Crackdown on Continuous Riding on Chicago's Trains

The Chicago Transit Authority is cracking down on 'continuous riders', people who sleep or hang out in the subway through the winter nights to keep warm. Advocates worry the crackdown will hurt the homeless.

1 minute read

December 10, 2008, 10:00 AM PST

By Judy Chang


"Every winter, the homeless use the CTA's 24-hour L trains to keep warm -- riding back and forth across the frozen city. The homeless are easy to spot on late-night trains -- surrounded by parcels, their coats thrown over their heads to block the light.

A few months back, the transit agency posted signs at the four 24-hour Red Line and Blue Line terminals warning that continuous riding back and forth on one fare is prohibited. The agency said it did this as an "aid to enforcement" of a long-standing policy, and that the signs are not directed at any particular group.

"The policy is not specific to homeless people," said CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney.

But homeless advocates fear the signs show the CTA wants to crack down on homeless riders, and that it shows a lack of compassion during a tough economic time when the number of homeless is on the rise."

Monday, December 8, 2008 in Chicago Sun-Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

July 14 - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14 - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press