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Metra looks back at 2020 ridership, ticket sales as it plans for the future
Essential workers, transit-dependent residents, and bicyclists have made up a higher percentage of riders during the pandemic.
February 25, 2021
Metra is unhappy about the RTA focusing stimulus funds on transit-dependent areas
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.
February 22, 2021
Local transit agencies: CDC mask mandate will give our existing rules more teeth
Hopefully now that the federal government is getting more serious about mask compliance, we'll see better behavior on this front from local transit riders.
February 2, 2021
Metra hints that it may eventually move to a less 9-to-5-focused train schedule
A "regional rail" scheme, with more frequent service during non-rush hours, would make the network more useful non-white collar workers, as well as non-work commutes.
February 1, 2021
Is the Metra-Union Pacific feud impacting onboard safety and quality of life?
While's its way past time for Metra and Union Pacific to settle their differences, when it comes to safety and comfort on the UP-operated trains, things could be a lot worse.
January 28, 2021
RTA plans to focus federal COVID stimulus funding to transit-dependent areas
The Regional Transportation Authority is planning to use federal stimulus funding to support transit services to "to the places and people across the region who most need transit" during the pandemic.
January 25, 2021
Metra board chooses new modern passenger rail cars to replace 1950s “Gallery” cars
Metra has selected a new passenger coach design that will eventually replace the current "Gallery" cars.
January 13, 2021
On eve of South Side Metra pilot, Preckwinkle thanks advocates for “banging this drum”
"If you're going to look at things through an equity lens, you do the best to address inequities and past failures on the part of government."
December 23, 2020
Before stimulus, advocates pushed for transparency on cuts. That’s still important.
The possibility of transit cuts is now less of an immediate threat. But it's still important for local transit agencies to be transparent about what would be cut in the event that the federal funding runs out.
December 22, 2020
What will the new COVID stimulus bill mean for Chicagoland transit?
Chicago-area transit agencies and advocates are generally taking a glass-half-full view of the news, noting that in the short term the subsidy will prevent a "beyond-doomsday" scenario.
December 21, 2020
