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* Politico…
State Rep. Kam Buckner is urging transportation officials to modernize procedures so that riders on Metra Electric trains can also use South Shore trains. “Many Chicagoans have stood on the platform of our Museum Campus, watched a South Shore train pull up, open the doors, and been told by the conductor they are not allowed to enter that train to ride,” he wrote in a letter to leaders of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) and Metra Metropolitan Rail. “I have had that exact experience. The doors close and they are left at the station, waiting for the next Metra train.”
Looking at legislation: Buckner, who is passionate about rail transportation, said he’s considering filing legislation that will require outbound trains on the South Shore Line to pick up riders at all stops. He sent similar letters to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) about his concerns.
* From Rep. Buckner’s letter…
I live along the Metra Electric and I have often wished I could take advantage of the South Shore trains to catch a ride up to Millennium Station. That, however, is currently prohibited. Many Chicagoans, have stood on the platform of our Museum Campus, watched a South Shore train pull up, open the doors, and been told by the conductor they are not allowed to enter that train to ride, I have had that exact experience. The doors close and they are left at the station, waiting for the next Metra train. At a time when we are scrambling to prepare for transit’s fiscal cliff and working to earn every single rider back to transit we possibly can, intentionally restricting service to make transit more inconvenient and less attractive is malfeasance.
This is a policy created decades ago that we current policymakers have all inherited. It’s the starkest example of how we need to reimagine our services and our shared transportation assets to better serve the residents who pay to maintain them.
* This is just so ridiculous and is apparently based on an old non-compete agreement. NICTD is the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and MED is the Metra Electric District…
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 12:12 pm
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“Matryoshka doll of goofy policies” is one of the best metaphors I’ve ever heard.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 12:19 pm
Let’s see CTA passes accepted on PACE only took about 30 years so this should be a snap.
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 12:45 pm
As a practical matter, the only stations this would affect are 63rd and 55-56-57th; the rest are so close to the end of the line they’ll have minimal traffic.
But 55-56-57th is one of the busiest stations on the line. Giving Metra riders an extra option will be a win for them, and at pretty much zero cost to South Shore Line.
Comment by Benjamin Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 1:35 pm
The Chicago area’s asinine multi-agency public transit structure strikes again.
Comment by TNR Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 1:42 pm
It’s a money issue between the railroads, and nothing more. Should be fixable to balance the costs between Metra and South Shore. But then I remember when Illinois demanded millions more in tax money to level out the cross-border income tax issue. Indiana laughed heartily and ended the compact. Is there hope that Metra is smarter?
Comment by thisjustinagain Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 2:12 pm
If a ship visited from another planet, they’d surely ask why the CTA and Metra aren’t on the same fare system.
Comment by Biker Thursday, Nov 30, 23 @ 9:23 pm