For Jaime Velez his commute is just more work before he gets to work.
“My commute is usually, I take the Pace bus to Metra,” said Velez. “From Metra when I get to Union Station I have to catch another bus to get to my building, which is not too close to Metra.”
But no more – Velez is one of the first customers on Naperville’s new executive shuttle.
Squire service is a commuter service that runs from the suburbs to stops in downtown Chicago during rush hour Monday through Friday.
Matt Beck founded the service after his own experience commuting from the suburbs.
“I was one of those commuters who had to make that suburb to city commute, and it was the worst part of my day hands down every day just knowing I was stuck behind the wheel not being productive, knowing there was anything else I could be doing besides staring at the car in front of me,” said Beck.
Beck says driving and taking the train to the city aren’t always the best choices.
“They do one or the other and they try to pick the lesser of two evils, but that’s about all they can do. So we said these people probably deserve a third option, and we’d love to give it to them,” said Beck.
The cost of the shuttle service is $290 for a monthly pass, compared with just over $210 for monthly Metra commuters without parking or Pace bus prices.
But Beck says the price is worth it.
Taking the shuttle leaves riders the space and even the Wi-Fi to get work done, something Velez says he was looking for.
“I was able to get a lot of work done on the bus on the way here. It just makes sense,” said Velez.
The executive shuttle began service on February 5.
The shuttle now has three routes in the morning and three in the evening. Beck says he plans to expand the business as more riders join the service.
Naperville News 17’s Beth Bria reports.
