Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about CTA

Charging a bus a Navy Pier. Photo: Mia Park

Get your electric kicks on Route 66: Test-riding one of the Chicago Avenue e-buses

By Mia Park | Apr 20, 2021 | No Comments

Customers seem to love the smoother, quieter ride on the new buses, so much so that some of them said they'd be willing to pay a higher fare to help electrify the whole fleet.

A #73 Armitage bus with a "Masked Required" message on its display. Photo: John Greenfield

RTA survey: Most people who stopped commuting by transit during COVID plan to return

By John Greenfield | Apr 15, 2021 | No Comments

About 80 percent of respondents who weren't riding buses and trains on a frequent basis said they planned to to return to their pre-pandemic commuting habits once worries about the coronavirus ease.

Thanks to widespread mask use and decent ventilation, studies show transit use has been fairly safe during COVID. Photo: John Greenfield

Sun-Times’ Laura Washington is right: We all need to start riding transit again

By John Greenfield | Apr 7, 2021 | No Comments

If we want local public transportation to survive the COVID-19 pandemic intact, we've got to be the change we want to see.

One of the new electric buses recharging at Navy Pier. Photo: CTA

Electric Feel: CTA is piloting six e-buses on the #66 route with smoother, quieter ride

By John Greenfield | Apr 2, 2021 | No Comments

There was more good news about the CTA modernizing its rolling stock today, as the agency announced that six prototype electric buses have begun in-service testing with passengers.

Active Transportation Alliance, transit officials discuss suburban transportation challenges

By Igor Studenkov | Mar 30, 2021 | No Comments

The shortcomings of Chicago area public transit are self-evident to any suburban transit rider who has ever tried to get anywhere but the Loop.

Litter on the Red Line last month. Photo: John Greenfield

Yes, CTA needs to improve, but let’s avoid homeless-blaming and overpolicing

By John Greenfield | Mar 12, 2021 | No Comments

there are better ways to improve safety and rider experience on the CTA to help avoid a dangerous post-COVID spike in driving

Administering the vaccine at a CTA workplace. Photo: CTA

Pace and CTA pitch in on COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts

By John Greenfield | Mar 10, 2021 | No Comments

Pace announced yesterday that it's teaming up with the city of Chicago to make it easier for paratransit users to safely access COVID-19 testing sites. Meanwhile, the CTA provided an update on efforts to vaccinate its workers.

Rendering of the east view of the station.

Why has the Damen Green Line station project been delayed by two years?

By David Zegeye | Mar 9, 2021 | No Comments

While the city isn't saying exactly what the holdup was, hopefully city planners will learn from this experience in order to prevent other underserved communities from experiencing delayed transit access.

The Garfield Green Line station after the Garfield Gateway rehab project. About a third of the labor was done by workers from low-income communities. Photo: CTA

CTA, peer transit agencies urge Biden administration to end local hiring ban

By Igor Studenkov | Mar 4, 2021 | No Comments

Reagan-era legislation prohibits transit agencies from favoring local firms and workers for infrastructure projects. Lifting the ban could provide new opportunities.

A CTA bus driver on Sheridan Road early in the pandemic. Photo: John Greenfield

How COVID-19 impacted has Chicagoland public transportation workers

By Igor Studenkov | Mar 2, 2021 | No Comments

During the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 1,874 Chicago area transit workers tested positive for the disease, at least 14 had to be hospitalized and at least 14 passed away.

A Metra train pulls into the Palatine station. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Metra is unhappy about the RTA focusing stimulus funds on transit-dependent areas

By Igor Studenkov | Feb 22, 2021 | No Comments

The CTA would get $361 million, while Metra would get only $83 million, and Pace would get $22 million for fixed-route bus service, plus $20 million for paratransit.

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