At a relatively peaceful, productive meeting, CTA board approved bus route changes, Narcan machines, track safety pilot
In some ways, today's CTA board meeting wasn't as dramatic as the May one. Unlike last month, Ald. David Moore (17th) wasn't there warning the directors that they would be "backbiting snakes" if they didn't support Mayor Brandon Johnson's pick for the new agency president. That person was the City's current chief operating officer John Roberson, the alder's former chief of staff.
June 11, 2025
Ald. Moore insists that CTA board members who oppose Mayor Johnson’s prez pick, the alder’s ex-COS, would be “backbiting snakes”
"He's a cold-hearted snake... he don't play by rules"
May 15, 2025
Life on the edge: Where Chicagoland transit funding stands as the spring legislative session winds down and the fiscal cliff looms
In a blog post last Thursday, the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the three local transit agencies, once again sounded the alarm that a $771 million total fiscal transit cliff is approaching next year if action is not taken now.
May 12, 2025
Advocates asked mayor, CTA board to delay hiring new prez. Johnson reportedly had already chosen one. Special meeting ended without vote
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."
May 9, 2025
CTA board approves expansion of contract for gun-detecting security cams, amends contract for universal one-day transit pass
CTA Vice President of Security Kevin Ryan said that the artificial intelligence-assisted security cameras the transit agency started to pilot last August led to six arrests, including for a robbery in progress.
April 10, 2025
Pace studying potential express service on I-290/I-88 expressway corridor
Pace Suburban Bus service is asking riders and non-riders to weigh in on potential express service along highways that run through the western and northwest suburbs.
March 22, 2025
At CTA board meeting, talk of funding doomsday scenario, bus lane enforcement contract, new concessions / newsletter / podcast
As Streetsblog readers are well aware, the CTA, Metra, and Pace currently face a combined $770 million budget gap next year as federal COVID-era subsidies run out, but ridership is currently still only around 65 percent of 2019 levels.
March 14, 2025
At CTA board meeting, interim president says she’ll tackle quality-of-ride issues, discussion of pilot to detect people and objects on tracks
At yesterday's CTA board meeting, new acting transit agency president Nora Leerhsen discussed issues she will prioritize in order to improve conditions on trains and increase ridership. These include addressing the problem of smoking on trains, and helping unhoused people who spend the night on the Red and Blue lines get access to shelters.
February 13, 2025
Chicago Transit Board appoints acting president, discusses customer service and public safety
This week, the Chicago Transit Board appointed Dorval Carter’s Chief of Staff Nora Leerhsen to serve as the acting president for the agency, replacing the departing — and controversial — president until a permanent replacement is found.
January 16, 2025
CTA board reflects on the highs and lows of 2024, goals for 2025, at final meeting of the year
At this week's final CTA board meeting of 2024, the directors approved several ordinances. Most notably, the CTA and DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business agreed to launch a pair of pilot programs to help small minority-owned small businesses win contracts with the transit agency.
December 13, 2024
