Pace Contract Operations
Overview of some of the privately owned bus companies, notably school bus operations, which provided bus service for Pace under contract.
855 - Plainfield-East Loop Express - introduced 10/12/87, providing commuter express service between downtown Chicago and areas without direct Metra service. Served Romeoville, Bolingbrook, and Burr Ridge until 11/30/2009, when extended to serve Plainfield. Throughout most of route history operated under contract by Keeshin Charter Service (now part of Coach USA), except for a brief period in mid 1990's operated by Neal's Bus Co., from 1999 to 2005 operated by Mid-America Charter Lines, and from 2005 to 2009 operated by Colonial Coach Lines. Around 2012, direct operation assumed by Pace through its Heritage Division. Effective 8/18/2014, Bolingbrook service replaced with new routes #850 and #851.
856 - Toyota Park-East Loop Express - introduced 10/24/2016, providing commuter express service between downtown Chicago and the parking lot at Toyota Park, now SeatGeek Stadium, discontinued 2019. Operated by Pace Southwest Division.
877/888 - South Suburban-Oak Brook - two routes introduced 10/2/89, enabling south suburban residents to commute to and from jobs in Oak Brook area. Operated under contract by Robinson Coach until 1994, operated by Neal's Bus Co. until 1997, operated by Colonial Coach Lines briefly in 1997, operated by Pauline Transportation until 2000, now operated directly by Pace through its South Division. Under contract operation, carriers furnished motor coaches. In 2002, Pace acquired its own motor coaches for these routes. Service suspended effective 5/18/2020 due to covid-19 pandemic.
889 - Harvey-Blue Island-Rosemont - introduced 11/30/2009, enabling south suburban residents to commute to and from jobs in Rosemont. As well as jobs in Elk Grove Village and Schaumburg via connecting routes. Discontinued 3/8/2010. Operated under contract by Keeshin Charter Service/Coach USA.
890 - Fox River Valley Flyer - short lived rush hour route introduced 12/17/90 between Schaumburg/Woodfield Mall area, and Elgin or Crystal Lake. Operated under contract by Kammes Bus Service.
890 - South Suburbs-UPS - introduced 7/22/96, operated by Pace South Division.
891 - Gary-UPS - introduced 1/29/2001, combined into route #892 5/12/2011. Operated by Pace South Division.
892 - East Chicago-UPS - introduced 7/2/2001, combined with route #891 5/12/2011, discontinued 8/17/2012 due to state of Indiana funding problems. Operated by Pace South Division.
894 - Gurnee-Lake Cook Express - short lived rush hour route introduced 8/25/97 between Gurnee Mills and Lake Cook office corridor. Operated by Pace North Division.
895 - Vernon Hills Corporate Shuttle - short lived rush hour route existed around 1999 between Vernon Hills Metra station and industrial area near State Hwy. 21 and State Hwy. 60. Operated by Pace North Division.
895 - 95th St.-Rosemont-Schaumburg Express - introduced 11/21/2011, providing commuter express service between Chicago Ridge Mall and Schaumburg. Originally operated under contract by Keeshin Charter Service/Coach USA, in 2014 direct operation assumed by Pace through its Southwest Division. Service suspended during covid-19 pandemic.
905 - Schaumburg Trolley - free shuttle route introduced 1/1/2001, connecting Woodfield Mall with other stores in area, using fake trolleys. Previously operated under contract by Cook County School Bus, later operated by First Transit/Schaumburg, beginning in 2014 operated by First Student/Glen Ellyn.
906 - Oak Park Shuttle - introduced 3/1/2004, serving the Oak Park shopping areas. Discontinued in 2009. Operated by Village of Oak Park.
907 - Oswego-Aurora Shuttle - introduced 6/7/2004, as first Pace route mostly in Kendall County, outside RTA area but subsidized in part by Village of Oswego. Operated by Pace Fox Valley Division. Discontinued 1/2/2013, with replacement service operated by recently formed Kendall Area Transit.
921 - Geneva Shuttle - rush hour feeder route introduced 7/30/90, mainly connecting Geneva Metra station with an outlying church parking lot made available for commuter parking. Originally operated under contract by Kammes Bus Service/Batavia, later Vancom and Laidlaw. In late 1990's direct operation assumed by Pace through its Fox Valley Division. Discontinued 9/14/2007, with completion of expanded parking at Geneva station, along with opening of new stations at La Fox and Elburn on line extension opened previous year.
924/925 - Harvey-Chicago Express/Blue Island-Chicago Express - two temporary routes introduced 5/6/2013, providing alternative service due to temporary closure of CTA Red Line for reconstruction. In Chicago, routes terminated at Roosevelt CTA station. CTA Red Line was closed 5/19/2013 to 10/20/2013. Operated by Pace South Division.
926 - Tri-State Park Shuttle - temporary route introduced 4/4/2014, operated Fridays between Gurnee Mills and YWCA. Operated by First Transit/Grayslake.
940 - Libertyville Park And Ride - route existed late 1996 to early 1997.
960/961 - Metra North Central Service - two routes introduced 8/19/96, providing mid day service supplementing newly introduced Metra North Central Service. The new Metra service would run rush hours only. Route #960 connected with Metra trains at Franklin Park and at Des Plaines, and operated as far north as Libertyville. And route #961 connected with Metra trains at Libertyville, and operated as far north as Antioch. Metra fares applied, and trains stopped only at Metra stations. But mid day passengers would prefer to drive further to a station with all day Metra service, and have a one seat ride to and from downtown. So these routes were discontinued 8/22/98. Route #960 was operated by Pace Northwest Division, and route #961 was operated by Pace North Division.
999 - McHenry County Tour Bus - operated weekends and Wednesdays during summer 1979, connecting the Crystal Lake and Woodstock train stations with attractions in town of Union. Possibly the only time scheduled transit service was operated to the Illinois Railway Museum. Operated under contract by Worts Transit Co.