Chicago RTA: No debit option on fare cards for seniors, disabled

CHICAGO — Chicago Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) officials told the Chicago Tribune that people with disabilities and senior citizens who qualify for lower fares and low-income residents in the free-rides program won't be able to open a prepaid debit account when the agency's versions of the new Ventra fare card come out this year.

RTA officials told the paper they decided to restrict reduced-fare and free-rides customers to a transit-only Ventra card to protect seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income residents from potential problems and to keep the RTA-issued Ventra cards simple. For the full story, click here.