The Regional Transportation Authority is responsible for overseeing the organizations that provide passenger transportation services to northeastern Illinois. The organization coordinates public transportation efforts for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. Based out of Chicago, Ill., the organization is a special purpose unit of the local government and a municipal corporation of the state of Illinois. Created in 1974, initially, the authority provided financial assistance to the then-existing public transit operators. Its role subsequently expanded to include the acquisition and operation of public transportation carriers as well as contracting to provide service. The Regional Transportation Authority Board, appointed from the six-county region, is required annually to review and approve a five-year capital plan, which is a blueprint of the capital activities to be funded by the organization and executed by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus