By J. Niimi
Everyone who rides the CTA regularly has their share of anecdotes about people acting inconsiderately on buses and 'L' trains. I'm talking about littering; loud cellphone conversations; folks watching TikTok videos on their phones or playing music at top volume; and even people smoking tobacco and marijuana. The list of rude behavior goes on ad infinitum. With Chicago transit use down since the COVID-19 pandemic started, these kinds of everyday transgressions surely aren't helping to bring ridership back to pre-2020 numbers.
To its credit, in the past the CTA has tried to be proactive about these issues. Beginning in 2015, it started addressing passenger etiquette with a "courtesy campaign" consisting of humorous posters on trains and buses.
The illustrated chastisements included, "Did your bag pay a fare too?" "Your maid doesn’t work here," and "The train or bus is no place for dinner," among other cheeky admonishments.
So are conditions on the CTA improving? Maybe.
According to an August 2023 WBEZ report, the CTA claimed rider satisfaction was up. "The news comes on the one-year anniversary of CTA President Dorval Carter’s 'Meeting the Moment' plan to improve a transit system that was heavily criticized by riders after the city lifted COVID-19 restrictions," the piece stated.
However, a WBEZ rider survey conducted several months earlier in January 2023 found that there was still widespread dissatisfaction with the behavior of other passengers. "Smoking came up often among survey responses as one of the most common frustrations among train riders, after delays and safety," the report stated. "Smoking and electronic cigarettes are completely banned by CTA, but riders said they didn’t see any enforcement of the rules and several said they felt uncomfortable saying anything to offenders for fear of harassment." The CTA told WBEZ that police had recently written more than a thousand tickets for smoking in the transit system.
A follow-up WBEZ survey published in the Sun-Times in November 2023 also seemed to show that rider satisfaction levels had remained mostly stagnant. "When WBEZ asked riders recently whether they’ve seen improvements in CTA service, many say no," the article stated. "Of more than 460 riders who responded to the survey in September and October, the majority say their opinion of the CTA has stayed the same (49.1 percent) or diminished (25.9 percent) over the past year. Only 20 percent say their opinion has improved."
The same article went on to report that CTA customers continued to feel that there were major problems with rider etiquette and conditions on the buses and trains. "There also were continued complaints regarding frustrations over cleanliness and smoking," it stated. "About 40 percent of the respondents say the CTA is 'only slightly' cleaner than a year ago, 38.4 percent don’t think it’s cleaner, 15 percent say they have seen a noticeable improvement, and 6.2 percent say it has gotten worse. More than 43 percent of those surveyed say they see about the same number of people smoking as a year ago, 30.4 percent see fewer people smoking, 15.6 percent say it’s gotten worse, and 10.3 percent aren’t sure."
Last month, a South Side Red Line commuter contacted Streetsblog to say he frequently encounters people walking up and down the train selling cigarettes and joints, and often smoking while they do so. "This type of behavior does something to... the elderly, and kids going to school should not have to witness guys smoking marijuana or cigarettes," he said. "Very unacceptable." He added that the K-9 guard dog patrol units on the CTA seem indifferent to this illegal behavior.
We asked the asked the transit agency for a response. "The activities [he] described on the CTA are unlawful and unacceptable," a spokesperson said. "Please advise your reader to take the following measures when encountering another rail passenger who’s causing a disturbance:"
• "Call 911 if necessary: For any dangerous or illegal activity, please don’t hesitate to phone Chicago Police."
• "Using the Emergency Button available on every car: This enables riders to alert the train operator, who can then involve security or law enforcement."
• "Contact a Customer Service Attendant at the next station, who can work to address their concerns."
• "Reporting via the CTA Chatbot: You can discreetly report these incidents for follow-up."
"The CTA is committed to actively working to improve safety on our trains and buses," the spokesperson concluded. "We appreciate your help in spreading the word."
So what other tangible measures being taken to improve riders’ experiences on the CTA? One strategy that could help contribute to win-win outcomes is conducting outreach to people experiencing homelessness, addiction, and/or mental illness who seek shelter on transit. It's crucial to do a better job of getting them the services they need.
It's also true that many other riders prefer not to share an 'L' car with people who haven't had a chance to change clothes or bathe in some time, or are sleeping across four or five seats, using drugs, or having a mental health episode.
So it's a step in the right direction for all concerned that the transit agency's 2025 budget includes a two-year, $2 million a year contract extension with the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services to provide services for unhoused riders. DFSS subcontracts with Thresholds and Haymarket Center to help connect people with services like shelter, addiction counseling, and healthcare, on the Red and Blue lines, respectively.
I'd also mention that a major annoyance – that can't just be blamed on unhoused people who don't have access to bathrooms – is people using CTA carriages, platforms, and elevators as lavatories. That's a major problem for wheelchair users who have to deal with unsanitary lifts. We could address it by opening public restrooms at rapid transit stations, which is common in more transit-friendly countries.
It goes without saying that CTA riders from all walks of life would do well to put into practice a transit application of the Golden Rule. Everyone would benefit from the increased implementation of basic Midwestern values like neighborliness and conscientiousness. We can all contribute by making small efforts on our own part.
So let other riders get off the bus or train before you try to get on. Don’t walk the aisles jostling other passengers with a bulky backpack. After sitting down, don’t take up the empty seat next to you with your bags and other belongings. Get yourself a set of earbuds or headphones, and wear them when you watch YouTube videos or play your favorite tunes. Maybe wait until you get home to chow down on that delicious Harold’s takeout, rather than leaving piles of gnawed chicken bones strewn across the train seats. And guys – stop manspreading, for Pete’s sake.
If we put in the effort as individuals, maybe together we can make travel on the CTA just a little bit better for all of us.
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