Transit Riders Speak: Hear what thousands of residents are telling lawmakers when asking them to Save Transit Now

Over the past month, more than 12,000 letters have been sent to Illinois legislators through the Save Transit Now campaign, urging them to act before the spring legislative session ends. Our region faces a $771 million transit funding shortfall starting in 2026—a fiscal cliff that will lead to devastating service cuts, fare hikes, and reduced access to jobs, education, and medical care if not addressed. We are advocating for a $1.5 billion annual investment backed by an empowered RTA that can help transit not only survive but thrive.

Thousands of riders across the region have joined this call for improved transit —sharing personal stories about how public transit impacts their lives, their families, and their futures. Their voices are making a difference as legislators continue to work toward a solution before the end of the General Assembly Spring session on May 31.

There is only one week left in the legislative session. We urge all residents and riders to share their story today at www.savetransitnow.org. These are just a few of the powerful messages submitted by people across the Chicago region:

Transit is essential to daily life

“I'm a constituent and I'm concerned that funding cuts will impact my ability to get to work. I work downtown at the hospital and rely on CTA and Metra to get to and from work. I don't own a car, so without a well-funded and reliable public transit system, I can't work, shop, or get medical care.”
“One of Chicago's best defining traits is its great public transportation. I commute to work using only public transportation, and it is critical to how I travel throughout the city. I fear that the potential loss of funding could lead to myself and many others losing the ability to commute to work. For many, the CTA is the only way they can move throughout the city. Cutting funding and public transportation services would be a great loss to the city of Chicago.”
“I have been taking public transportation for 40 years to commute to my job, which is in downtown Chicago and will continue to do so. This transportation option helps alleviate congestion on our highways and contributes to better public safety. Public transit is essential to my life and the lives of so many of my neighbors. Please act now to secure its future - and ours.”

“I rely on Metra for my daily commute to and from downtown Chicago. Beyond work, I use it to explore the city, dine out, and attend concerts and events-often taking late trains home. Public transit is not just a convenience; it's essential to how I, and many others, experience and contribute to this city. Chicago thrives on its people, its culture, and its economy. Cutting public transit undermines all three. Instead, we should be INVESTING in and EXPANDING these vital services to support a vibrant, accessible, and connected Chicago for everyone. Please prioritize public transportation. NOT CUTS, but improvements and growth.”
“I take the Metra and CTA L every day to get to school and to see my partner, losing the availability of these services would mean I'd lose almost all access to the city.”

“For so many Chicagoans like myself, life without the CTA simply wouldn't be feasible. I depend on the busses and trains to get to work every day, go grocery shopping, meet with friends, and go out on weekends. Although our transit system is not perfect, it is one of the regions greatest strengths. For many young people, transit access is one of the primary deciding factors in choosing where to live. At a moment in time where the federal government is divesting from our collective future, we have a unique opportunity to lead the nation in investing in infrastructure that connects, rather than divides, us.”

Transit Is a lifeline those who need it most

“As an advocate for hundreds of youth with disabilities, I implore you to financially support the future success of the RTA. The young people I work with, most who will never be able to drive, require public transportation to get to a from a job and in other ways in order to be an independent contributing member of their communities. We have worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to INCREASE public transportation options in Lake County, and I know the fight goes on in all areas of Illinois.”

“If a funding solution is not found during this legislative session, a 40% service cut would impact paratransit service especially hard - reducing the area where paratransit service is available by 66% on weekends, leaving millions of people with disabilities all over the region without reliable transportation on weekends. I work Saturdays at a food pantry on 56th and Woodlawn, and many of my neighbors who attend the food pantry are elderly and have limited mobility. Removing their ability to access transit and paratransit could significantly impair their ability to access critical food resources offered by our pantry. Access to public transit and paratransit is critical to my life and the lives of so many of my neighbors, and we deserve a world class system. Thank you for your time.”

