The Ride

Even with the mass transit funding bailout passed last week, thousands of disabled transit riders who use
Pace paratransit will still be hit with higher fares beginning Feb. 1, when the cost of the ADA monthly
pass doubles to $150.

The increase angers paratransit users who feel their needs weren’t addressed in the $535 million bailout
bill that kept the CTA and Pace from going ahead with drastic “doomsday” service cuts and fare increases.

Adding insult to injury, they say, was Governor Blagojevich’s surprise move to allow seniors to ride mass transit for free.

“The Legislature and the governor, they have ignored paratransit riders and ignored the disabled,” said
55-year-old Will Crosby.

Crosby was one of the organizers of a meeting held Thursday meeting by a pair of disability rights
groups.

The two groups, IMPRUVE and Concerned Citizens of Paratransit, want the price of the ADA monthly pass to stay the same, and if it doesn’t, they’re threatening to file federal discrimination claims against Pace and the Regional Transportation Authority.

“We have a civil right to safe, affordable service,” IMPRUVE coordinator Ayo Maat said.

Crosby and others at the meeting noted that many people with disabilities are on fixed incomes and
cannot afford to pay an additional $900 a year to ride paratransit.

The ADA monthly pass allows eligible paratransit riders who live in Chicago to take an unlimited number
of trips for $75 a month. Doubling the price of the pass will bring the annual cost to $1,800.

Officials from Pace and the RTA said the price increase is necessary because Pace has not met the 10
percent farebox recovery ratio for its paratransit service. By state law, each of the transit agencies
has to cover a certain percentage of its operating expenses with passenger fares.

So while the mass transit funding bailout will provide millions of operating dollars for paratransit, Pace is
still obligated to hit its 10 percent target, Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot said.

“Raising the price of the ADA monthly pass is not related to the budget struggles we were having,” Wilmot said. “It’s a matter of unfortunate timing that the price increase is going into effect so soon after
the funding crisis is resolved, but we’re compelled to comply with the state law.”

It would take action by the General Assembly to waive or rescind the 10 percent farebox requirement in order for Pace to keep the monthly pass at its current price, Pace and the RTA have said.

But so far, legislators have made no move to tackle the issue.

Blagojevich has said that he wants to provide free rides to people with disabilities in the 2009 state budget, yet many disabled riders say that’s too long to wait, if the price of the ADA pass goes up next month.

“Where are people going to come up with that extra $900 in the meantime,” Crosby said.

“And then the transit agencies are going to say, where is that money going to come from,” added paratransit rider Mike Grice, of Hyde Park.

Roughly 29,900 registered paratransit users in Chicago are eligible to use the ADA monthly pass, Pace said. The regular paratransit fare is $2.25 per ride.

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 07:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

The CTA is ordering hundreds of new rail cars that will likely have New York-style aisle-facing seats. The seating configuration creates more aisle space and makes it easier for passengers to get on and off.

But for some reason, many Chicagoans hate the idea.

How come? Does facing your fellow rider make it that much harder to ignore them or something?

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBacks (0)

The Regional Transportation Authority is seeking suggestions on how to improve transit options for people with disabilities, older adults and reverse commuters.

If you've got a good idea for a capital or operating project that would make the CTA, Metra and/or Pace more efficient while not duplicating existing service, you can apply for federal grant money to make that idea happen.

The RTA is accepting applications for two federal grants worth a combined $6.5 million. One is the Job Access Reverse Commute Program, which focuses on improving transit for low-income and reverse commuters. The other, the New Freedom Program, seeks to add new public transportation options for people with disabilities.

More information will be available at a Jan. 30 open house at the RTA's headquarters, 175 West Jackson Blvd, Suite 1550, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also download a grant application at jarcnf.rtachicago.com.

All applications are due by 4 p.m. on March 20.

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The transit funding package finally passed the House and Senate yesterday. Are you relieved that it's over, angry that it took so long or all of the above?

