Last month, the grassroots transit advocacy group Commuters Take Action held a retirement party for controversial CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. While he did go out on a high note by securing $1.9 billion from the feds for the $5.7 Red Line Extension, he was highly unpopular with many riders due to the system's issues with unreliable service, crime, and sanitation. So the celebration was a tongue-in-cheek affair, and needless to say, the guest of honor was a no-show.
Daniella G. in a Ghostbusters outfit, a reference to “ghost buses” – scheduled runs that never show up – and Emily K. in a beauty pageant costume with a sash that punnily says "Miss the Bus" at the Dorval Carter going away party. Photo: Cameron Bolton
There was a retirement party for another CTA employee this afternoon that was the polar opposite. Perhaps 100 people turned out to honor Janet Martin, the longtime, much-loved Customer Service Assistant at the Armitage Brown Line station in Lincoln Park. Nicknamed the "Mayor" of the train stop, she was wrapping up her 32-year tenure at the the CTA, including more than a quarter-century at this stop, and she was there in all her glory, wearing a miniature crown. At the event, Martin frequently shed tears of joy, and it was clear she relished the show of appreciation from her coworkers, local officials, customers, and neighbors.
Why is Janet Martin so popular with Lincoln Parkers? In addition to being highly professional at her job, she's known as an extremely outgoing and personable person. While many local transit CSAs seem to spend most of their shift in the booth by the turnstiles, according to a Block Club Chicago report, Martin rarely did. Instead, she often stood outside on Armitage greeting people and offering words of encouragement. Especially fond of babies, kids, and pets, she was known for carrying treats in her pocket for dogs whose owners visited her at the station.
The celebration was a surprise party organized by the Sheffield Neighborhood Association in the plaza next to the station. It included free refreshments and gifts for Martin supplied by local merchants.
There were a few Chicagoland elected officials there, and a common theme they espoused was that Martin's impactful career highlights the importance of high-quality public servants. That's an especially significant message at a time when the Trump administration is wielding a chainsaw against crucial government departments.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) read a resolution (read it here) at Wednesday's City Council meeting honoring the beloved CSA and designating February 28 as "Janet Martin Day" in our city. "She sets the standard, not just for CTA employees but everyone in public service," he told me at today's gathering. A longtime government worker himself, he said he's very familiar with jokes about public employees being slackers. "People like Janet Martin prove that isn't true... To bring that positive energy to that job every day is really a special thing. We'd be honoring her even if she just did her job consistently for 32 years. But she went so far above what you're supposed to do, and that's just a tribute to who she is."
Many other local leaders and CTA staffers praised Martin before the crowd. Then she reminisced about how much pleasure she took from meeting people and animals on the job, closing her remarks with some inspiring words of wisdom. "I enjoy every last one of you all," she said. "Please don't stop what you're doing. Think of what I used to do for you or to you. [The audience chuckled.] Please enjoy every little bit of your life, your children, your loved ones. I'll be around – never know when I'm coming. [The audience laughed.] But be happy. Nothing's wrong with being happy. Enjoy the life that you have... Every day is a blessing. Never forget it."
After Martin hugged and took photos with dozens of well-wishers, I asked if, now that she's free to speak her mind, she has any constructive criticism for the CTA management about how to improve conditions for workers and riders. "That's a good question," she replied. "They've got a whole lot of work to do because they've got a new [interim] president [Nora Leerhsen.]"
Are there things about the way the system worked under Dorval Carter that she would have changed? "Oh heck yeah!" she responded. "The bigwigs within the CTA that have the power – we [employees] don't have the power – they need to figure out what they want to do, and what [the CTA] should be able to do for [customers]," she said.
Is she optimistic about the future of the CTA? "I sure am," she said. "They can make the system better if they just think or ask us [workers] questions. A lot of us older people, we know how to talk to people, but [the management doesn't] always. They need to learn to ask our opinions and get more feedback from their employees, and it will pay off... Make sure you tell them that."
She can consider it done. And let's thank Janet Martin for her years of helpful and cheerful service on the CTA.
Below are a few more photos from the party.
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