“Access to public transit, especially paratransit, is critical to my life and the lives of many of my neighbors. I am deaf and losing my vision. I can no longer drive. I depend on the paratransit system to go to church, doctor's appointments and do volunteer work. As a constituent, I have paid taxes to support this system for many years. I urge you to address the fiscal cliff that Chicago's public transit system is facing and enable $1.5 billion in new operating funding during the current legislative session. This funding should be paired with reform to establish an empowered RTA with the authority needed to improve service and increase accountability for riders and residents. Thank you.”

“Access to public transit is critical to my life and the lives of so many of my neighbors, and we deserve a world class system. As a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, I teach blind and visually impaired children how to travel independently on all of the various types of public transportation that the RTA oversees. Due to their visual impairments, my students will not be able to drive cars. They are 100% dependent on public transportation to go anywhere. Please fully fund our transit system!”

“I'm a college student in Chicago. I use public transit every day to get to my classes and to explore the city. So many people who live in this city rely on public transit to get where they need to go daily, and even tourists use it to explore the city when they visit. A great public transit system helps create a great city so that everything can run more smoothly. By cutting Chicago's public transit funds it will be harder for people to get to their jobs, school, home, etc. It will put much stress on the public transit workers if more problems arise. Please protect our transit system, invest in its future, and put more into funding it so that it's easier on the people of Chicago to get around, and it's easier for the public transit workers to do their jobs. Thank you”

“Transit benefits us as a society, and a defunding of the public transit system especially disempowers independent elderly or disabled individuals who rely on it. This moment demands more than a patchwork fix. We need real investment and real reform to build a system that reflects the values of equity, mobility, and climate resilience. Public transit is essential to my life and the lives of so many of my neighbors. Please act now to secure its future-and ours!”

Transit is why people choose to live in Chicago

“Public transportation benefits everyone, not just those of us who rely upon it to move around the city. Funding it properly and sustainably should be a top priority. When my husband and I were deciding where to retire, we chose Chicago because in very large part because it has an extensive and accessible public transportation system.”

“I am a college grad who moved to Chicago within the past year, and being able to rely on public transit was one of the biggest motivators for my move. I cannot drive and if the service cuts go through, I may have to leave Chicago altogether. Chicago is a place I hoped to build a life and career for decades to come, and the cuts would have a profound negative impact on my day-to-day life.”

“I live in Chicago specifically because I have access to transit and can live without owning a car. Transit makes our city more walkable and allows us to spend valuable space on human needs rather than cars (I'd much rather have parks and local business rather than seas of parking lots and highways).”

“I am a lifelong Chicago resident who relies 100% on public transit to get to work, buy groceries, and visit friends and family. When I read about the transit funding cliff, I feel very afraid for the future of Chicago. If the transit system as I know it now were to fall apart, I would have to leave Chicago.”

“As a graduate student at DePaul University, I commute using public transit. I depend on Metra and CTA for travelling to and from campus. This operating funding is not just an investment in public transit. It is also an investment in my future and the futures of countless other students who take public transit to school.”

“I'm a constituent and a proud Chicagoan and I'm writing to urge you to Save Transit Now by supporting $1.5 billion in public transit this session. This funding should be paired with reform to establish a functional and powerful RTA with the authority needed to improve service and increase accountability for riders and residents. I only use transit to get around everywhere and my partner and I pay a lot of taxes for the immensely expensive highway and road projects around Illinois. It's about time my tax dollars are used to fund essential services I rely on. Transit is always neglected, and it hurts the most downtrodden the most.”
“I use public transit almost every day, as do many of my coworkers, friends, and neighbors. I rely on it to get my son to school, to get myself to work, and to access medical care when we need it. I've lived in New York and Washington DC and visited major cities around the world, and our public transit system has always been far behind that of other major cities. If we want to be a world-class city, we need to do better. As a constituent, I urge you to address the fiscal cliff that Chicago's public transit system is facing and enable $1.5 billion in new operating funding during the current legislative session.”

“I'm a mom to a preschooler and we love the wonderful CTA and Pace busses we have access to in Evanston and Chicago, as well as easy transit through the El and Metra. I also am guardian to a special needs brother who adores train rides, as well as being the child of two Evanston seniors who depend on our transit system when driving is not feasible. We need more and better transit not funding cuts.”