There's still one question left, which is whether the City Council will pass the 40 percent increase in the real estate transfer tax that's part of the transit bailout.

And then there's the issue of capital money for Chicago-area transit, which isn't addressed in the bill that passed the General Assembly this week.

So, this definitely won't be the last time the CTA, Metra and Pace head to Springfield asking for more money.

But at least for now, we can retire the word doomsday. Anyone else as happy about that as I am?

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Illinois House on Thursday approved a mass transit funding package that would avert Jan. 20 service cuts and fare hikes at the CTA and Pace.

The measure passed 61-47, despite a last minute change to the bill by Gov. Blagojevich to allow seniors 65 and up to ride the CTA, Metra and Pace for free.

The bill now heads to the Senate for a vote.

If it passes, the funding package would raise approximately $530 million for transit by raising the regional sales tax in Cook and the collar counties by one-quarter of one percent.

It would also prevent the CTA from cutting 81 bus routes and laying off 2,400 employees on Sunday. Fares would have also gone up by as much $1.25. Pace, meanwhile, planned to cut its Metra feeder routes, among others, and raise fares for fixed-route and paratransit service.

House representatives approved the governor’s changes, even as they criticized Blagojevich for what some called a stunt to save face after breaking his campaign promise not to raise taxes.

After Blagojevich certifies the bill, the transit agencies have 60 days to implement the free rides system.

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Governor Blagojevich has already included language in the transit funding bill that allow seniors 65 and up to ride the CTA, Metra and Pace for free. Now, he's talking about putting a provision in the next state budget that would do the same for people with disabilities.

Think this is a good idea, or will it put an undue burden on the transit agencies to make up for the lost revenue? The CTA said it could be out at least $20 million a year providing free rides to seniors, and for Metra, it'll cost $8 million to $10 million.

Speaking of Metra, officials there announced yesterday that they're still planning to go ahead with a 10 percent fare hike on Feb. 1, even if the transit funding package is passed by the General Assembly.

Share your thoughts.

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

This just in from Dave McKinney, our Springfield Bureau chief:

The Illinois Legislature approved a hike in the sales tax for Cook and the collar counties and a higher tax on real estate transactions in Chicago today, moving a mass transit bailout package to Gov. Blagojevich's desk.

The proposal passed the Senate 30-25 after having failed there late Wednesday night by one vote.

The legislation passed the House 62-51.

Now that it goes to the the governor, he will be under intense pressure to set aside the pledge he twice campaigned on -- a promise he would veto any increases in the state sales or income taxes.

"Gov Blagojevich, my friend, you need to sign this bill," Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), the bill's chief Senate sponsored, bellowed before the vote.

"Think about the buses and trains going up and down on the streets and tracks that are dilapidated and about to fall over. We need those buses and trains to be safe for the passengers and the bus drivers and train engineers," Hendon said.

Blagojevich has expressed his preference for a nearly $400 million diversion of state sales taxes on fuel to help prop up the Chicago Transit Authority, Pace and Metra.

The governor has said he would move to "improve" any other transit legislation to hit his desk, language a spokeswoman reiterated before this afternoon's votes.

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Whenever the CTA threatens to raise fares or cut service, like it's doing now, one of the most common questions riders ask is how much CTA employees make.

Here's a list of salaries for those front-line employees you see every day, based on information I requested from the CTA. Note: these are for new employees hired after Jan. 1, 2007.

Bus and rail operators, $34,240.96
Customer assistant, $33,633.60
Trackman, $29,105.44
Platform servicer, $18,720
Janitor, $29,105.44

As for management, here's what some of the CTA's top brass makes:

CTA President, $198,000
Chief of staff, $145,673.01
General counsel, $172,176.06
Chief engineer, $157,982.47
VP of transit operations, $154,543.58
Chief of customer communications, $69,500.02

Posted by Monifa Thomas at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)