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Thursday, January 31, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:

SJ Morrison
Madison County Transit
(618) 874-7433

MCT ANNOUNCES LANDMARK FREE RIDES PROGRAM

Free Rides for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities will Begin February 4, 2008

GRANITE CITY, ILL., January 31, 2008 . . . At a historic press conference today, the Madison County Transit (MCT) Board of Trustees announced that it will exceed state requirements and provide free rides for eligible persons with disabilities on fixed-route buses as well as senior citizens. The announcement comes less than three weeks after the Illinois General Assembly approved the mass transit bill, Public Act 95-0708, providing an increased operating subsidy for the state’s public transit providers, and requiring all Illinois transit systems to provide free rides for seniors, age 65 and over. MCT will implement the unlimited free rides for seniors and eligible persons with disabilities on fixed-route buses starting this Monday, February 4, 2008. Previously, MCT offered half fare for seniors and persons with disabilities. To assist those who are interested in riding MCT and still have questions, MCT will offer free travel training in upcoming weeks.

“Providing exceptional service for persons with disabilities is as fundamental to the culture of MCT as the buses themselves,” said MCT Board Chairman Frank Laub. “This decision by the MCT Board is further evidence of that ongoing commitment.”

HOW DOES IT WORK?
To ride for free, individuals who are 65 or older must show the MCT bus driver a current Illinois driver’s license or Illinois state identification card. Persons with disabilities must be registered Paratransit users with a valid MCT Paratransit Card or Metro Paratransit Card. Persons with disabilities who do not qualify for the free rides, and seniors without an Illinois I.D., are eligible for half fare by showing the driver a Metro Reduced Fare I.D., a Medicare Card or their non-Illinois Driver’s License to verify age. For information on how to register for the Paratransit service, please call (618) 931-7433, Option #1. The free rides and half fare are only valid on the MCT fixed-route system. Individuals transferring from the MCT fixed-route system to a different public transit system will be subject to that transit system’s fare structure. In coming weeks, MCT may provide senior citizens with an ID card that would enable them to travel beyond Madison County for free as well.

“I’m very pleased to see that the Madison County Transit agency has acted so quickly to provide free transportation for all Illinois seniors. I’m excited to watch other transit agencies throughout the state formulate their own plans,” said Governor Blagojevich.

Madison County Transit (MCT) enhances the mobility of the St. Louis region by providing multi-modal transportation services. MCT operates a fixed-route bus service locally and regionally connecting to MetroLink; express weekday commuter service directly to and from downtown St. Louis; and seasonal express service to the Rams games and the Muny. For elderly and disabled residents who are unable to use the fixed-route buses, MCT provides paratransit bus service. MCT is also responsible for the construction and maintenance of more than 85 miles of scenic Madison County bikeways known as the MCT Trails, as well as overseeing RideFinders, the St. Louis region’s FREE carpooling and vanpooling program. For more information on MCT services, routes and schedules, call (618) 931-7433, Option 3, or visit www.mct.org.