The Chicago Transit Authority's Budget Crunch: The Unfairness of the Fair Increases

For the past few months, Chicago Transit Authority, has been crying wolf about the transit problems and their budget. Often times, blaming the government for not hearing their cries earlier this summer, but as an avid rider, I have to wonder who side they are really on. Beginning November 4th, the Chicago bus fares will rise for cash riders, or those who have bus passes.

If you are a cash rider, you will have to dip into your pocket book, a lot more. During peak hours, you may have to pay up to $3.25 per ride on the train to get where you need to go. Weekly bus passes will rise to $23 and monthly passes will increase to a monthly fee of $84. If Springfield doesn't do it's job, we will see even more increases and bus cuts in Doomsday #2 (January 2008). High priced bail out ticket: $10 MILLION!

It's amazing, that after all we've been through in Chicago that we (the regular people) have to pay for the sins of others. I think it's unfair to place this financial burden on riders who already have enough increases in this city to deal with.

Who's getting taken for a ride? No matter if you are middle class, lower, or upper, if you take any of the buses in Chicago you will be impacted by the fare increases along with the bus cuts that will take place in early November. A reported 39 buses will be cut in November which will cause job layoffs, increased travel time, and packed buses and trains. Leaving ½ to 1 hour early for your destination may be something that will commonly occur.

The blame game between Chicago Transit Authority's officials and Springfield have been going on for quite some time. Chicago Transit Authority says that it needs at least a few million just to get their budget back on track, and Regional Transit Authority is asking for some money as well.

The problem is that for year, Chicago Transit Authority and Regional Transit Authority have been putting band-aids on problems that should have been fixed long ago. Last January when the Chicago Transit Authority took away the transfers, and increased cash fares up, Chicagoans knew that more would come. The year before that the organization complained about transit funding (2006) when they took away the 'coins' that were commonly used for buses.

The bottom line is that the riders have been paying for the mistakes of others for many years in Chicago. Not only do they pay (monetarily) but one thing doesn't change - service is still crappy in some parts of the city and buses are not up to par. Commonly passengers are on crowded buses, some buses break down causing passengers to get late to their destinations, and there is inconsistency in service.

For example, often on the North side of the city, if service is uninterrupted, there are clear systems set in place for re-routing buses and getting passengers to their destinations, but if you live South, forget it. You are on your own. You some times won't even see a route supervisor (who is supposed to monitor the buses, their schedules, etc).

The only thing that really changes is the price of the buses and trains but the service stays the same. I wonder why they consistently have to place the passengers and their line staff in harms way.

Some of the low income passengers will have a hard time to pay the new fares, will be walking, or trying to catch free rides. There is a concern of people traveling about service, but also violence.

Some high schoolers who often take certain bus routes will be forced to pass schools that are in gang territory. I wonder did the Chicago Transit Authority take that in count when they cut some routes.

How about some people who have no other way to get to their destination than a certain bus?

Lastly, why should we trust the Chicago Transit Authority when they have been crying wolf for years? What if the government does bail them out of this current situation? Will they get back in the same situation by mismanaging funds?

How about the fact that Chicago is on the list for the cities to host the Olympics in 2012. How in the world are we going to get all these people around our fair city with limited bus service, and train schedules?

I just have to wonder who's bright idea all of this was?

I know one thing, I do not plan to give Chicago Transit Authority any extra money. I do not do cash fares and I won't unless it's an emergency. I just hope none of my routes get affected. Otherwise, I'll have to be like other passengers, planning to car-pool or walk. What other choices do you have?

They do this just before the holidays and create such havoc. I wonder if the big heads at the Chicago Transit Authority have really thought about the consequences this will have on our city as a whole.