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View Poll Results: Free ride for seniors - what are your opinions?
I'm over 65!!! Thank you, Roddy!!! Now, let's ride!!! 0 0%
Long live socialism! Should be the case everywhere! Next - free healthcare! 3 11.54%
Election day isn't that far away. They should've waited to do a referendum. 1 3.85%
Oh, well... nothing new.. typical Chicago mob politics.. nothing we can do.. 0 0%
Buck Flagojevich 22 84.62%
Voters: 26. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 10-17-2009, 10:20 AM
 
Location: Chicago
6,025 posts, read 15,339,180 times
Reputation: 8153

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse69 View Post
Rich seniors would rather drive than take the CTA. Who likes waiting for the bus when you can drive and you pay insurance for a vehicle? My aunt and mom are Sr citizen that refuse to drive a car; so free CTA helps them out a lot.

Now what if you were a Sr Citizen with only $1200 monthly Social Security? - You really appreciate free rides!
I barely make $1K a month- where's MY free ride??

granted, during the school year I get the UPass (which isn't free, but discounted), but why should a senior citizen making more than me get a free ride while I'm struggling to pay for passes to get to school and my 2 jobs? what makes them more deserving, other than being older? heck, where are they going for free? museums? shopping? bingo? I'm trying to get to my jobs! (not saying most don't have important places to get to, just saying, unlike retired seniors, I have to get to work)

I see a lot of seniors living in Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast area. me thinks if you can afford to live down there on your own dime, you can cough up the $1 to ride the train
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Old 10-17-2009, 10:51 AM
 
Location: Wicker Park, Chicago
4,789 posts, read 14,740,681 times
Reputation: 1966
Sr Citizens don't work, so they don't depend on the CTA to get somewhere everyday. They just use it maybe just for the bank and groceries. Just sightsee if they wanna go out.

If you barely getting by get a good enough road bike or hybrid bike with panniers and save yourself CTA Fare
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Old 10-17-2009, 11:46 AM
 
Location: Chicago
15,586 posts, read 27,597,919 times
Reputation: 1761
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse69 View Post
Sr Citizens don't work...
Really?
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Old 10-17-2009, 01:40 PM
 
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
10,261 posts, read 21,743,416 times
Reputation: 10454
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesse69 View Post
Sr Citizens don't work,

If you barely getting by get a good enough road bike or hybrid bike with panniers and save yourself CTA Fare

I'm working for awhile. Pretty hard to ride a bike out to Braidwood.
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Old 08-11-2010, 03:01 PM
 
Location: Chicago
15,586 posts, read 27,597,919 times
Reputation: 1761
Free rides are bursting at the seams:

More people riding free on CTA than predicted :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Transportation (http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/2589298,cta-free-rides-081110.article - broken link)
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Old 08-11-2010, 09:20 PM
 
Location: Chicago
15,586 posts, read 27,597,919 times
Reputation: 1761
37.5 million free rides this year=$68 million in lost revenue. Ouch.
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Old 01-10-2011, 07:28 PM
 
Location: Chicago
4,085 posts, read 4,333,359 times
Reputation: 688
The Senate and House have voted to end free rides for seniors as we know it. Will Quinn sign it?

Ill. Senate Votes To End Free Rides For Seniors « CBS Chicago – Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Chicago
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Old 01-12-2011, 12:40 PM
 
Location: River North, Chicago, Illinois
4,619 posts, read 8,165,755 times
Reputation: 6321
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avengerfire View Post
37.5 million free rides this year=$68 million in lost revenue. Ouch.
While I don't think the CTA should be forced to give out free rides, I somehow doubt those numbers, given that in every monthly report I've seen the average revenue per trip was estimated to be about $1. Since the majority of the seniors who now ride free would be paying 50% fares anyway, I don't see how their free riders would convert into pay riders averaging nearly double the average current collection.

One sure impact of eliminating free rides: declining ridership numbers. Free riders at least partially offset the impact of reductions in bus service last year.
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Old 01-12-2011, 06:04 PM
 
Location: Chicago
4,085 posts, read 4,333,359 times
Reputation: 688
Quote:
Originally Posted by emathias View Post
While I don't think the CTA should be forced to give out free rides, I somehow doubt those numbers
I believe the total rides include Pace and Metra. You do know how much Metra can cost don't you?
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Old 01-12-2011, 08:31 PM
 
Location: River North, Chicago, Illinois
4,619 posts, read 8,165,755 times
Reputation: 6321
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonythetuna View Post
I believe the total rides include Pace and Metra. You do know how much Metra can cost don't you?
No, I'm a complete idiot.
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