CTA Survey Proposes "Hypothetical" Fare Hikes
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 15, 2012 3:15PM
Tribune transportation reporter John Hilkevitch reports this morning on a survey from the Chicago Transit Authority asking for customer opinions on "hypothetical fare scenarios" such as a $3.50 bus ride or a $150 30-day pass. 1,500 customers were sent the survey via email, with another 750 riders participating via a field survey, and the survey was funded by a grant from a planning grant by the Transportation Department
CTA officials said fare hikes are not being considered. Spokesman Brian Steele said the fare examples are "randomly generated for each survey taker" from over 200 possible fare combinations depending on how they answer the questions. CTA's goal with the survey, which has been conducted every five years since 1990, is to better understand make their fare choices based on individual travel patterns, and to gather information in fare-payment options as the agency moves to an open fare system in 2014 that allows riders to pay their fares directly from their credit or debit cards, and even cell phones.
Even though CTA said fare hikes aren't on the table, that could change depending on whether the transit union will accept work rule changes and cuts in management. CTA approved its 2012 budget in November contingent on those labor cuts, which the Amalgamated Transit Union called "irresponsible."
If an agreement between CTA and labor cannot be reached, CTA President Forrest Claypool will have to do something about the transit authority's $277 million budget deficit. The survey also asks riders if they would be willing to pay a premium to travel during rush hour periods, if they would choose one fare card over another based on cost, and if they would accept an increase in the cost of a transfer.
The results of the survey will be released this summer.