Davis-Backed Transit Reform Law Aims to Make Buses and Trains Safer, Efficient, and Reliable

CHICAGO – Buses and trains will be more reliable, safe and efficiently managed under a major transit reform package law passed by state Rep. Lisa Davis, D-Chicago.

“This transportation package was designed to make life easier for the millions of people who use public transit, and that’s what makes this transportation package so transformative and impactful,” said Davis. “Improving our transportation creates more job opportunities, both in construction of these improvements and for commuters who could seek better job opportunities with more reliable transportation. We’re investing in our communities and our people when we invest in transit.”

Across our state, public transit takes people to and from work, connecting people, businesses and communities on more than 400 million rides every year. But that system has faced major challenges; fragmented governance, uneven investment and post-COVID ridership losses have left transit struggling with unreliable service, delayed trains, canceled routes and a looming fiscal cliff that’s threatening to derail it all.

Davis worked to save and improve transit by passing Senate Bill 2111, a transformational package of reforms that brings Pace, CTA and Metra together into one modern, efficient system. The creation of the new Northern Illinois Transit Agency (NITA) is a major step toward a transit system that gets people where they need to go affordably, protects taxpayers, and offers a better experience for riders and workers.

Davis’s reforms mean:

• More efficient administration: NITA will operate with new internal and independent auditors to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse in transit. It will be required to maintain a reserve fund to prevent future bailouts.
• Reliable, modern service: NITA will bring uniformity to fares and schedules to better meet the needs of riders—both on buses or trains, whether in the city or the suburbs.
• A safer experience for riders and workers: A multijurisdictional law enforcement team will step up enforcement right away. NITA will deploy ambassadors across the system to assist people experiencing mental health crises, and a permanent office of safety will lead long-term planning to keep riders and workers safe.

Senate Bill 2111 was signed into law earlier today.