Passenger Link – April 2025
Jerome Lilly Passenger Appreciation Day
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, CityLink will celebrate its 16th Annual Passenger Appreciation Day to honor Jerome Lilly by providing free rides to passengers all day on CityLink fixed-route buses , CityLift, and CountyLink vehicles. Jerome Lilly, a cherished general manager at CityLink who had dedicated 19 years to the organization before his promotion, passed away unexpectedly in 2007. Passenger Appreciation Day is observed on April 20 (or a nearby date if it falls on a weekend or holiday) in honor of Lilly’s birthday anniversary. The downtown CityLink Transit Center was dedicated in Jerome Lilly’s honor on April 19, 2009.
This year, there will be a free giveaway for each passenger who stops by the Transit Center lobby between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on April 17. The giveaway item will be available while supplies last.
Easter Schedule
CityLink, CityLift, & CountyLink will not provide service on Sunday, April 20 in observance of Easter. The last CityLink fixed route lineup leaves the Transit Center at 8:45 pm on Saturday, April 19. All three-services resume providing transportation as scheduled on Monday, April 21.
Celebrating Retirement
On March 4, 2025, we celebrated David’s retirement after 34 incredible years as a bus operator with CityLink! David was able to celebrate with his family, who all made special shirts featuring his call number, #347.
St. Patrick’s Day Fun
On St. Patrick’s Day, our Office Coordinator, Carmen,brought the spirit of the Irish to life by welcoming guests in a delightful festive outfit! Her creativity and humor shined through as vibrant as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Travel Training
On Wednesday, March 19, a team from CityLinks’ leadership, including members from the safety, security, operations, marketing, and community engagement departments, collaborated to offer a travel training session for several students with disabilities at Dunlap High School. Their teachers recognized that many students rely significantly on CityLinks’ public transportation services, as most will be unable to obtain a driver’s license due to their conditions. The teachers and students at Dunlap High School invited us to provide our travel training program, aimed at educating them on how to safely ride a fixed-route bus, which was parked on their property for hands-on learning.
During the session, students learned about emergency exit locations, how to get on and off the bus, the cost of a bus pass, and where to place their fare upon boarding. They also received instruction on traveling safely with mobility devices secured on the bus and how to inform the bus operator when they approach their desired stop to ensure a safe disembarkation. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience with the students, teachers, and staff, and we are excited to take our travel training program on the road to assist others in safely navigating public transportation on our fixed-route buses throughout the greater Peoria area.
Staying Strong at Home
In today’s fast-paced world, carving out time for fitness can feel like a luxury—especially if you’re juggling work, family, or mobility challenges. The good news? You don’t need a gym, fancy equipment, or even to stand up to build strength and boost your health. Chair-based and at-home bodyweight exercises can effectively tone muscles, increase endurance, and improve your overall well-being.
Why Strength Training Matters: Strength training supports bone health, boosts metabolism, reduces injury risk, and improves balance and coordination.
Seated Strength Training: No Equipment Needed
You can build strength while sitting in a sturdy chair. These exercises target major muscle groups and require nothing but your body weight.
1. Seated Leg Extensions · Strengthens: Quads and hip flexors.
· Sit tall with feet flat on the floor.
· Slowly extend one leg straight out in front of you, hold for 3 seconds, then lower.
· Repeat 10–15 times per leg.
2. Chair Marches · Strengthens: Hip flexors, lower abs, and thighs.
· Sit tall and engage your core.
· Lift one knee toward your chest, then alternate like a marching motion.
· Repeat for 30–60 seconds.
3. Seated Arm Circles · Strengthens: Shoulders and upper back.
· Extend arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
· Make small circles forward for 20 seconds, then reverse for another 20.
4. Seated Side Bends · Strengthens: Obliques and core.
· Place hands behind your head, elbows wide.
· Slowly bend to one side, return to center, then bend to the other side.
· Repeat 10 times per side.
At-Home Standing Alternatives
These low-impact, no-equipment exercises are great to do:
· Wall Push-Ups – Good for chest and arm strength.
· Bodyweight Squats – Sit back into an invisible chair and stand back up.
· Standing Calf Raises – Lift heels off the ground and hold for 3 seconds.
· Plank Holds – Try on a carpet or mat, either full plank or on knees.
Tips for Success
· Stay Consistent: Aim for 2–3 sessions a week to start.
· Focus on Form: Quality over quantity—slow and controlled movement is key.
· Stay Hydrated: Even light movement increases your body’s need for hydration.
· Breathe: Exhale during effort, inhale during rest.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to leave the house—or even get off the couch—to invest in your physical strength. With just a little effort and creativity, seated and at-home exercises can deliver real results. Your body (and mind) will thank you for showing up.
Free Admission – Peoria Riverfront Museum
CityLink and the Peoria Riverfront Museum are partnering for the month of April to offer a free entry opportunity for CityLink, CityLift, CountyLink and Benefit Access passengers who present a bus pass or ticket for one of these services. Passengers simply show their bus pass/ticket at the museum’s admission desk to gain free general entry to the Peoria
Riverfront Museum and its exhibits. One bus pass/ticket is required per adult.
