An hourlong public hearing Wednesday on whether to eliminate a Pace van shuttle route because of low ridership drew comments from one person.
Shuttle Bug 6 takes workers from the Lake-Cook Metra Station to companies along the Lake-Cook corridor. Cindy Pietschman, spokeswoman for William M. Mercer Inc., said Shuttle Bug 6 has helped employees of the company.
“Our employees have a real need for Route 6, especially in inclement weather,” Pietschman said.
The consulting company is a half-mile from the train station and is the only company now supporting the route. Among the 25 employees who have passes for the shuttle service, six use it regularly, Pietschman said.
Ridership on the shuttle is less than half of the required 11 passengers to continue the service, said William Baltutis, executive director of the Transportation Management Association of northern Cook and southern Lake County.
The service is paid for through a public-private partnership of Pace, the Transportation Management Association and the companies, Baltutis, said. The cost for the van and driver is about $45,000 annually.
The Pace board of directors will vote on eliminating Shuttle Bug 6 during its meeting on Wednesday. The route could be discontinued by March 17.
