First Day, Free Rides

Since 2011, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has offered free rides on the first day of school to all K-12 Chicago-area students. A highly anticipated yearly tradition, the ‘First Day, Free Rides’ program is intended to promote first-day attendance at all Chicago Public Schools.

Free bus and train rides will be provided to all elementary and high school students, as well as an accompanying adult, on Monday, August 21st. For the last 2 years our client, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, has partnered with the CTA to make this Chicago initiative possible.

In 2022, nearly 50,000 free rides were provided thanks to our client’s generosity. Joining them once again for a 3rd year, we decided to take our work beyond a typical campaign. We started by setting up a table at the Clark/Lake station where we distributed Butcher Boy branded goodie bags to commuters in order to promote the initiative.

Next, we traveled to Jungmen Elementary School in the Pilsen area on August 21st and handed out freebies to excited students in celebration of their first day of school. Operating for over 85 years, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils is a women-owned, family business with its roots in the Windy City.

At AdTime Marketing, we take pride in our ability to develop marketing solutions that not only positively impact our client’s performance, but also the community in which they operate. Grateful to be part of such meaningful work, we wish all Chicago-land students a wonderful first day of school!