To make sure Chicago’s mass-transit riders understand the potential impact of the first Doomsday cuts that may go into effect Nov. 4, the CTA trotted out top officials and 39 buses side by side at its Chicago Avenue garage Sunday morning.
The buses represented the 39 route cuts and fare increases that the CTA says will take place if state legislators don’t approve a mass-transit funding package this week in Springfield.
“Route eliminated,” the signs on the front of the buses said with the specific routes listed. The officials were joined by several employees who could be among the more than 600 workers the CTA says it will have to lay off.
Calling it a “true crisis,” Chicago Transit Board Chairman Carole Brown said in a statement Sunday she “remains hopeful that state lawmakers will respond to the urgency of the situation.”
The cuts could affect more than 63,000 riders. The CTA promises more cuts in January if the fiscal impasse is not resolved. Only four of the 39 bus routes that might be cut operate on Sunday. The CTA warns that the full impact will be seen on the morning commute of Nov. 5.
“Without a funding solution we have no choice,” Brown told reporters.
