There is much we agree with in the recent Tribune editorial on the transit budget crisis. In particular, the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents most of the drivers, operators and mechanics at the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace, supports the Tribune’s call to require CTA to be more accountable in planning and spending before any new money is approved by the legislature. And we need to improve the paratransit system to ensure that people with disabilities living in northeastern Illinois can rely on public transportation to get where they need to go. The Tribune’s knee-jerk reaction, however, emphasizing privatization, will not solve the immediate problems, and it certainly does not recognize the region’s long-term funding issues.
Unfortunately many times when transit agencies in the U.S. fall into financial difficulty–CTA is now facing a $55 million operating deficit–privatization advocates come forth with outrageous claims about how other localities have saved money by contracting out bus and rail services. Such claims are based on discredited economic assumptions, substandard wages and the mythical notion that private firms will respond to competitive market pressures and provide better service at lower cost.
The Tribune noted that “cleanliness, punctuality and reliability have improved in recent years.” Do we want to reverse these encouraging trends?
CTA has already reduced the number of unionized workers by an average of 100 employees per year during each of the last six years. The downsizing of CTA is now at the point where it could affect the quality and safety of bus and rail service. For example, the current privatization efforts replacing customer agents with private security guards have not increased rider safety or provided better service.
The Tribune downplays the larger regional problems. We need to reverse the declines of the last 20 years and build a transit system that will take thousands of commuters off of our congested highways. The first step is providing adequate and stable funding that benefits all parts of northeastern Illinois and creates a regional management structure that is effective and accountable.
