RTA celebrates Citizens Advisory Board in advance of transition to Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)

April 27, 2026

The RTA hosted its final Citizens Advisory Board (RTACAB) meeting on Monday, April 27, thanking the group for its contributions before shifting focus to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Riders Advisory Council and ADA Advisory Council.

Late last year, Governor JB Pritzker signed the NITA Act, a historic transit funding and reform package that will bring an estimated $1.2 billion in new annual operating funding to the system and make a series of governance and operational changes, transitioning the RTA to a new agency called NITA.

For decades, the RTACAB has been a public body mandated by the state for the purpose of advising the agency’s staff and Board of Directors on the “impact of its policies and programs.” It has always included the chairpersons of CTA, Metra, and Pace Citizens Advisory Boards, as well as representatives from each of the six counties served in the RTA region. These county representatives have often been government agency staff involved with administering programs for seniors and people with disabilities.

The RTA’s regional transit strategic plan Transit is the Answer called on the agency to “expand the role of the RTACAB and strengthen the rider voice in transit planning and decision making.” So in 2024, the RTA launched a newly expanded Citizens Advisory Board featuring the perspectives of a diverse group of 21 riders and agency leaders from across the region, including eight new “rider representative” positions: two for the City of Chicago, one for Suburban Cook County, and one each for other counties in the RTA region. These positions were non-voting, allowing the agency to compensate volunteer riders for their time, as the RTA did during the strategic planning process.

RTA staff worked with county partners to recruit a diverse group of riders who represent the varied perspectives of people who use transit across the region. For example, City of Chicago representative Xavier Potts was a UIC student working toward a degree in public policy and worked as a disability homecare specialist. Xavier spoke often about the benefits of a universally accessible transit system. Will County representative Doug Fowler, an educator in Joliet, talked about how much he enjoys riding Metra’s Rock Island service with his daughter every Sunday morning to take her to acting classes at Second City in Old Town. Doug, like several CAB members, was a consistent advocate for legislative action on the fiscal cliff, connecting with legislators and speaking at RTA Board Meetings.

During the RTACAB’s final meeting, members offered recommendations for NITA and heard an update on the transition. One of the first actions to set NITA up for success is a proposed 2026 Operating Budget Amendment set for an RTA Board vote at their May meeting. The RTACAB weighed in on the proposed amendment, which prioritizes safety, security, and service improvements, as well as simplified fare policy and enhanced rider communications initiatives. Anyone may submit public comment on the proposed agenda through May 8 online or by emailing communications@rtachicago.org.

“The RTACAB—especially this latest iteration that gives a greater voice to transit riders—has been instrumental in our work at the RTA to better serve riders across the regional transit system,” said RTA Director, Mobility Services, Michael VanDekreke. “Over all these years, members of the Citizens Advisory Board have advocated for a more accessible system and acted as an important voice for our customers. We look forward to the work ahead in establishing NITA’s Riders Advisory Council and ADA Advisory Council, and we thank the members of the RTACAB past and present for their advocacy.”