Transit group says CTA should restore bus routes and schedules which have been eliminated as “service adjustment” over the past 5 years
CTA Ridership has dropped 16.3% since a record high in 2012, with ridership expected to fall another 1.8% in 2020

November 4, 2019

Citizens Taking Action for transit dependent riders, an advocacy group states that CTA and elected officials are responsible for the decline in ridership of 16.3% since a record high in 2012. Ridership expected to fall another 1.8% in 2020. Members of the organization say CTA should restore bus routes and schedules which have been eliminated as “service adjustment” over the past 5 years

Charles Paidock, co-director, states that “We have been warning for years that something should be done about cuts in bus routes and schedules, even since CTA implemented an alleged plan in 2012 to supposedly “reduce overcrowding.” In many respects CTA is becoming a rush hour only service, catering to passengers only during that peak period. As a result, early and late evening, and weekend service has declined across the system, with twenty-four hour service offered only on a limited number of routes. It comes as no surprise that passengers are turning to other travel modes.”

CHRONOLOGY

December 2012
Crowding Reduction: The CTA began offering additional service on 48 bus routes and six rail lines during weekdays, as part of a comprehensive plan to reduce uncomfortable crowding on the system’s busiest routes and help meet growing ridership demand. The plan is the equivalent of $16 million in added service to bus and rail routes that are used by more than 76 percent of CTA’s customers – and comes at no additional cost to taxpayers and riders.

Chicago Tribune August 23, 2012
26 bus routes face cuts, changes under CTA 'crowding reduction' plan
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-08-23-ct-met-cta-riders-react-0823-20120823-story.html

Press Release November 21, 2012
CTA Group Says Riders Again Pay More for Less Service
http://www.ctariders.org/Fare2012.html

Press Release March 13, 2013
The List of CTA Bus Routes on Maps Has Gotten Shorter by One (1') Foot
http://www.ctariders.org/BusRouteLists.html

Press Release September 17, 2013
Transit Group Study Shows Significant Cuts in Bus Service Over the Past 5 Years
http://www.ctariders.org/CTABusRoutes.html

Chicago Tribune September 17, 2014
CTA bus ridership down year-over-year for past 19 months
https://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-cta-bus-ridership-down-20140917-story.html

Press Release September 18. 2014
CTA Makes Cuts to Core System and Then Wonders Why Ridership Declined
Transit Group Says Declining Ridership Due To “Service Adjustments”
http://www.ctariders.org/RidershipDown.html

Chicago Sun-Times March 6, 2015
8% tumble in rides by bus customers 
CTA rides down almost 3% in 2014, despite record rail use
http://www.ctariders.org/Decline.html

Press Release May 17, 2016
CTA Group Seeks to Expand Bus Hours of Operation
http://www.ctariders.org/BusStudy.html

Pres Release November 21, 2016
Ridership statistics from the past decade suggest that Americans have gotten off the bus
Proposed Solution to Reverse Declining Ridership
http://www.ctariders.org/BusRidership.html

Press Release February 28, 2017
Passengers Are Often Stranded With No Way to Get Home 
Transit Group Says Bus Service Should Be CTA’s Priority
http://www.ctariders.org/Transit-Group-Says-Bus-Service-Should-Be-CTA-s-Priority-.html

Press Release November 15, 2017
CTA Cuts Service for Years, Then Wants a Fare Increase
http://www.ctariders.org/CTA-Cuts-Service-for-Years--Then-Wants-a-Fare-Increase.html


Citizens Taking Action 
for transit dependent riders 
Chicago, IL
www.CTA.riders.org