Coalition members provide feedback on ‘Transforming Transit,’ RTA’s vision for improved service and accountability

Nearly 200 riders, advocates, and other stakeholders met virtually with the RTA on February 11 for the sixth quarterly Transit is the Answer Coalition meeting and discussed Transforming Transit, the RTA’s vision for improved service and accountability. RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden presented the vision to the largest Coalition audience to date, and attendees provided feedback and submitted questions for a Q&A with Redden. The meeting concluded with breakout sessions for further feedback and questions to RTA staff.

The meeting began with an update on the current state of the transit system from RTA Communications Manager Melissa Meyer. Ridership in 2024 continued to grow at a double-digit rate for the third year in a row. More than 360 million rides were taken across the system, and CTA, Metra, and Pace have continued to make improvements such as adding back service to pre-pandemic levels and in some cases expanding service.

“We have a lot of successes and collaborations to be proud of in the last few years, and even more planned for the future, but all of that is at risk if we don’t find a funding solution soon,” Meyer said.

Next, Redden provided an overview of Transforming Transit, the RTA’s vision for service improvements and governance reforms should the State increase operations funding. Transforming Transit is based on years of engagement with riders, advocates, Service Board staff, and legislators. It brings together many ideas the RTA has already shared publicly around funding and reform but does so with more specificity and urgency than previous public discussions.

“Our goal and hope is to build on this vision in the coming weeks and months, refining and adding more detail so that the system we envisioned as we adopted Transit is the Answer— more safe, reliable, accessible public transit that connects people to opportunity, advances equity, and combats climate change—truly can become a reality,” Redden said.

Redden shared that the regional transit system is facing a $771 million funding gap when COVID relief dollars run out in 2026. If the General Assembly does not find a funding solution for the fiscal cliff by the end of its session this May, it will leave a 20% gap in the regional budget beginning in 2026 that will result in service cut up to 40%. These cuts would need to be planned for beginning this summer, so a funding solution this spring is essential.

Transforming Transit shows that $1.5 billion in annual funding would allow a strengthened RTA to oversee region-wide minimum service standards that cut customer wait times by as much as 50%. The document also outlines proposed governance reforms that strengthen the RTA and empower the Service Boards to focus on day-to-day operations of their systems. Rather than distributing key responsibilities across agencies as is done today, the RTA’s proposed reforms would result in one agency—the RTA—being accountable to riders and legislators on the most important systemwide issues: fares, service quality, and capital investment.

Examples of what the RTA could achieve with this strengthened authority include a universal fare and customer service app, integrated digital signage showing interagency connections, the ability to fill service gaps with third-party transportation providers, more capital grant wins due to better coordination on applications, and more. Transforming Transit also includes $100 million in efficiencies savings.

Additionally, RTA is tracking key safety performance measures that the Service Boards are required to report monthly, and the agency led a station activations pilot last year. The RTA is supportive of investing in solutions that improve the rider experience, such as a team of transit ambassadors to help address rider needs throughout the system.

“We have widely distributed the Transforming Transit vision to local, regional, and state elected officials and other important stakeholders,” Redden said. “We continue to gather feedback and build support for our sustainable funding and strategic reform agenda. In addition to ongoing meetings with state legislative leaders, our outreach included a briefing with the Congressional delegation and presentations to mayors and county boards. We are currently working to develop legislative language that reflects the priorities featured in the vision and will share that language with leaders in the House and Senate as they consider legislation to address the fiscal cliff.”

Following Redden’s presentation, Meyer took the attendees through a list of prompts to gather feedback via an online tool. On average, participants said Transforming Transit aligns with their vision and priorities (7.1/10) and that the system would be more accountable and reliable for riders should the vision be implemented (6.9/10). A short-answer prompt asked attendees, “What are you most excited to see in the vision? What resonates with you most?” Responses included more frequent service, service expansion, integrated fares, and improved accountability. Two more short-answer prompts asked attendees, “What do you feel is missing from the vision?” and “What would you add to the vision to make it stronger?” Responses included specificity on implementation, funding options, full consolidation, and greater cost efficiencies.

Attendees were then able to submit questions for a Q&A with Redden. While not all questions were answered verbally due to time constraints, the RTA compiled a document addressing them each.

The meeting concluded with seven breakout groups where attendees were able to share more feedback on what service improvements they’d like to see and how accountability could be improved. Attendees expressed an interest in bus rapid transit (BRT), land use reform, better interagency transfers, a greater emphasis on cleanliness, and improved coordination with social service agencies that connect people experiencing homelessness with resources.

RTA staff will present the feedback gathered at the Coalition meeting to the RTA Board at their February 20 meeting.

Watch a recording of the full Coalition meeting online and join the Transit is the Answer Coalition to be part of the process and stay informed on progress. If you’re interested in a more active role in advocating for sustainable transit funding—like writing or signing a letter to the editor or op-ed, speaking with a reporter, or joining a meeting with your legislator—sign up to be a Transit Champion.