CTA 2013 Budget Calls For Hikes In Passes, Surcharge From O'Hare
By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 20, 2012 8:00PM
Those work rule concessions CTA negotiated with labor unions that were intended to hold the line on fare increases weren’t enough to fill a projected $165 million FY 2013 deficit. As a result, CTA President Forrest Claypool announced prices for one-day, three-day, weekly and monthly passes will all increase if CTA’s Board approves the budget next month.
Basic fare and transfers will remain the same, but one-day passes will increase from $5.75 to $10; three-day passes jump from $14 to $20; weekly passes spike from $23 to $28; and 30-day passes will cost an even $100 under the new budget. In addition, there will be a $2.75 surcharge for one-way rides from O’Hare International Airport. CTA spokesman Brian Steele told Chicagoist the hikes were based on studies that showed the prices of CTA’s passes were below those of other cities, and that the hikes were made with an eye on maintaining affordability for riders who rely on the passes on a regular basis.
If you’re looking to save money on your commutes, we recommend registering for Chicago Card or the upcoming Ventra shared fare system.
Both Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool touted the budget as sound and forward-thinking with no reduction in current services while blaming the way public transportation is funded in the Chicago region for the deficit and hikes in passes. (It’s worth noting that CTA service hasn’t been restored to its pre-2009 levels, either, while its proposed “crowding reduction plan” actually cuts some services, notably eliminating the Lincoln Avenue Bus for a thriving retail area that needs it.)
Claypool highlighted management reforms that saved $50 million and the new labor deals as helping to “put the ‘doomsday’ budgets of the past behind us. We’re moving forward, and building a modern CTA on a strong fiscal footing.”
But Active Transportation Alliance executive director Ron Burke released a statement calling the budget imperfect and a result of CTA not facing its fiscal realities for years.
“This is a temporary fix and not a long-term solution to CTA’s funding woes. You can’t get rapid transit while spending all your time just trying to resuscitate transit. Chicago should have twice as many transit riders, but we don’t have a system in place to accommodate them, and we never will if elected officials aren’t willing to actually invest in better transit. CTA and Metra aren't raising fares because it's what's best for the future of Chicagoland. They're doing it because they've been given no other choice.”
Two public hearings have been scheduled to discuss the 2013 budget. The first will be at CTA headquarters (567 W. Lake St. - 2nd Floor) 6 p.m. Dec. 10; and Westinghouse College Prep (3223 W. Franklin Blvd.) 6 p.m. Dec. 17. We’ve included a copy of the proposed budget below. If there are problems reading it, we've linked to the budget here (PDF).