Niles trustees voted Tuesday to trim service on the Niles Courtesy bus, cutting out holiday service on Routes 411 (Niles Local Service) and 412 (Niles Shopper's Special).
Route 413 (Niles South End Special) would be more heavily trimmed, losing all weekend service and all service after 4:10 p.m., as well as holidays.
However, trustees, at the regular Niles Village board meeting, turned down a proposed ordinance that would charge a fare for riders. The proposed fares were: Children under 7, free; ages 7 to 64, 25 cents, and ages 65 and up, 10 cents.
Trustee Louella Preston felt it wasn't fair that children aged seven and older would have to pay the full adult fare. She also observed that riders need to know whether they can use their Pace monthly passes on the Niles Courtesy Bus.
Some expressed concerns that the village can do more to trim expenses before it levies a fare for riders.
"I think we should look at all the possible reductions," Trustee Joe LoVerde said after the meeting. "The fare should be the last thing we implement. I honestly believe the big dollars are in the reductions, not the fare."
Get Niles and Morton Grove news delivered in your email. It's like getting a free newspaper.
