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

CHICAGO – A major transit reform package law passed by state Rep. Aarón Ortíz, D-Chicago, was signed into law earlier today, continuing his commitment to making buses and trains safer, more reliable, and more efficiently managed for the working families and young people in his community.

“Taking the Archer Ave 62 or the Cicero Ave 54B shouldn’t put your life or livelihood at risk, because the people of Chicago deserve to get where they’re going on time, safely and reliably; the transit reforms package we passed in November does just that and lays the foundation for even more transformative work,” Ortíz said. “Today’s signing is significant not only because we are addressing a crisis affecting our local economy, but also because I grew up riding the CTA. Signing this reform package into law is about sustaining and improving a critical part of Chicago’s economy, culture and history. It’s critical that we keep fighting for a better system, and I am committed to doing that.”

Across our state, public transit takes people to work, takes people home, and connects people, businesses, and communities more than 400 million times 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.

Ortíz 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 new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (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.

Ortíz’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—whether 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 Tuesday.