SPRINGFIELD | Starting today, senior citizens in many parts of Illinois will be allowed to ride most bus routes for free.

But back in Springfield, some lawmakers are trying to expand those free rides to veterans or the disabled, for example.

With gas prices rising and people perhaps looking for other ways to get around, local bus officials mostly embrace the idea of encouraging more use of their systems. Someone, though, has to pay for it.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's budget proposal calls for increasing the state cash flow to many local transit agencies, and lawmakers could begin negotiations on the state spending plan in the coming months.

The free rides idea came from a Springfield compromise. Blagojevich broke a campaign promise and supported a sales-tax increase in the Chicago area to help the transit systems there. In exchange, he proposed all seniors should be able to ride for free. Lawmakers approved.

Most transit districts already have systems in place to give seniors rides for half price. So in many cases, the same cards seniors previously used to get a discount will now get them on for free.

Before the free rides plan, for example, Bloomington-Normal seniors paid 35 cents for a bus ride -- less than a postage stamp.

"To be honest, the fare hasn't been a major obstacle," Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System General Manager Peter Weber said.

Losing those fares could be a small obstacle for the bus systems, though. Weber predicts the change will cost $25,000.

Decatur Public Transit System General Manager Paul McChancy estimates the cost there to be $18,000.

That's not huge money in a $5 million budget, but it's money that can't be recovered elsewhere, McChancy said, unless the state pays.

Lawmakers have talked about free rides for veterans, the disabled and college students. It's unclear which of those proposals will get support or how they would be paid for.

For now, state Rep. David Miller, D-Lynwood, said lawmakers should take time and see if the seniors program works before extending benefits to more people.

"At the end of the day, we're not going to really know until this happens," Miller said. "The troubling concern is the fact that once you offer a program like this, you're not going to be able to get it back."

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.