MCRide, the county’s dial-a-ride service, will ring in the new year with the addition of Sunday rides and an increased service area.
Starting January 1, riders will be able to use MCRide from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The service area also will expand to include Fox River Grove, as well as three new destinations: Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, in Barrington; the Illinois Railway Museum, in Union; and the PADS Day Center, in Woodstock.
The base fare for trips will increase slightly, effective January 1, to $1.50 for seniors and people with disabilities, and $3 for all other riders. For longer trips, the current charge of 25 cents per mile (after the first five miles) will remain unchanged. Up to two children ages seven or younger can travel free with a fee-paying adult.
MCRide is an affordable and flexible way for people to travel. Rides can be scheduled up to 24 hours in advance – or up to a week in advance for seniors age 60 or older, and people with disabilities – through the Pace Call Center at 800-451-4599. Weekday hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there is no service on major holidays.
MCRide is made possible through a partnership of McHenry County, Pace Suburban Bus, the municipalities of Crystal Lake, Fox
River Grove, Harvard, Huntley, Johnsburg, Marengo, McHenry, Richmond, Ringwood, Union and Woodstock, and the townships of Chemung, Dorr, Grafton, Greenwood, Marengo, McHenry, Nunda, Richmond and Riley. MCRide is funded in part by Section 5310 federal grants administered by the Regionla Transportation Authority.
MCRide is a great way to get around McHenry County. Whether you need transportation for work, school, shopping, medical appointments or just to visit a friend, MCRide provides an affordable and flexible way to travel!
As a dial-a-ride program, MCRide service is “on-demand” and vehicles do not travel in a fixed route each day. Riders schedule their trips in advance and the vehicle provides curb-to-curb service from the rider’s desired pick-up and drop-off destinations. MCRide is a shared-ride service, so vehicles may make stops for other passengers.
When MCRide began, multiple local dial-a-ride services were combined to form one coordinated program. This has made it easier and more efficient for suburban commuters, seniors and persons with disabilities to schedule and use dial-a-ride services in McHenry County. MCRide has improved access to jobs and schools and has provided greater mobility to all individuals. This program receives
a portion of its funding from the Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation through grants administered by the Regional Transportation Authority (Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities).
Effective January 1, 2019 MCRide operates according to the following schedule:
Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Holidays No Service: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Fares: MCRide has a distance based fare structure, which means you pay a base fare for the first five miles of travel plus $0.25 for each additional mile. When you call to make a trip reservation, the Call Center will tell you how much your fare will be. MCRide currently only accepts cash fares. Please have exact change, the drivers do not carry change.
Fares Effective January 1, 2019 –
General Public: Base Fare $3.00 / Each Additional Mile $0.25
Senior (60+): Base Fare $1.50 / Each Additional Mile $0.25
Individual with a Disability: Base Fare $1.50 / Each Additional Mile $0.25.
