RTA (Reduced/Ride Free Fare)
Welcome to RTA Online
“Created by the State of Illinois, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) coordinates the Chicago region’s transit system, oversees its financing with transparency and accountability, and plans for a future with adequate, accessible, and equitable public transportation for the six counties of Northeastern Illinois. ” – Regional Transportation Authority
Milton Township is pleased to offer a service where we will assist you in filling out your RTA application and send it on your behalf.
If you are unsure if you qualify for the ride free or reduced fare pass, please call our office and ask to speak to a representative.
Please note: RTA cards can take up to 8 weeks to arrive.
If you are in need of the following, please click the portal below:
- Replace your 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 low-income people with disabilities
- Apply for the Reduced Fare Program for adults over the age of 65 or people with disabilities
- Renew your expiring Ride Free or Reduced Fare permit card
Ride Free Program
Reduced Fare Program
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.
RTA Senior Permit Application 012119 V5
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.
RTA issued Reduced Fare Permits allow seniors and persons with qualifying disabilities to ride at a reduced rate on CTA, Metra and Pace buses and trains.
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.
