Our Story

Welcome to ITNChicago

Older adults urgently need reliable and affordable transportation.

In early 2006, Joyce Gallagher, Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Senior Services, read an article in the Chicago Tribune entitled, "Program Lets Seniors Trade Cars for Rides." The article described the Independent Transportation Network® started in Maine that encourages seniors who can no longer drive safely to trade their cars for rides.

After learning about the program's success, Gallagher wanted to initiate it in Chicago. Gallagher contacted Mayor Richard M. Daley about this alternative transportation initiative and due to his commitment to innovative and effective senior programming he supported the request to start an ITN affiliate in Chicago.

Although Chicago has a number of transportation options, it lacked a dignified yet reliable transportation system that met seniors' individualized needs. Gallagher stated, "Because age-related changes can compromise driver safety, many seniors need to limit or stop driving. This program will link seniors to a reliable transportation program, while keeping them safe, active and independent."

ITNAmerica founder, Katherine Freund, visited Chicago to better understand how ITNAmerica could work with the Mayor's Office to start an ITN affiliate. Freund liked Chicago because success in the big city would illustrate the model's capacity for replication among a wider range of locations.

ITNAmerica requires affiliate communities to raise the recommended $125,000 for start-up costs for the first year of planning. This important year takes an affiliate through the capital planning necessary for sustainability, membership, fleet and volunteer recruitment, and staff and office set-up. Gallagher immediately began identifying resources. Even though she realized that ITN is designed to be sustainable in 5 years through fares from the people who use the service and voluntary, private community support, she believed that public funding was a great place to start.

She contacted Tim Martin, former head of the Illinois Department of Transportation, to request funding for this program that would encourage seniors to trade in their cars and receive rides 24 hours a day/seven days a week for any purpose within the service area. After convincing him of the program's community value and sustainability, Martin agreed to allocate the total amount of $125,000 for start-up expenses. The Commissioner is committed to helping ITNChicago raise the private matching funds necessary for sustainability.

By the end of 2006, ITNAmerica had selected Chicago to join its second learning cluster, the first major city to be chosen. Chicago immediately began forming its not-for-profit organization with a high-profile board of directors. The board includes professionals from such fields as aging, disabilities, finance, insurance, legal counsel, medicine, media and transportation. For a large city like Chicago, this effort required support from the City Council, a step Commissioner Gallagher did not hesitate to take. In the beginning of April 2008, the board signed an affiliate agreement that made ITNChicago an official affiliate.

ITNChicago has worked closely with ITNAmerica to select the northwest side of Chicago as its initial service area. ITNAmerica recommended the community due to its unwavering interest in the ITN and its commitment to help recruit volunteer drivers to participate in this innovative solution.

The city of Chicago is excited about the opportunity to support its senior transportation needs. ITNChicago seeks sponsorships, vehicle donations, members and volunteers. If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please contact us.