75 cents on school days between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. 

Beyond school hours, elementary students ages 7-11 will still be able to pay reduced fares of $1 on bus and $1.10 on rail, and students 12-20 will continue to pay full fare. The CTA provides an estimated 150,000 rides to students each weekday. 

"Student attendance on the first day of school is critically important to students’ success throughout the year," said CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett. "Therefore, we are extremely proud of our partnership with CTA and the Chicago Sun-Times to offer free rides to CPS students on the first day of school.”

In addition to the free rides Monday, students that day will receive their new Ventra transit fare cards from their respective schools that replace CTA magnetic stripe student and reduced-fare cards that students previously had to carry to ride the CTA.

The agreement between the CTA and Sun-Times Media includes payment by Sun-Times to the CTA of nearly $150,000, covering the cost of rides for students and advertising benefits for both Sun-Times and the CTA. 

As part of the agreement, the CTA will provide advertising on unsold bus and rail car interiors, in-station ads and digital advertising displays to promote the First Day of School Free Rides program. The CTA and Sun-Times Media announced the three-year agreement in 2012.