Niles will resume its free bus service Wednesday - with some changes. Eleven new, smaller courtesy buses will take residents and visitors to shopping centers, the library and other spots across the northern suburb.
They stopped running in September when the village learned the three routes were no longer insured by Pace.
The two sides reached an agreement about a month ago that a Niles spokesman says has the village paying $600,000 of the $1.6M annual cost of the program.
Pace will pick up the rest
Mayor George Alpogianis showed off one of the new Pace 14-passenger buses outside the Niles Senior Center and talked about the program’s 54-year history.
State Senator Ram Villivalam represents the area and helped Pace and the village make a deal that was approved by trustees.
Pace Executive Director Melinda Metzger calls the solution responsible and sustainable. Niles says six full-time employees and 15 part-timers will drive the buses every day from 9:30am-4:30pm.
