Low-income people with disabilities will soon be able to join senior citizens in riding buses and trains in the Chicago area for free, but there is no indication how the program will be funded.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the measure into law Tuesday leaving transit officials with the task of finding an estimated $5 million to $10 million in annual funding. The free rides are scheduled to begin Oct. 24.

Diane Palmer, a spokeswoman for the Regional Transortation Authority, which oversees the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace, said a funding source for the new program has not been identified.

In July, the governor cut $37.3 million in RTA funding as part of an effort to close an estimated $2 billion shortfall in the budget approved by the Illinois General Assembly. Part of that money was supposed to pay for a controversial program the governor pushed earlier this year to give free rides to seniors.

Blagojevich spokesman Brian Williamsen said the money was cut because there was no revenue designated to support it.

“In the end, we did the responsible thing,” Williamsen said.

The new program will give about 300,000 disabled people access to free rides, he said. Many of the people eligible for the program have a hard time keeping up with all their expenses and have few other transportation options, he added.

“We feel offering this program is the right thing to do,” Williamsen said. “We’re hopeful that these individuals will take advantage of it.”

To ride buses and trains for free, people must be enrolled in the state’s Circuit Breaker program, which gives grants to elderly and disabled residents. They will also have to register in person for a pass before being able to ride for free.

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti, R-46th District, of Elmhurst opposed the governor’s plan to give free rides to seniors because it did not consider income level. He voted in favor of free rides for the disabled because it is only available to low-income people, he said.

“These are individuals who are productive members of the community who are trying to get to work or school or their health care provider,” Reboletti said. “It makes a lot more sense that we’re helping the people who need the help rather than giving it to everyone because it’s politically expedient.”