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The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today proposed a $1.99 billion operating budget that keeps fares at current levels, maintains the delivery of bus and rail services, with plans to add additional service to meet growing ridership demand—all while continuing to make important investments to upgrade and modernize the system.

The proposed spending budget reflects a 9.2 percent increase (or $168.2 million) over the previous year’s budget and supports CTA’s ongoing workforce initiatives for hiring and retaining key operations personnel, while also introducing several new measures that will help improve the overall customer experience with enhanced security and improved Ventra fare system features. This includes a new ChatBot for improved customer service, ongoing work with our transit partners at Metra, Pace and RTA to deliver innovative fare products, plus a new, dedicated program that will provide pre-loaded Ventra Cards to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

“I deeply believe that an examination of an agency’s budget is all that is required to understand who and what it prioritizes. The CTA’s proposed 2024 budget puts a high premium on providing the highest levels of service, customer comfort, modernization and equity,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “I am pleased with the continued progress and positive trends that CTA continues to make, but we still have work to do to provide the service that I believe our customers deserve and expect. I am committed to returning more scheduled service to our bus and rail systems in 2024.”

CTA ridership grew steadily throughout 2023, reaching a pandemic-era high of more than 25.83. million rides during the month of September. Overall system-wide ridership for 2023 is forecasted to finish 12 percent higher than in 2022. Ridership is projected to increase further in 2024, approximately 5.7 percent over the 2023 forecasted ridership.

The continued strengthening of CTA’s workforce is critical to further improving the delivery of its services.

In 2023, the CTA made tremendous progress toward addressing this issue, hosting seven job fairs that attracted more than 3,000 potential employees, while hiring hundreds of new workers into a variety of positions. As a result of CTA’s ongoing aggressive recruiting efforts, it has already surpassed its goal of hiring 700 new bus operators in 2023, and anticipates hiring more than 900 bus operators by the end of the year.

CTA is also on track to hire approximately 100 bus mechanics in 2023, which is more than double the normal rate. On the rail side, almost 100 flaggers will have been trained and transitioned into rail operator positions by the end of 2023, which is significantly more rail operators trained than the number of rail operators historically trained in a year.

Overall, CTA is projecting to hire more than 2,000 new employees for the current year, also far exceeding the 1,200 annual hiring norm. CTA will continue to plan, monitor, and respond to the shifting employment landscape to meet its people and service needs. As such, CTA anticipates continued optimization of its service schedules to reflect its growing workforce–additional service is expected to be added in 2024.

Since the start of the pandemic, federal funding has been crucial to allow transit agencies across the country, including the CTA, to maintain their operations. Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan will help the CTA close a projected $473 million budget gap in 2024—and allow the agency to continue providing as much service as possible with its available workforce. Despite the financial challenges, the CTA continues to look for ways to operate more efficiently and effectively, and to best serve the region.

“While more and improved funding and investment is unquestionably the most important issue facing CTA finances, our number one priority is always the people who take hundreds of millions of rides on our system every year. It is incumbent upon us to work diligently to find better ways to serve them and improve their travel experience.” Carter added.

The CTA’s 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Program—which is separate from the agency’s operating budget—calls for $3.61 billion in projects over the next five years. This budget reflects CTA’s ongoing commitment towards the modernization and improvement of its physical infrastructure—tracks, rail stations, buses and trains, facilities and technologies. Among the many important investments is the Red Line Extension, which will extend the CTA’s busiest rail line to the southern City limits and will provide greatly improved transit access and connectivity to the Far South Side of Chicago.

Other capital projects to continue or begin in 2024 include:

• All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP): A total of 14 rail stations are now fully-funded for future accessibility modernization construction work. Of these stations, five are currently under construction, three are in design and five are in various stages of planning. In addition to station improvements, CTA has $37M in funding for elevator replacements and/or modernizations of existing elevators across the system-up to 16 elevators.
• **Bus System Electrification: **Funds allocated for the full-electrification of the 103rd Garage, plus an allocation of funding for the ongoing Chicago Garage implementation.
• Rail Fleet Modernization: Increased production of the 7000-series–CTA’s newest generation of railcars. Plus, ongoing quarter-life overhauls of the agency’s 5000-series
• Refresh & Renew: Expansion of this annual facilities improvement program to include more CTA employee workplaces, while continuing to focus on rail station repairs and enhancements.

