Reduced/Ride Free Fare
RTA Application Assistance
The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) was created by the State of Illinois to coordinate the transit system in the Chicago region. The RTA oversees the financing of public transportation with a commitment to transparency and accountability while planning for a future that ensures accessible and equitable transportation for the six counties of Northeastern Illinois.
You can apply through the portal linked here.
Need assistance with the online application? Call (630) 668-1616 for an appointment.
Find available resources to RTA program below.
The portal allows you to:
- Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged Ride Free, Reduced Fare, or ADA paratransit permit card
-Apply for the Ride Free Program for low-income adults over the age of 65 or for low-income individuals with disabilities
- Apply for the Reduced Fare Program for adults over the age of 65 or for individuals with disabilities
- Renew your expiring Ride Free or Reduced Fare permit card
Milton Township offers a service to assist you in filling out your RTA application and submitting it on your behalf. Additionally, the Township helps senior and disabled residents apply for Benefits Access, which enables them to obtain a free or reduced fare transit card.
Please note that RTA cards can take up to 8 weeks to arrive. The RTA includes Pace buses and Metra trains, which operate on specific schedules. Be sure to check the bus and Metra schedules for available transportation.
Older adults and people with disabilities who are enrolled in the Illinois Department on Aging’s Benefit Access program are eligible to ride free on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace fixed-route services. Eligibility in the Illinois Department on Aging’s Benefit Access Program (BAP) is required in order to be found eligible for the RTA Ride Free program. The income levels for eligibility range from $33,562 or less for an individual, $44,533 for a two-person household, and $55,500 for a household of three or more people.
Seniors, aged 65 or older: If you are an Illinois resident, and currently enrolled in the Illinois Department on Aging’s Benefit Access Program, you are eligible for free transit on fixed routes operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.
If you not are an Illinois resident, aged 65 or older, you may be eligible for the RTA’s Reduced Fare program.
Seniors who are enrolled in the Benefit Access Program must apply for the RTA-issued Ride Free permit that will allow them to ride free on fixed-route transit in the RTA service region.
If you are an Illinois resident, and currently enrolled in the Illinois Department on Aging’s Benefit Access Program as a person with a disability, you are eligible for free transit on fixed routes operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.
If you are not an Illinois resident, but a person with a disability, you may be eligible for the RTA’s Reduced Fare program.
Individuals with a disability who are enrolled in the Benefit Access Program must apply for the RTA-issued Ride Free permit that will allow them to ride free on fixed-route transit in the RTA service region.
All individuals 65 years old and older who are ineligible for the RTA Ride Free Program are eligible to receive a reduced fare permit.
All persons with a qualifying disability who are ineligible for the RTA Ride Free Program are eligible to receive a reduced fare permit. To qualify, individuals must submit proof of disability. If receiving Social Security disability benefits, a printout from Social Security, dated within the current year with the word “disabled” on the printout is required. If not receiving disability payments from Social Security, a doctor must fill out the proof of disability form located within the application and attach a letter of diagnosis to the application.
