Promoted

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.

The Metra commuter rail system is considering renaming lines to make the system easier to understand for new and occasional riders. To get feedback on the idea from customers, the agency is conducting an online survey and scheduled three public meetings at downtown terminals this week. On Tuesday, an open house was held at Chicago Union Station, on Wednesday, it was at Ogilvie Transportation Center, and today they're at Millennium Station and La Salle Street Station from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. All Metra routes

Representatives of Kane and McHenry counties argued that if MMA board decisions didn't require a supermajority vote, their districts would be disempowered.

Let's discuss the latest dispute between someone from Toronto, and an American who has many things in common with them.

This article also appears in Streetsblog Chicago cofounder Steven Vance's personal blog Steven Can Plan. He also runs the local development data website Chicago Cityscape.

Recently the Regional Transportation Authority, the agency that oversees the CTA, Metra, and Pace, released a Transit-Friendly Communities Guide to encourage development that's accessible to public transportation. Earlier this week, the RTA held a webinar about the guide for municipal officials, urban planning professionals, and the public. It included success stories of creating equitable transit-oriented developments, and tips on how to use best practices from the handbook to foster ETOD in other communities.

A combination of governance and operational reforms could deliver the transit system riders deserve

Update 12/13/25, 11:40 PM: GOGO Charters spokesperson Jonathan Schneider recently provided the following statement. "GOGO Charters is still planning to launch intercity bus services. We're working towards a launch in late 2026 and are currently building our operations and fleet to meet the heightened daily demand.  To achieve this, we've just made a purchase announcement of 30 new motorcoaches."

The CTA recently announced it's launching a "Frequent Network" with ten-minute or shorter headways all day, seven days a week. The initiative includes 20 high-ridership bus lines citywide dubbed "Frequent Routes," starting with eight lines mostly located on the South Side. Some transit advocates say they're excited about the new initiatives, and have their fingers crossed that the increased service will be dependable, and free from the much-loathed "bus bunching" phenomenon.