More information on the proposed 2024 budget is at transitchicago.com/finance/.

A public hearing will be held on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at CTA headquarters located at 567 W. Lake Street, second floor conference room, Chicago, Illinois 60661.  The facility is accessible to people with disabilities.

CTA will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard at the public hearing with respect to the proposed 2024-2028 Capital Program of Projects, 2024 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2025 and 2026.  Written and oral comments will be taken into consideration prior to adoption of the proposed 2024-2028 Capital Program of Projects, 2024 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2025 and 2026.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS.  Written comments may be submitted for consideration in the following manner: by correspondence addressed to Chicago Transit Authority, Office of the Board Secretary, 567 W. Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661; by hand delivery to the above address turned in to the first floor mail room; by fax to 312-681-5035; or by email to Boardoffice@transitchicago.com.  Written comments must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

ORAL STATEMENTS.  Members of the public who wish to speak at the public hearing are encouraged to register prior to the hearing, by completing and submitting a Request to Speak form online at transitchicago.com/finance by 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 7, 2023.  Persons wishing to provide an in-person oral statement at the public hearing will be announced to deliver their remarks during the public hearing.  Persons wishing to deliver their remarks via dial-in must indicate the dial-in option on the Request to Speak form.  Registered speakers who have opted to dial-in will be called by CTA, at the telephone number provided on their Request to Speak form, during the Thursday, November 9, 2023 hearing to be connected to the public hearing proceedings. 

REGISTRATION AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING.  Members of the public may also make in-person requests while the hearing is in process.  Such requests will be accepted between
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 9, 2023.  Individuals who pre-register to speak will be heard first.  Individuals who request to speak while the hearing is in progress will then speak in the order their request was received.

At the public hearing, an American Sign Language interpreter and a Spanish interpreter will be provided.  Individuals with disabilities who require other accommodations to review the budget or provide feedback should contact the Office of the Board Secretary at Boardoffice@transitchicago.com or by calling 312-681-5022 or contact Relay.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today proposed a $1.8 billion operating budget that keeps fares at current levels, maintains the agency’s commitment to improving service, and continues important investments to upgrade and modernize the system.

The proposed spending advances the CTA’s “Meeting the Moment: Transforming CTA’s Post-Pandemic Future” Action Plan, a multifaceted investment plan that focuses on responding to customers’ concerns and strengthening the foundations of the rider experience – more consistent and reliable service, safe rides, clean facilities, modern amenities, dynamic customer engagement tools, and a strong CTA workforce.  

“Our proposed 2023 operating budget is both fiscally prudent and responsible, with a focus on further improving the essential transit services that Chicagoans rely on as the region continues to evolve from the pandemic,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “In the year ahead, we are committed to maximizing every dollar of our budget to both modernize our system and continue work on the strategic initiatives outlined in support of the guiding pillars of ‘Meeting the Moment’ Action Plan, which addresses the most pressing challenges facing our customers and employees.” 

CTA ridership grew steadily throughout 2022, reaching a pandemic-era high of more than 5.5 million weekly rides the first week of October. Ridership is projected to increase further in 2023, approximately 9 percent over 2022 ridership.

To ensure that CTA meets that demand, the agency continues an aggressive, comprehensive recruitment program to address the biggest issue impacting service: attracting and retaining workers, especially frontline employees like bus and rail operators. Like businesses across the country, especially those in the transportation industry, the CTA continues to face workforce challenges related to the pandemic. The impacts of the Great Resignation, retirements, competition for workers and other factors means that the CTA does not have enough Bus and Rail operators needed to provide all scheduled service.

