Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority
Arlington Heights, IL · NTD ID 50182 · 2024 report year
Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority carries 3.2 million passenger trips a year on demand response service — making it the 150th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Arlington Heights, IL.
It spends $220 million a year running that service, or $68.40 per trip. Its demand response service, the largest of its modes, costs $68.40 per rider — 80% above the $38.06 median for the 1,920 US agencies reporting demand response.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 20% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 7% on 2023. Fares cover 4% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demand Response#2 of 1,920 nationally | 3,215,055 | $220 million | $68.40 | +80% | 4% | 1,480 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3,215,055 | $220 million | $68.40 |
| 2023 | 3,013,547 | $203 million | $67.42 |
| 2022 | 2,648,288 | $183 million | $69.21 |
| 2021 | 2,331,139 | $178 million | $76.37 |
| 2020 | 2,150,973 | $195 million | $90.71 |
| 2019 | 4,008,770 | $206 million | $51.49 |
| 2018 | 4,055,615 | $200 million | $49.39 |
| 2017 | 4,115,449 | $208 million | $50.64 |
| 2016 | 4,116,466 | $197 million | $47.92 |
| 2015 | 4,172,105 | $203 million | $48.65 |
Where Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority ranks
- Most Expensive Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services by Cost per Rider #14 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services #2 of 40
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Ask NTD about Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.