“The Peoria Riverfront Museum is committed to building the most engaged community in the nation. This community partnership with CityLink allows us to be a place of inspiration that is accessible to all.” ~John Morris, President and CEO of the Peoria Riverfront Museum
Below is the list of accepted bus passes/tickets:
• CityLink Day Pass – $3 per pass
Offers unlimited fixed route rides for one complete service day
• CityLink 30-Day Pass – $40 per pass
Offers unlimited fixed route rides for 30 consecutive service days
• CityLift Ticket – $2 per ticket
Offers one ride on the paratransit service and this service requires eligibility to ride
• CountyLink/CAUSE Ticket – $6 per ticket
Offers one ride on the rural transportation service and this service requires that a trip begin or end in the rural part of Peoria County
· CityLink Benefit Access Card – Valid and up-to-date
Offers transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities who qualify
Current admission rates for the Peoria Riverfront Museum are $20 for adults, $18 for Seniors 60+ and Students with ID and $16 for Youth aged 3-17 years. The museum is open on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For information on the museum, please call 309-686-7000 or visit
peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.
The Peoria Riverfront Museum is located at 222 SW Washington St, Peoria, IL 61602. It is a short five-minute walk from the CityLink Transit Center, located at 407 SW Adams, and there is close access to the museum on the #2 North Adams and #4 Sheridan CityLink fixed routes.
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a united nationwide effort to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and eliminate preventable deaths and injuries on our roadways. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your
attention away from the task of safe driving.
The three common distractions are the following:
Visual distractions: Occur when you take your eyes off the road. This could be using a GPS, looking at billboards, checking out an accident, or even admiring the scenery.
Manual distractions: Happen when you take your hands off the wheel. Eating, using your phone, adjusting the radio, or reaching for something in the car all fall into this category.
Cognitive distractions: Occur when your mind isn’t focused on driving. This could be
daydreaming, talking, worrying, or even singing along to your favorite song.
Around 3,000 people die in accidents involving a distracted driver each year. Every day, 9 people in America die in traffic crashes caused by distracted drivers. Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph is enough time to travel the length of a football field.
A National survey on distracted driving showed almost 1 in 10 respondents reporting sending texts or emails while driving at least sometimes where about 1 in 12 reported using some smartphone app that was not a navigation app. From 2011 to 2021 crashes involving cell phone use on average accounted for about 13% of fatal crashes involving distractions yearly. Roughly 93% of drivers consider hand-held cell phone use as dangerous, however 27% have reported sending a text/email while driving and 38 percent reported reading a text/email while driving.
Statistics provided by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Stress Awareness Month
April is Stress Awareness Month and a good time to discuss the effects of stress on our bodies. Stress has a way of rearing its ugly head and sometimes it can be overwhelming. As much as we wish it weren’t so, stress is part of our daily lives.
Your body is designed to deal with stress. Our natural fight-or-flight response kicks in when we feel threatened. The brain triggers the release of hormones and a sense of alarm. The hormones are meant to help us fight the threat or run away from it. But what happens if your body feels stressed a lot? How does your body fare if you are in constant state of alarm?
When your body is in a prolonged stressed state, it doesn’t have time to recover. Heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses are linked to stress. That’s why it’s important to reduce it. Stress is triggered by the way you deal with what’s happening, not from what’s happening. A stress trigger for one person may not be a trigger for another person.
Understanding what makes you feel stressed is an important step that may help you deal with triggers and better cope with stress when it strikes.
Stress can affect your entire body. It can worsen many health problems — from depression and migraines to asthma and sleeplessness. Stress also raises your heart rate and blood pressure, making your heart work harder. Over time, these effects may damage your blood vessels and contribute to heart disease.
It’s important to know the difference between stressors and things that can excite you to action. Things that make you worried, anxious, or depressed can be harmful to your wellbeing. Knowing common signs of stress can help you handle them:
· Head and Mood: Stress alters memory and other brain functions like mood and anxiety. That’s why you may get a headache or feel forgetful and disorganized.
· Heart: Stress may lead to chest pain or a fast heartbeat. It can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
· Stomach and Digestion: Stress touches the brain-gut link. It may set off pain, bloating, and other gut issues. Stress can change digestion and affect what nutrients your body absorbs when you eat.
· Back: Anxiety and stress can lead to muscle tension and cause back, shoulder and neck pain.
· Whole Body: Physical warnings of stress include aches and pains, insomnia, frequent colds, headaches, fatigue, and infections.
Since stress can cause many health issues, one of the best things you can do is learn to manage it. A few simple steps can help you get started. Try a deep-breathing break or go for a walk. Check in with your family and friends when you need support and build in some time to relax each day. Reach out if you are struggling with your mental health. Talk to your doctor or other health care providers.
For more information, please visit: cms.illinois.gov
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