New online portal increases access to RTA’s Reduced Fare and Ride Free permits
January 18, 2022
January 18, 2022
Gerard Wagner uses public transportation for everything. The 71-year-old retired engineer lives car-free by choice in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago, and his Ride Free Permit through RTA is a game changer for getting where he needs to go.
“My doctors are at Northwestern, so I can jump on the 151 [CTA bus] right there, and it drops me off a block from the hospital,” he said. “I use the Belmont bus to go to the pharmacy. If I go to the outlet mall, I go over to the Blue Line, take it up to Rosemont, and use the free shuttle from there. I use transit for pretty much everything.”
Now, renewing or replacing his Ride Free Permit is easier than ever.
On January 18, the RTA launched Fare Programs Online, a web-based online customer portal that allows people with disabilities and seniors to apply for, replace, and renew Reduced Fare and Ride Free Permits. The portal can be accessed at Fares.RTAChicago.org. This marks the first time these services are available online.
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