In 2022, the CTA made great progress toward addressing this issue, hosting eight job fairs that attracted hundreds of potential employees, while hiring dozens of new workers into a variety of positions. The agency has also worked closely with its operator’s union to help address a shortage of nearly 1,000 workers.

Additionally, the CTA continues to improve the digital tools used to provide customer information. Already, CTA introduced a redesigned, mobile-friendly Bus Tracker website, and continues to work on the data and algorithms that power the trackers, to make sure they are as accurate as possible.

Since the start of the pandemic, federal funding has been crucial to allow transit agencies across the country, including the CTA, to maintain their operations. Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan will help the CTA close a projected $390 million budget gap in 2023—and allow the agency to continue providing full service. Despite the financial challenges, the CTA continues to look for ways to operate more efficiently and effectively, and to best serve the region.

Additionally, the CTA remains focused on modernization and improvement of its physical infrastructure—tracks, rail stations, buses and trains, facilities and technologies. The CTA’s 2023-2027 Capital Improvement Program—which is separate from the agency’s operating budget—calls for $3.4 billion in projects over the next five years. Among many important investments is the Red Line Extension, which will extend the CTA’s busiest rail line to the southern City limits, and will provide greatly improved transit access and connectivity to the Far South Side of Chicago.

Other capital projects to continue or begin in 2023 include:

• All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), to make CTA’s rail system 100% vertically accessible.
• Expansion of electric bus fleet, part of CTA’s commitment to complete the electrification of the entire bus fleet by the year 2040.
• Refresh & Renew, an expanded and accelerated rail station improvement program.
• Better Streets for Buses, a comprehensive, citywide plan for bus-priority streets.

“Investment in transit infrastructure has always been an investment in a strong future for the city,” Carter said. “Further, continued investment in transit is directly tied to our city’s economic recovery, a way to promote jobs and opportunities at a time when the city needs them most.”

More information on the proposed 2023 budget is at transitchicago.com

A virtual public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. November 10, 2022. Due to public health concerns, the public hearing will proceed only virtually.

A link to view the hearing will be available at transitchicago.com/finance. Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual public hearing are encouraged to submit their request prior to the hearing. Options for providing comment at the virtual hearing or for submission to the Chicago Transit Board on the proposed 2023-2027 Capital Program of Projects, 2022 Operating Budget and Program, and the Financial Plan for 2023 and 2024 are detailed below: 

WRITTEN STATEMENTS: Written statements will be taken into consideration prior to the adoption of the proposed 2023-2027 Capital Program of Projects, 2023 Operating Budget and Program, and Financial Plan for 2023 and 2024. Written comments for the Chicago Transit Board’s review and consideration must be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Written comments may be submitted in any of the following ways: 

• Via US Mail, CTA Board Office, 567 W. Lake Street, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60661 
• Via drop off at CTA Headquarters, 567 W. Lake Street, 1st floor mailroom 
• Via fax at 312-681-5035 
• Via email at GLonghini1@transitchicago.com

ORAL STATEMENTS: Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual public hearing are encouraged to register prior to the hearing, by completing and submitting a Request to Speak form online at transitchicago.com/finance. Individuals registered online by Wednesday, November 9, 2022, the day before the hearing, will be called by the CTA, at the telephone number provided, during the November 10, 2022 hearing, to be connected to the virtual public hearing proceedings. 

DIAL IN AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING: Members of the public may also dial-in, while the hearing is in progress, to request to speak, by calling 312-681-3091. Individuals who pre-register to speak will be taken up first at the virtual public hearing. Individuals who call while the hearing is in progress will then speak in the order that they call in. 

At the virtual public hearing the CTA will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to social, economic, environmental and other related aspects of the proposed 2023-2027 Capital Program of Projects, 2023 Operating Budget and Program, Proposed Fare Reductions and the Financial Plan for 2023 and 2024.

At the virtual public hearing, an American Sign Language interpreter and a Spanish interpreter will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who require other accommodations to review the budget or to provide feedback should contact Gregory Longhini, Board Secretary, at GLonghini1@transitchicago.com, 312-681-5022 or Relay.