Three Ingredient Punch Combo for New Year’s Eve: Abe Lincoln, CTA, and MillerCoors

Take out those pesky pennies from your wallet, coat pocket, bottom of your car floor because they’ll come in handy tonight. The CTA is doing it again. Following tradition this time of year and keeping Chicagoan’s safety in mind, the CTA is providing their annual New Year’s Eve Penny Rides program.

This year, the program is sponsored by its first corporate sponsor, MillerCoors. “We’re thrilled to team with CTA to become a part of the Penny Rides tradition in Chicago,” said MillerCoors Chief Executive Officer Tom Long. “Our company is committed to working with communities to provide safe transportation alternatives. Drunk driving is completely preventable and we encourage all to plan ahead for a safe and memorable New Year’s Eve.”

Choose the safer and budget friendly route. Leave your cars parked, your bikes locked up, and hop on the CTA. No need to bring out your bus pass with you only to risk losing it on a night of drunken chaos. The penny rides will be honored from 10pm tonight until 4am tomorrow morning – New Year’s Day.

MillerCoors also commissioned an artist who created a display of penny art. The creative piece comprising of 8,000 pennies is located at the Clark/Lake CTA stop and will be up through New Year’s Eve. The artist commissioned is a mystery as his /her name isn’t mentioned in any press releases or MillerCoors’ website. If anyone knows who this mystery artist is please let me know!

-Gema Alonso
Sources: www.transitchicago.com, www.chicagoist.com, and www.chicagodefender.com