Lake County Gazette

Chicago's commuter rail system is hoping to entice passengers to consider riding trains to their destinations by offering a set monthly rate for unlimited rides as gas prices continue to climb. 

Metro recently announced a $100 flat-rate "Super Saver" monthly pass that will be available next month and can be used for unlimited travel throughout Chicagoland, according to a press release. Seniors, students, and children are eligible for a $70 reduced fare pass. Riders can purchase July passes starting on June 20.

"Put simply, this is a great deal. For the price of gas, or a trip to a baseball game, you can travel all over the Chicago area on Metro for a month," Jim Derwinski, Metra's Executive Director and CEO, said in the release. "High gas prices already make Metro an affordable option versus driving, but this new monthly 'Super Saver' pass makes the choice even clearer."

Derwinski added Metro has been looking at options to "reinvent our service by listening to My Metro riders, creating new schedules, and exploring fare incentives" as a way to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. He said in the release they've been lucky that regional sales taxes that support operations have remained strong so that federal COVID-relief funding could be used to directly benefit riders. 

According to a March report by NewsNation, increased gas prices could force more Americans to take advantage of public transportation. Traffic consultant Samuel Schwartz told WCBS Newsradio that there's typically a 2% decrease in traffic for every 10% increase in gas prices. 

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Illinois reached a record-high of $5.262 on June 2, according to AAA. It was up from $3.269 a year ago. In Lake County, the average cost of a gallon of gas was even higher at $5.469 per gallon.