* Carole Brown and Julie Hamos writing in Crain’s about mass transit reform…
As just one example, many regional travelers are still unable to transfer easily between Metra and CTA or Pace (without having to pay twice), despite a legislative requirement to achieve this more than a decade ago.
* House Bill 3597 was signed into law almost 14 years ago…
Provides that, by January 1, 2013, the Regional Transportation Authority, in consultation with the Service Boards (Chicago Transit Authority, Commuter Rail Division, and Suburban Bus Division) and the general public, must develop a policy regarding transfer fares on all fixed-route public transportation services provided by the Service Boards. Sets forth the requirements for the policy.
Provides that, by January 1, 2015, the Authority must develop and implement a regional fare payment system. Requires that the payment system developed by the Authority allow consumers to use contactless credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards to pay for all fixed-route public transportation services
And yet, we’re supposed to trust these same agencies to reform themselves now?
* Back to Speaker Chris Welch’s interview with the Sun-Times…
I think it’s extremely important that we consider reforms to improve administration and rider experience. I think to talk about money before talking about reforms is irresponsible. […]
They’re not getting anything before we talk about reforms, everyone agrees that we need to implement some reforms first. We need to improve administration. We need to improve the rider experience. We can’t even have that money conversation before that. […]
They gotta get the trains to run on time. They gotta get people to and from work on time. They gotta get people around the city, around the suburbs, so that the transit experience helps our economy and not hurts it.
- Jerry - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:07 pm:
I agree with Speaker Welch that “reform” is needed. But “reform” is like “pro-life!”…a nice political marketing slogan.
If you think “reform” is merging all the agencies to get a single fare payment system in place well it didnt happen with the RTA.
Getting people around isnt a problem, the system does that. And most of the time it is on time (at least the times I ride). I implore Speaker Welch to hop on the CTA Blue Line from Forest Park to Downtown. THAT is a problem.
Fares will need to go up. Cutting service will hurt the economy.
- ElTacoBandito - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:07 pm:
The RTA itself needs reform, but I don’t understand why there is so much talk about creating one new all encompassing authority. Isn’t that what the RTA is supposed to be? It seems like that is Kirk Dillard’s point recently.
- Macon Deliberations - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:25 pm:
It is so easy to make the Metra electric to start running all the way to Kankakee, how has this not happened? At minimum how have they not pressured the legislature to make this happen? You can make the train start running to Kankakee while the stations between University Park and Kankakee are built it is so simple! What does Dillard have against the southland is what I’m wondering at this point.
- Just Me 2 - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:32 pm:
Because the RTA board is appointed by the same local officials that appoint the CTA/Metra/Pace the oversight/coordination agency is powerless to actually coordinate service as the service providers hate it.
Until the RTA is truly independent from the others there will never be reform.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:37 pm:
Kankakee isn’t in the current service territory for RTA. As such, those residents don’t pay into the transit funding formula for RTA. I think to add Kankakee, there would have to be a referendum on imposing the necessary sales tax in Kankakee County.
While I love the idea of extending Metra to Kankakee, I think that referendum would be a long shot to pass.
- Original Rambler - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 1:51 pm:
Seems like the fiefdoms are not reading the room. First one to get on board may get a leg up on the eventual consolidation.
As to the 2015 mandate for a regional fare payment system, did any auditor ever point out that this wasn’t implemented? Seems like that is what we have auditors for.
- SWSider - Friday, Jan 17, 25 @ 2:01 pm:
Mass transit would be one avenue for a Il Governor to Think Big, if anyone was interested in doing such a thing…