Will County expands Pace Dial-a-Ride service in underserved townships

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant joined Pace Suburban Bus leadership and local officials Tuesday to celebrate the expansion of Dial-a-Ride services in underserved areas of the county.

Seniors and people with disabilities in six new townships in the southwestern portion of the county now can register for the Access Will County Dial-a-Ride service for their transportation needs.

“This expansion into southwest Will County connects seniors and people with disabilities to safe and reliable transportation,” Bertino-Tarrant said in a news release. “This has been a long time coming, and I appreciate the local leaders who worked with us to implement this expansion.”

The new service area will include several townships that previously did not have access to a Dial-a-Ride transportation service.

Residents who are older than 60 or living with a disability in the new service area, which includes the city of Braidwood and the city of Wilmington, now can schedule rides with Pace after registering for the program, according to the release.

The program offers a curb-to-curb transportation service with flexible routes and scheduling for any purpose, according to the release.

“Pace is proud to partner with Will County to provide critical access to independence, community life and essential services,” Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski said in the release. “We have made significant investments in new services, infrastructure and technologies in Will County, and we will continue to innovate and meet the evolving needs of those we serve.”

Filling a need

Previously called “Will-Ride,” Will County’s Dial-a-Ride service has operated for 10 years in the eastern Will County townships of Crete, Frankfort, Green Garden, Monee, Peotone, Washington and Will.

The county dedicated $200,000 in its fiscal 2024 budget for the Pace Dial-A-Ride program.

The Will County Executive Office and Pace worked with partners in southwest Will County on an expansion strategy.

Residents in Custer, Florence, Reed, Wesley, Wilmington and Wilton Townships now will be able to use Access Will County Dial-a-Ride.

“The need for a consistent dial-a-ride system in our community has been apparent for years,” Wilmington Mayor Ben Dietz said in the release. “This system will connect people with jobs, human services and basic living needs. I appreciate our partnership with Will County and Pace to get this important program launched locally.”

The new service area also coincides with an expansion of the distance that users can travel with Access Will County Dial-a-Ride.

Previously, residents could request a ride within a 10-mile radius of the borders of their township. The new service boundary allows residents to travel anywhere in Will County and locations within 1 mile of the Will County border, plus parts of southern Cook County, according to the release.

“Having access to a reliable dial-a-ride service has been one of the top issues we’ve been hearing from residents for years,” Braidwood Mayor Karen Hart said. “I am looking forward to our residents being able to travel throughout Will County.”

How to register

To raise awareness of the program, Bertino-Tarrant’s office will host in-person “mobile office hours” to register eligible residents and answer questions. Four in-person registration events already have been hosted in Braidwood and Wilmington.

Residents interested in using Access Will County Dial-a-Ride must fill out a one-page registration form either by contacting their local municipality, township office or the Will County Executive Office at 815-774-6346 or countyexec@willcounty.gov.

Residents schedule a ride directly with Pace from their home and back for any purpose.

More information on Access Will County Dial-a-Ride can be found at www.willcounty.gov/access.