(Lake County News-Sun Staff Report)
Legislation allowing Metra rail passengers to pay their fares using a credit card has been signed into law, state Sen. Michael Bond, D-Grayslake, said Tuesday.
Senate Bill 577, sponsored by Bond, requires Metra to implement a system by Feb. 28, 2010, that would allow rail passengers to purchase fares by credit card either in-person or online.
The system would be in place at any station with agents, including the LaSalle Street Station, Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center and Millennium Station. Passengers would also be able to use credit cards to purchase fares at vending machines in Metra’s 14 largest stations.
“Credit card use is commonplace and we need to keep up with the times,” Bond said. “Metra is among the busiest commuter rail systems in the world, and we need to provide more convenience and efficiency for passengers. We must continue to modernize our rail systems to meet 21st century standards.”
Metra is the second-largest commuter rail system in the U.S. in terms of ridership, serving an estimated 324,300 passengers each weekday, according to the American Public Transportation Association. It is second only to New York City’s Long Island Rail.
However, out of the top 10 commuter rail systems in the country, Metra is the only one that previously did not allow riders to use a credit card in one form or another.