“I'm a resident of Belmont Cragin. I rely on public transit every day to get to work, and access essential services. Chicago's transit system is facing a severe budget shortfall in 2026-over $700 million-due to falling fare revenue and the expiration of federal pandemic relief. Without action, we could see devastating service cuts and fare hikes. Public transit is the backbone of our regional economy. Over a million riders depend on it every day-including essential workers, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. If the system fails, traffic will skyrocket, pollution will rise, and job access will shrink for thousands. We need sustainable, long-term state funding for transit-just like we fund roads and highways. I urge you to work with your colleagues to pass legislation that ensures transit systems like CTA, Metra, and Pace remain reliable and affordable. This issue directly affects me and my community. Will you commit to supporting dedicated funding to protect and improve our transit system?"

“I rely on public transportation for my daily commute, as I do not have access to a car and I'm sure many others share this same sentiment. The negative effects of these cuts would be devastating to many who rely on the services of Metra, Pace, and the CTA.”
“I love taking the bus/train to work. It allows me to read before a long day looking at screens. I love not paying a car note. And I love supporting the environment. It would be such a large loss for so many if there are reductions in funding. Every day I see older people that would be shut out my society if that didn't have access to public transit.”

Transit is an investment in our region’s future

“Chicago has long had one of the best public transit systems in the USA. It is high on the list of why I chose this city to move here and open my business. But now, our public transit system is at a crossroads-and your leadership right now will shape its future for generations.”
“Public transit is a foundational service supporting all Chicago residents, and especially those who are disabled and working class. If we can't access transportation, our access to food, medical services, employment, and education is at risk. In a sea of things to take action on, access to quality public transportation infrastructure impacts nearly everything else.”
“ALL residents of Chicago deserve a right to efficient and safe public transportation. So many of us rely on CTA, Pace, and Metra. Cutting funds would be disastrous for our local livelihoods, economy, and infrastructure. Please act NOW to protect transit, invest in its future, and deliver the $1.5 billion in operating funding that our communities urgently need.”
“The #9 bus connects so much of the city and reduces congestion on Ashland, a vital street for commuters as well as commerce going to and from the warehouses just south of my neighborhood. Funding public transit it one of the most effective investments of public money in terms of making our city economically productive and live able. Use the power you've been entrusted with to make Chicago a stronger city.”
“The CTA makes Chicago go round and as someone who doesn't own a car, it's how I've been getting conveniently around to work, school, etc! The last thing Chicago needs is a transit cut!”
“I'm a constituent and I'm concerned about the future of public transit in Chicago. Access to public transit was one of the reasons I decided to move to Chicago. I use busses and trains almost daily. The reliability of transit has decreased since 2011, and I can't imagine how further cuts would impact the city. I'm writing to urge you to Save Transit Now by supporting $1.5 billion in new, sustainable annual operating funding for public transit in the Chicago region during this legislative session.”
“As a working-class citizen, the CTA provides me with safe and reliable transport to and from my daily activities at a relatively low cost. I do not own a car in this city and rely solely on public transit to get around. By supporting this bill, you will help people like me by ensuring our access to public transit is safe.”
“Our public transit is one of the hallmarks of the Midwest's best hub. Please act now to protect transit, invest in its future, and deliver the $1.5 billion in operating funding that our communities urgently need. Your constituents are watching and hopeful that you make the right choice.”
“A major reason I live in Chicago is access to public transit, I chose to use it daily when I could drive, because I believe that an accessible public transit system is an important part of a city's infrastructure and should be used by all of its community members.”
“I personally take transit everywhere and do not have a car. Public Transit gets me to work. There are already times that the system is overloaded, unclean, unsafe, and overcrowded. Our transit cannot withstand more cuts. Public transit is also environmentally responsible and helps limit the effects of global warming and pollution in general. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.”
“Access to public transit is critical to my life and the lives of so many of my neighbors, and we deserve a world class system. I believe in the future potential of the CTA, and I sincerely hope that you do too. Chicago without the CTA is not Chicago.”