Will 2006 Fare Merger Bring Harmony to Chicago Public Transit?

Earlier this month the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) declared that there will be one, all-inclusive fare card available for CTA, Metra and Pace riders in six months time. This move represents a big step in the cooperation of the often adversarial relationship of the city's public transit lines.

From past fare-incompatibility to the resistance in creating stations to conveniently coincide for easy public access in changing railways, many Chicagoland residents have observed the lack of coordination between the different systems as a needless frustration.

The RTA was created in 1974 for the purpose of overseeing the financial operations of Chicago's three transit agencies. However, critics suggest that the cooperation of these transit lines for which they are responsible has been sorely lacking.

In 1999 when the Illinois General Assembly United Transportation was once again urging the RTA to work out the transit rivalry, specters of past participation attempts surfaced. A 1999 Union News Digest article reads, "The Illinois General Assembly has called for a unified regional transit plan since 1983. Only two years ago, the House instructed the RTA and its service agencies to coordinate stops where Metra and CTA rail lines are in proximity, but no action followed. If anything, critics say, the spirit of cooperation has deteriorated."

Last year the two rail systems were ready to do battle in Springfield over public funding— money that is becoming harder to come by since the federal government withdrew much assistance to local transit agencies in the 90s. The CTA's gripe has been over the formula, based on sales tax collections and state aid, which divides the available budget; pointing out that as population shifts from the suburbs from the city, the CTA receive less, while Metra, they argue, gains the lion's share.

In April of this year, the CTA appealed to Springfield again, complaining that unless they received sufficient state assistance the result would be either major service cuts or fare hikes.

Tumultuous Transit History

So why can't they all just get along? A big part of the problem, present since the RTA's inception, results from marked differences in transit spending between the city and suburbs.

In the late '60s and early '70s the CTA fell under enormous financial strain. Meanwhile, the 1970 census revealed that Chicago's suburbs had surpassed the city in population, making it a third political body to be dealt with in state funding negotiations.

Also, 1970 was the year that the Illinois state constitution was revised. Then Governor Ogilvie took advantage of a new clause allocating public funds used to subsidize private transit carriers to revitalize the CTA.

A task force was created to investigate the CTA's administrative and financial difficulty. They recommended a six-county regional transit authority with the wherewithal to allot support to each transit system in the Chicago area on its own discretion.

As the city moved to retain control of the CTA, the suburbs attempted to minimize the cross-subsidies to the city. Today, remaining federal funds are fought over with Metra and Pace and this division grows only more pronounced as the available pie becomes increasingly smaller. As riders continue to observe, the aftereffect continually results in threats of service cuts and another price increase or another state funding plea.

So can a fare merger help solve this decades-long rift? It's not likely, but at least it's a step toward cooperation and a welcome accommodation to riders. A group known as SECRET (South East Chicago Rail Enhancement Team) has been working toward such a fare merger for some time. The organization's other goals include revitalizing the underutilized Metra Electric South Chicago branch to reconnect riders, especially in South Chicago, Cheltenham, and east Woodlawn, that they say are among the most hurt by transit cutbacks and teardowns over the past decade.

In 2004, A SECRET survey indicated that over 80 percent would use Metra South Chicago more if there were fare coordintion and the increased midday service. The result could mean more revenue for all transit lines.

Still, there are important details to iron out to make sure the comprehensive fare system works smoothly. A failed attempt in 2000, forced Pace's board to put an end to accepting the CTA's seven-day pass. This was a start of a shared fare system in which riders could use both the CTA and Pace. Pace discovered that it was losing $1 million annually by accepting the pass.

The new multi-line fare plan involves using the convenient sensor-card-reading technology of the CTA's Chicago Card, creating a device to allow Metra monthly ticket holders to ride on the CTA and Pace systems as well as the Metra lines.

The CTA's Chicago Card has proved immensely popular as recent sales reveal, but it isn't just because of the convenience. On January 1st, CTA cash fares will rise to $2 and cash transfers will become a thing of the past. Chicago Card users, however, still pay the old $1.75 rate and can still obtain a cash transfer.