Horror of the Chicago Transit Authority: The sequel

It's freezing weather on a January evening and I am waiting for bus route# 82- Kimball-Homan at a bus stop which does not have any sort of shelter, let alone benches. I am supposed to be at the Fine Arts Building at 7:05 p.m. and it's 7:15 p.m. now. The bus finally arrives at 7:20 p.m., which was supposed to come around 6:45 p.m. to 6:55 p.m., and I missed an important quiz as I was late for the class. Again, at 9:45 p.m., I am at the Catalpa bus stop, another bus stop without any shelter. It's snowing now and I am begging God for the bus to come. It finally arrived at 11:15 p.m.

For crying out loud, it's going to be officially worse beginning Feb. 7. The route # 82's service frequency will be changed. According to the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) latest press release, on Feb. 7, rail service was reduced by 9 percent and CTA bus service was reduced by 18 percent, including route # 82 on which many of the NEIU students depend. On weekdays, during the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-18 minutes, during the midday, service will operate approximately every 8-13 minutes, during the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 4-9 minutes, during the evening, service will operate approximately every 13-20 minutes, as detailed on the CTA official website. The already late bus route will almost be near -eliminated. "Please allow extra travel time" is the notion on the website.

According to the CTA president Richard L. Rodriguez, service reductions are now necessary because "the revenues that help subsidize CTA service are tied to sales and real estate transfer taxes, which are both down significantly due to the recession. By managing responsibly and making very difficult but necessary decisions, the CTA will have a balanced budget for 2010 as required by law." What will passengers have Mr. President? Does he really seem to care? There will be shorter hours on 41 routes and less frequent service on 119 routes, and customers will experience more crowded conditions and longer wait times between buses and trains, as maintained in the press release. The CTA's $1.27 billion 2010 budget was approved by the Chicago Transit Board in November 2009 without increasing proposed fare increase, because of the agreement made with Governor Quinn, but elimination of more than 1,100 CTA jobs and service reductions resulted.

"Because nearly 90 percent of the workforce is unionized," says Rodriguez, "the CTA has tried to work with leaders of the union and trade uniorepresentatives to implement similar cost-saving measures with our union workforce."

"The CTA asked the unions to consider working with the CTA to reduce labor costs in order to balance the budget without significant service reductions," says Rodriguez, "so we can maintain the service upon which you, our customers, rely. Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach an agreement with the unions, so service reductions will go forward on February 7."

"We are hopeful that as the economy improves, so will our revenues, so that we may begin to restore service," says Rodriguez. "A healthy transit system curbs traffic congestion and pollution while improving mobility, economic competitiveness and the quality of life for all the people in the region." That's the excuse made by the president of the nation's second largest transit system, which has approximately 1.7 million passengers and 2,000 buses that operate over 154 routes traveling along 2,273 route miles (3,658 km), with buses providing about one million passenger trips a day and serve more than 12,000 posted bus stops. The CTA's 1,190 train cars operate over eight routes and 222 miles (357 km) of track. Its trains provide about 650,000 customer trips each day and serve 144 stations in Chicago. It was. Not anymore. Let us all pray for economic stability to happen.