RTA Transit Checks
Program options
Monthly deductions for RTA transit checks are available. Visit the HR Payroll website for more information and an application.
How Does it Work?
An RTA transit check is mailed to your home address before the last day of the month when the deduction is taken from the paycheck. It should arrive in time to purchase tickets for the following month. You can also request on the form that transit checks be mailed to your work location, Chicago HR office, or Evanston Payroll office.
The RTA transit check is used to purchase PACE, South Shore or Metra tickets. The check is made payable to the order of "sellers of CTA, Metra, and PACE fare mediums."
Transit checks may be used to pay for monthly tickets or discounted tickets such as Metra 10-ride tickets. Transit checks can be used in combination with cash or personal checks if needed for your ticket purchase. The entire amount of the transit check must be spent when the check is used. If the ticket purchase is less than the value of the check, no change is returned. Transit checks are valid for 13 months from the date of issue.
Lost or Stolen Transit Checks
The RTA transit check has the cash value of the purchase for anyone who presents the check to the ticket seller, even if you lose the check and someone else finds it and uses it for ticket purchase. However, the transit check can only be used to buy transit tickets and does not have cash value for any other purpose.
A few participants have reported problems with mail delivery. Since the transit checks have the value of the tickets they are intended to purchase, participants may need a secure mailbox if there is a problem with delivery of items of this value, just as they do for other valuable items received in the mail. There are no refunds for lost transit checks, whether lost in the mail or otherwise.
