Chicagoland-based Butcher Boy Cooking Oils will be this year’s sponsor again for the traditional ‘First Day, Free Rides’ program
The first day of school can be exciting for many students and sticking with tradition, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will again offer “First Day, Free Rides” for all K-12, Chicago-area students.
CTA is partnering with Butcher Boy Cooking Oils to provide free CTA bus and train rides on Monday, Aug. 26, to students at public and private elementary and high schools, as well an accompanying adult. The date coincides with the first day of the Chicago Public Schools’ academic year and the program encourages attendance as well as getting a new year off on a good note.
“We are proud to partner with Chicagoland-based Butcher Boy Cooking Oils once again to continue this special back-to-school tradition for Chicagoland students,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “We believe students should have an affordable and convenient ride to school and a smooth first day back, which sets the course for a successful school year.”
"For a fourth year in a row, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils is proud to partner with the Chicago Transit Authority to provide free bus and train rides to all Chicago students on their first day of school," said Paulette Gagliardo, president, Columbus Vegetable Oils. "For nearly 90 years, Chicagoans have played a big part in our growth by buying Butcher Boy vegetable and corn oils at their local grocery store. As a fourth-generation, Chicago family-owned and operated business, we are forever grateful for our customers and honored to return the support to the community and the next generations.”
In 2023, the First Day, Free Rides program provided nearly 49,000 free rides to students and their parents or guardians. Since the program’s debut in 2011, more than 1.3 million free rides have been provided. The program is a highly anticipated, long-standing Chicago tradition.
CTA has provided Chicagoland students with reduced fares throughout the school year for many years. For the entire academic school year, students can take advantage of discounted fares of 75 cents on school days, between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Beyond school hours, elementary students, ages 7-11, are eligible for reduced fares of $1.10 for a bus ride and $1.25 for a train ride. Students who are age 12 and older will continue to pay the full fare of $2.25 on buses and $2.50 on trains. Children ages 6 and younger ride free with a fare-paying customer.
For more information about Student Reduced Fare, please visit: www.transitchicago.com/students/
###