- For the band or album named Chicago Transit Authority, see Chicago (band).
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), founded on October 1st, 1947, provides bus and rail mass transit services to the citizens of Chicago and several of the city's inner suburbs.
History
In 1914, all street railways in and immediately around Chicago consolidated to become Chicago Surface Lines (CSL). In 1924, another amalgam of small companies, made up of Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Co. (formed in 1892), Lake Street Elevated Railroad Co. (1893), Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Co. (1895), and Northwestern Elevated Railroad Co. (1900), all consolidated to form the Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CRT). These two consolidated companies eventually became the foundation for the CTA.
The CTA was created by an act of the Illinois legislature, at the time of its formation it assumed operation of most of the city's local transportation services after it acquired the properties of the Chicago Surface Lines and the Chicago Rapid Transit Company.
In 1983, the Illinois Legislature passed the Regional Transportation Act creating the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). The Act created Metra out of the regional commuter rail lines and Pace out of the suburban bus companies, but it gave some budgetary control of the CTA to the RTA. Since then, CTA has been required to recover 51% of its operating expenses in the farebox and have approved its 5-year capital program by the RTA. CTA is free to set service levels and fares within those guidelines.
In 1997, after the Clinton Administration cut Federal operating assistance to the CTA, the CTA was forced to cut 10% of its bus service.
In 2004, the CTA faced a budget crisis. If CTA does not receive assistance from the Illinois state government, it will cut 20% of its service in mid-2005. In particular, 24-hour service on the Blue Line and the Red Line (Chicago is the only American city outside New York with 24-hour heavy rail service) would be ended as trains would not run between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. The cuts have been delayed until July 2005 due to a promise from state legislators to find the needed $80 million somewhere during the legislative session. However, the CTA warned that if the money is not found by then, the CTA will have to go ahead with the cuts and simultaneously raise the basic fare by 40 cents to $2.15.
Operations and service area
The CTA operates the second largest public transportation system in the United States and covers the City of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs. On an average weekday, 1.4 million rides are taken on the CTA.
CTA has approximately 2,000 buses that operate over 152 routes and 2,273 route miles. Buses provide about 1 million passenger trips a day and serve more than 12,000 posted bus stops. CTA's 1,190 rapid transit cars operate over seven routes and 222 miles of track. CTA trains provide about 500,000 customer trips each day and serve 144 stations in Chicago, Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Rosemont, Forest Park, Oak Park and Cicero.
Chicago is one of the few cities in the world that provides rapid transit service to two major airports. From the downtown area the CTA's Blue Line takes customers to O'Hare International Airport in about 40 minutes and the Orange Line takes customers to Midway Airport in about 30 minutes.
Chicago Transit Board
The governing arm of the CTA is the Chicago Transit Board. The board consists of seven members appointed by the Mayor of Chicago and the Governor of Illinois. The Mayor's appointees are subject to the approval of the Governor and the Chicago City Council; the Governor's appointees are subject to the approval of the Mayor and the Illinois State Senate. CTA's day-to-day operations are directed by its President.
Revenue
The CTA generates revenue from farebox collections and also receives supplemental funding for operating expenses from the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).
- CTA Budget 1999
- Operating Budget $795.9 million
- Capital Budget $235.0 million
- CTA Budget 2000
- Operating Budget $841 million
- Capital Budget $409 million
- CTA Budget 2001
- Operating Budget $869 million
- Capital Budget $477 million
- CTA Budget 2002
- Operating Budget $915 million
- Capital Budget $495 million
- CTA Budget 2003
- Operating Budget $925 million
- Capital Budget $539 million
Employment
The Chicago Transit Authority employs more than 11,000 people.
Contact information
- Mail
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- Chicago Transit Authority
- 567 W. Lake Street
- Chicago, IL 60661
- Telephone
-
- +1-888-968-7282
- Fax
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- +1-312-321-0394
See also
External links
- Chicago Transit Authority (http://www.transitchicago.com) - official site, including a trip planner.
- Midwest Unrest (http://www.midwestunrest.net) - a site by a group that tried to organize a fare strike to get the CTA to delay cuts in December 2004.
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