PowerCommute

Chicago pilot · Metra UP-N first

Get paid to take the train.

PowerCommute pays riders up to $1 for every ride, whether or not they use a deal. Local businesses see how many commuters pass their stop and offer deals timed to the trains.

Join as a riderJoin as a business

Not live yet. The waitlist is free, and we'll email you when the pilot opens.

One line, both sides

Illustration · example numbers

Metra UP-N strip map, Ogilvie to KenoshaA schematic of the 26 UP-N stations from Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago to Kenosha, Wisconsin. An animated train makes example rides and each completed ride shows plus one dollar.OgilvieClybournRavenswoodRogers ParkEvanston Main StEvanston Davis StEvanston Central StWilmetteKenilworthIndian HillWinnetkaHubbard WoodsGlencoeBraesideRaviniaHighland ParkHighwoodFort SheridanLake ForestLake BluffGreat LakesNorth ChicagoWaukeganZionWinthrop HarborKenoshaCHICAGOKENOSHA, WI+$1.00

Rider view EVENING RIDES

5:34 pmOgilvie → Evanston Davis St+$1.00
Optional deal at your stop$3 off takeout, two blocks from the station
This week$6.00

Business view COUNTS ONLY

Riders getting off at Evanston Davis St, weekdays

4:304:455:005:155:305:45

Totals by station and 15-minute window. No names, no trips, no individual riders.

For riders

Your commute is worth something

  1. Tell us your ride

    Pick where you get on and off, and whether you ride mornings, evenings, or both.

  2. Ride like you already do

    The app confirms the trip on its own. Nothing to scan and no extra stops.

  3. Get paid

    Earn up to $1 per ride, up to two rides a day. Deals at your stop are there if you want them.

Join the rider waitlist

For businesses and sponsors

Reach the 5:45 crowd

  1. See who's passing

    Rider counts at your station by 15-minute window, so you know when the trains bring people.

  2. Offer a deal timed to the trains

    Put an offer in front of riders as they head to your stop. You pay when it works.

  3. Or sponsor the rides

    Pay riders' $1 for a station, a rush hour, or a week, with your name on it. Employers and transit partners can fund rides too.

Join the business waitlist

Privacy

Counts, never people

  • Businesses see totals by station and time window. They never see who you are or where you went.
  • Trip data exists to confirm rides and pay you. It isn't sold as a location trail.
  • You can leave at any time and ask us to delete everything.
  • Right now we only keep your waitlist answers, and we use your email only for pilot news.

Waitlists

Get on the first train

Waitlists are open.

Riders

Tell us your usual ride. We'll invite riders station by station.

When do you ride?

Businesses & sponsors

Shops, restaurants, brands, employers, and transit partners.

Questions

Is the $1 real money?

That's the pilot plan: up to $1 per confirmed ride, paid as cash or a gift card. Exact amounts, which rides count, and the full terms will be posted before the pilot opens. Nobody is paid yet.

Do I have to use the deals?

No. You earn for the ride itself. Deals are extra.

Who pays for this?

Businesses, sponsors, and employers pay to reach commuters. Your ride is what makes that possible, so part of it goes to you.

Why the UP-N?

It's one of Metra's busiest lines, with downtown stops at both ends of the day and walkable shopping districts at stations like Davis St, Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, and Lake Forest. It's a good place to start before adding the rest of Metra and the CTA.

Is PowerCommute part of Metra?

No. PowerCommute is independent and isn't affiliated with Metra, Union Pacific, the CTA, or the RTA.