Chicago Will Spend $12.5M To Offer Free Gas, Transit Cards For Residents in Need

Chicago legislators plan to give away free gas and public transit cards to help struggling residents in the city cope with increasing gasoline prices.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the initiative called Chicago Moves, which will invest $12.5 million to issue 50,000 cards that will be distributed to city residents through a lottery, each worth $150 at the pump.

The program, which will target low-income families, will also offer another 100,000 cards worth $50 each that will be distributed to residents to use the city’s public transportation system.

“People have to be able to get to work, school, places of worship, medical offices, grocery stores,” Lightfoot said yesterday at a press conference. “The goal of this program is to help make those moves easier,” she continued.

“I know from talking to many residents that they are feeling the strain,” Lightfoot explained. “There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And many are unable to fill their tanks as much as they normally would because their dollars just don’t stretch that far.”

Lightfoot said her administration is working through various options to see how they can provide the most significant relief to as many residents as they can.