[sustran] Chicago Transit Fare Hike

[eric.britton at free.fr]

Dear Sujit and Sustran friends,

 

Don't think that our Chicago CTA friends have made these moves with joy in
their hearts.  The fact is that they have been trapped by state legislators
(many of whom have their power base in rural and small town areas) who have
decided to, in a phrase, "punish the CTA for their inefficiency and
profligacy". Typically "old mobility" and terribly wrong headed, but if this
were only the only city and agency that this kind of thing were to take
place this would be a happier planet.

 

In point of fact I have just come back from a lively week on brainstorming
session with a group of more than forty experts and agencies around the
table, where we gave our full attention to the possibility of "Reinventing
Transport in Chicago".  You can see more of that if interested in our New
Mobility/Climate Emergency Project at www.climate.newmobility.org
<http://www.climate.newmobility.org/> , where I hope shortly to post some
useful information on these sessions. 

 

In the meantime, you may fond some us in the "Workpad" that you will find on
the bottom left menu of this site in process.

 

Eric Britton

 

 

 

 

1 September 2007

 

 

While we feel encouraged by the excellent proposals initiated by the Mayor
of New York, here is what I got from a friend about Chicago. I was under the
impression that Chicago was one of the better cities in the US in providing
transit facilities.

--

Sujit

 

Here is the news:-

 

To make up for poor revenues in recent years, the Chicago Transit
Authority's board has approved *fare hikes *and changes to services-to
include the shutting down of 39 bus routes. Bus and off-peak train fares
paid in cash will rise from $2 to $2.50. During peak hours, train fares will
become $3. The price of the one-day travel pass will increase from $5 to $6;
the seven-day pass from $20 to $23; and the 30-day pass from $75 to $84. The
changes go into effect on September 16th.