The Northern Illinois Transit Authority has chosen Chicago's former Aviation Department boss Jamie Rhee to serve as its interim executive director.During NITA first meeting Thursday, the board also expanded a low-income reduced fare program for SNAP recipients to CTA and Pace, and named a former Reg ional Transportation Authority board member Tom Kotarac as chairman.Rhee is taking over as NITA's interim executive director as NITA officially replaces the RTA in governing the CTA, Metra and Pace.NITA has new powers over those agencies to coordinate service, with the goal of making public transit safer and more reliable.Plans for the new agency began last year when lawmakers bailed out the transit agencies as they faced a "fiscal cliff," the result of low ridership and dwindling pandemic grants. The law infuses the agencies with $1.5 billion, and it reforms how they operate.Rhee will serve for a maximum of six months, with an option for an extension, while NITA seeks a permanent replacement. Rhee takes over for Leanne Redden, RTA's previous director who announced her retirement last week. Related NITA, Chicago’s new transit agency, is meeting for the first time. What will it change? The board voted 19-1 for Rhee's appointment. The dissenting vote came from Oswaldo Alvarez, who said he was surprised the vote was happening. He unsuccessfully asked to delay the vote while they conduct a vetting process.Rhee is not seeking the permanent executive director position, according to board member Dennis Mondero, who said the question was raised in the private executive session held minutes earlier.Rhee told the board she is committed to strengthening the transit system used by millions."My career has been spent leading large, complex organizations through moments of challenge, transformation and growth. And I bring that same steadiness and strategic focus to NITA," she said.SNAP recipients can apply for reduced CTA, Pace fare pass starting Oct. 1One of NITA's new powers is to set bus and rail fares. The board used that power Thursday by expanding the Access Pilot to CTA and Pace. Since 2024, it has only been available on Metra.Starting Oct. 1, all residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, can apply for a pass to receive reduced fares across the NITA system.NITA also approved the recent expansion of CTA and Pace's reduced fare program for students to work all year, not just during school days. The program for K-12, ages 7 to 20, caps fares at 75 cents per ride and eliminates transfer fees. Tom Kotarac, who leads the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, heads into an executive sessions during the first Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) board meeting in the Loop.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Former RTA member picked as NITA chairThe NITA board will be led by Kotarac, who was elected unanimously by the other 19 members of the board. Kotarac is the senior vice president of transportation and infrastructure at the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago.He emphasized the gravity of the task NITA has before it.The "NITA Act has given us something that's really rare in government and in organizations. And it's a genuine opportunity for a fresh start," Kotarac said. "If we succeed," he said, "years from now, people will look back and say, 'This is more than just avoiding the fiscal cliff. We'll look back to when we chose to do something transformational." ...read more read less