More transportation options are available for residents of western Lake County after an expansion of suburban Pace On Demand has doubled the area it serves.
The reservation-based shared bus service now reaches Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Grayslake, Fox Lake, Long Lake, Lake Villa, Hainesville and part of Third Lake.
County Board member Esiah Campos, D-Round Lake, said the service will provide a better standard of living for elderly residents in the community, along with others.
“The expansion is a much-welcomed service that will help my constituent’s immensely,” Campos said. “Access to transportation is key to furthering employment and educational opportunities, and combating the poverty cycle.”
New destinations connect riders with the College of Lake County, Pace Routes 570 and 806 and local Metra lines MD-North and NCS.
“Services like these are only possible when people work together,” Campos added. “I’m proud to have been a part of that discussion.”
Pace On Demand offers an alternative to traditional bus service by offering a reservation-based, shared-ride service in 10 designated service areas throughout the suburban region at the same fare as fixed-route bus services.
Riders can reserve a trip online or by phone. Later this month, a new mobile app will be released, offering a new way to book trips and see other transit options such as Metra, making it easier for riders to plan their commute.
Since the expanded service began at the end of August, Pace is already seeing more ridership in the area, according to Melinda Metzger, Pace executive director.
Preliminary numbers show 8% of all riders are traveling in the new service areas, according to Metzger.
“It’s an exciting program which will increase access to all in Lake County, especially in employment (and) education,” Metzger said. “It really gives people enhanced mobility which is very important.”
Metzger said it was important for Pace to expand service in western Lake County, so the organization built in funding for the expansion in the annual budget. However, she said, the transportation had to be provided in a thoughtful way.
“The way people work has significantly changed since the beginning of COVID,” Metzger continued. “You have a lot more people working locally, (or) working part-time So this is a way for us to rearrange our service to meet the needs in this post-pandemic world.”
Since the population isn’t as dense in western Lake County, residents don’t necessarily need a fixed bus route running every 15 minutes, she said.
Fixed-route bus services by Pace are primarily concentrated around dense population areas, like Waukegan, although there are two fixed routes in the greater Round Lake area — routes 570 and 806.
Pace also hired new drivers to staff the four weekday buses that cover the new service area.
