Metra and RTA release strategic plans in hopes of a more a fiscally stable future
As transit systems throughout United States continue to adjust to the life after COVID-19, the Regional Transportation Authority and Metra released strategic plans for the future.
March 7, 2023
Blue Line blues: CTA quietly cut schedule again this month, but reliability issues persist
After the CTA announced cuts to scheduled rail service last September in an effort to make the schedule better reflect available labor, earlier this month the agency quietly reduced the number of scheduled Blue Line runs even further.
February 13, 2023
Goodbye Paris Metro entrance, hello waterproofing: A look at planned Van Buren stop changes
Metra and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, the agency that operates the South Shore Line, are working on two projects to improve the Loop’s Van Buren station.
February 12, 2023
Mayoral hopefuls call for accessible stations, municipal sidewalk plowing during disability issues forum
Seven out of the nine declared Chicago mayoral candidates shared their plans for making the city more accessible to people with disabilities at the January 7 forum hosted by Access Living, a disability rights group.
January 10, 2023
The Polar (Vortex) Express: Riding Amtrak during last week’s storm disruptions
While Chicago polar vortex-related flight cancellations have been covered extensively on the news, Amtrak hasn’t gotten nearly as much attention.
December 28, 2022
Congress poised to head off potential Metra-disrupting rail strike, impose contract terms
The U.S. Congress is poised to pass a law that would avert the railroad labor unions strike that would otherwise begin as soon as December 9.
November 29, 2022
Railroad strike threat resurfaces, could impact most Metra lines
The specter of a railroad strike shutting down much of the country’s freight railroad network and some of Metra’s busiest rail lines has risen once again.
November 22, 2022
Metra’s final 2023 budget sticks with fare status quo
It’s not often that Metra's board pushes back on a budget proposal, and it’s even less common for the final budget to be significantly different from what the staff originally presented, but both of those things happened this year.
November 15, 2022
Pace proposes pulling the plug on 69 suspended routes, making most transfers free
The budget calls for doing away with most transfer fees, making all current CTA-only passes valid on Pace, and permanently eliminating 69 routes suspended during COVID.
October 19, 2022
Metra board members object to budget proposal to end Super Saver Monthly Pass
Metra’s proposal to discontinue systemwide day passes, three-zone day passes, and a $100 systemwide Super Saver Monthly Pass in favor of zone-based single-day and monthly passes faced such as strong backslash during the October 12 meeting of the Metra Board of Directors that the press release announcing the proposed new budget framed it as just one of many possibilities.
October 14, 2022
