Chicago Transit Authority Hopes to Entice Riders With Cheaper Fares

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) recently proposed a $1.75 billion operating budget "that takes multiple steps to ensure that public transit remains a crucial part of the city’s continuing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," according to a press release dated October 21, 2021.

The budget would allow the CTA to maintain all existing bus and transit service while also proposing a "major realignment of fares and passes to better meet changing ridership patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the press release.

The press release notes that ridership on CTAA grew throughout 2021 but still falls short of pre-pandemic levels (a pattern that is repeated in other U.S. cities, like New York City, for example). The reduced costs of fares and passes are thus intended to lure back riders who are working on flexible schedules or dealing with the economic shocks of the pandemic.

"CTA is lowering its 30-Day Full Fare pass price to $75 (from $105) and the 30-Day Reduced Fare pass price to $35 (from $50)," according to the press release. "Additionally, the CTA-Pace 7-Day pass will be reduced to $25 (from $33) to reflect the $5 premium for the shared pass with Pace Suburban Bus."

The question of how to lure riders back from catastrophic declines that date back to the earliest days of the pandemic looms over the transit planning community. Ride-hailing companies are facing their own unique problems, potentially creating an opportunity for public transit to win back some of the market share it's lost to companies like Uber and Lyft over the past decade.

An article by Brody Ford provides more details about how the CTA hopes reduced fares will respond to the pandemic's influence on transit in Chicago.