CTA takes small step back from doomsday brink

An update from Crain's Chicago Business...

Facing a hole in its operating budget of around $100 million, the CTA plans to implement the service and fare changes on Sunday, Sept. 16, President Ron Huberman said at the agency’s board meeting.

The new doomsday plan calls for a peak rush-hour train cash fare of $3 and $2.50 cash to ride a bus at any time of day. The CTA’s original contingency plan, announced in May, included peak rail cash fares of $3.25 and peak bus cash fares of $2.75. Currently, bus and train cash fare is $2.

Though easier on riders, the new plan “is still severe,” Mr. Huberman said. “It will still cause hardship for our riders.”

Chicago Card holders would pay $2 to ride a bus or train at any time of day, up from the current $1.75. In an attempt to persuade more riders to buy Chicago Cards, the CTA plans to waive the $5 purchase fee in September and October, Mr. Huberman said. Further, only 39 bus routes would be suspended under the new plan, down from 63. Rail service on the Evanston Express and Skokie Swift lines would not be suspended, as was originally planned, though the Evanston Express would stop at Sheridan to ease crowding on the Red Line.

The new plan would reduce overall service by 8%, rather than 13% under the earlier scenario.

The new scenario is made possible by reduced labor costs, higher ridership revenues and less money spent on consultants, Mr. Huberman said.

The new scenario still prescribes deferring $57 million of capital spending to operations and laying off CTA employees, though the number of layoffs would be reduced to 700 from 1,100. The deferred capital spending will lead to more equipment problems, such as bus breakdowns, Mr. Huberman said.

Under the new plan, the CTA projects it would lose 100,000 riders each weekday, rather than 260,000 under the previous plan. On average, the CTA provides 1.6 million weekday rides.

Peak periods run weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Of course, all of the CTA’s contingency plans become moot if it receives a funding package from Springfield.

Sounds better though it's a shame that this couldn't have been worked out in Springfield.