Pace Celebrates Bus on Shoulder Anniversary

Pace will continue the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Pace’s Bus on Shoulder service and the legislation that made it possible with the release of a multi-faceted anniversary campaign centered around a Spotify playlist of Traffic Jams, according to the company's press release.

The playlist is made up of 59 songs, one for every minute the average Chicagoan spends in traffic. The hand-picked songs range from music legends like David Bowie and The Beatles, to Maroon 5 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Pace’s original song, Rocking the Shoulder, debuted on the playlist Wednesday and has solidified Traffic Jam as a music genre. Also tied to the musical theme are several buses wrapped to mimic a band’s tour bus and decals inside the vehicles that allow riders quick access to Pace’s playlist.

Pace is actively pursuing engagement with the riding public and our stakeholders, as they have invited people to submit via social media suggestions for songs to be added to Pace’s playlist.

Pace officials held a celebratory event last week at the Pace Plainfield Park-n-Ride to mark the 10th anniversary.

“Creating an original song was a tactic we’d never tried before, so it made sense to try something new to honor something else our region had never done before – incorporating bus-only lanes into our highway system,” said Rocky Donahue, executive director. 

Pace’s new strategic vision plan, Driving Innovation, will guide the agency’s capital infrastructure program and ensure projects are focused on equity, environmental stewardship, and fiscal responsibility.

The agency will also explore “out-of-the-bus” programs and partnerships, like working in collaboration with taxicabs and transit network companies like Uber and Lyft, to create a transportation network that meets the needs of the 284 municipalities Pace serves.