The Chicago Transit Authority’s bizarre business model of robbing Peter to pay Paul, just isn’t working, anymore. Truthfully, it never did.
In 2009, the top-heavy transportation giant struck a deal with Governor Pat Quinn, which required CTA to freeze fare hikes for two years.
That agreement ends December 31, 2011. There are signs that CTA officials are already wringing their hands and licking their chops, in anticipation of next year's 2012 fare increases.
When asked about CTA's financial future, CTA President, Forrest Claypool, reportedly said, “It’s too early to speculate, but it’s just obvious to me that you’ve got a perfect storm of financial problems.”
Well, we all know what that means. Soon, already-dissatisfied CTA passengers will be paying even more and getting even less.
It may sound crazy, but I have a novel idea.
Maybe if CTA spent more money on security and less dough on high-paid figureheads, they’d have more money to
Right on Timothy! IF they're going to raise fares, than they better start providing better security so they people they transport will feel safe riding their transportation!
ReplyDeleteIf CTA really cared about their passengers they wouldn't keep cutting services while hiring more executives. An outside agency needs to do a serious audit of that company.
ReplyDeleteCTA and Metra waste Millions of dollars continuously by competing with each other on the South Side.
ReplyDeleteThe CTA Gray Line Project would significantly reduce Operating Costs for both, and create a large new Revenue Source: www.Grayline.20m.com
It is presently being studied by the RTA and CDOT:
http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/12456386/348792632/name/PT_South+Lakefront_FEB4+PAC_FINAL.pdf
Does anyone know how much these fare increases will be?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said: "Does anyone know how much these fare increases will be?"
ReplyDeleteCTA has not made an official announcement, but service cuts and fare hikes seem to be inevitable.
I can deal with fare hikes because it's much cheaper than owning and driving a vehicle in this city. What I can't deal with is fare hikes without added security that leaves the riders of the CTA & Metra sitting ducks for these ghetto thugs. Lat time I checked, the riders don't sign a disclosure that said "ride at your own risk"
ReplyDeleteI've never felt unsafe on CTA. I've taken in everyday for 15 years.
ReplyDeletehonestly, unless it is your lucky day, your chance are not great to be picked on while riding cta. we are on a time limit in life, whatever is going to happen will happen.blacks don't want you, whites don't want you, nobody really wants you. it has been decided when and how you will leave this place so better start enjoying life and stop living in fear.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, not only is the CTA president one of the lowest paid transit heads in the country, but also, any non-union workers are required to take so many furlough days per year that it amounts to a double digit decrease in pay (this includes the president's office!). Meanwhile, the transit union (i.e. bus and rail operators, and basically everyone that's not in the main office) gets a yearly pay increase of about 3% whether the economy is bad or not. In fact, I have a friend who works at the main office that said he actually makes nearly the same as a bus operator and a little less than a rail operator.
ReplyDeleteSo you should probably include cutting union workers' pay in your solution as well.
Just an observation, but I think they do pay attention to the routes with regular full-fare customers that rely on them to get to work (on a daily basis). How else would they exist? So far I haven't been inconvenienced by the last round of "service cuts". We'll see what happens this time though.
ReplyDelete