SUBURBAN TRANSIT ROUTES

ROUTES 672-689

NAPERVILLE FEEDER ROUTES

Feeder network developed by city of Naperville, and known as GNATS (Greater Naperville Area Transit System). Originally introduced 8/1/74, by 1976 consisted of six rush hour feeder routes serving the Naperville Metra station. In 1989 an additional Metra station opened at Route 59. Service was generally operated by contract operators, often school bus companies. Unless noted, routes operated under contract by Commuter Bus Systems until 1986, when routes assumed by Du Page Motor Coach Co./Naperville. Du Page Motor Coach Co. evolved to First Student. Service suspended effective 4/13/2020 due to covid-19 pandemic.

Pace Contract Operations
Overview of some of the privately owned bus companies, notably school bus operations, which provided bus service for Pace under contract.

672 - 95th St. Express - rush hour feeder route introduced 10/6/2008, serving Route 59 Metra station.

673 - Fort Hill Express - rush hour feeder route introduced 3/19/2001, serving Route 59 Metra station.

675 - Route 59 Express - rush hour feeder route introduced 10/4/99, serving Route 59 Metra station.

676 - Cress Creek - rush hour feeder route introduced 10/1/85. Effective 6/13/2016 operated by Pace Fox Valley Division.

677 - West Glens - rush hour feeder route introduced 12/26/79 as GNATS #12.

678 - Carriage Hill - rush hour feeder route introduced 1/22/79 as GNATS #11.

679 - Warrenville - rush hour feeder route introduced 5/15/78, between Warrenville and Naperville Metra station. Replaced 7/17/89 by #790 Warrenville Feeder route, serving newly opened Route 59 Metra station.

680 - Knoch Knolls - rush hour feeder route introduced 12/10/90. Route number was previously assigned to the Brookdale route, which was reconfigured as route #682.

681 - Saybrook - rush hour feeder route introduced by 1976 as GNATS #1.

682 - East Highlands - rush hour feeder route introduced by 1976 as GNATS #2, discontinued 8/22/86.

682 - Brookdale - rush hour feeder route introduced 11/23/77 as GNATS #10 and RTA #680. Reconfigured effective 7/17/89 as #682 Brookdale, when new Route 59 Metra station was opened nearby.

683 - West Highlands - rush hour feeder route introduced by 1976 as GNATS #3, discontinued by early 1990's.

683 - Ashbury - rush hour feeder route introduced early 1990's.

684 - Maplebrook - rush hour feeder route introduced 9/7/76 as GNATS #4.

685 - West Wind Estates - rush hour feeder route introduced by 1976 as GNATS #5. Effective 6/13/2016 route #685 operated by Pace Fox Valley Division.

686 - Old Farm - rush hour feeder route introduced by 1976 as GNATS #6, discontinued 6/13/2016 and consolidated into route #684.

687 - Farmstead - rush hour feeder route introduced as GNATS #7.

688 - Huntington - rush hour feeder route introduced 9/7/76 as GNATS #8, discontinued 6/13/2016 and consolidated into route #689.

689 - Hobson Village - rush hour feeder route introduced as GNATS #9. Operated by Du Page Motor Coach Co. Westmont division.

Towards the end of the afternoon rush hour and into the evening, there was demand for some feeder bus service from the Metra station, but not enough demand to justify operation of all the separate routes. Evening routes were combined, and around 2005 a separate set of route numbers was assigned to the combined routes. They were #182 (North Naperville), #183 (Southwest Naperville), #184 (South Naperville), #185 (Southeast Naperville). The buses only received passengers at the station and did not follow a formal route. But the driver would determine a route based on the passengers' destinations.

The original assigned range of route numbers for Naperville was #681-#689. But the growth of Naperville justified the introduction of additional bus routes, requiring new route numbers below the original range of numbers.