Скачать или смотреть Excerpt: CTJC at the Fix The CTA Town Hall on 11/18/2023

CTJC organizer and CTA bus operator, Brother Robert, speaks up at town hall organized by the DSA "Fix The CTA Campaign" on November 18, 2023 at Lozano Public Library.

Here is their agenda:

Primary Demands “2 person crews and staffing to meet our bus and train needs for everyone regardless of location”

Increase CTA staffing to have 2 person train crews with a conductor and driver with enough staffing to regularly run trains. and buses on the schedule of:

1 train every 5 minutes during weekday rush hours
1 train every 15 minutes 3 am - 5 am for 24 hour trains
1 train every 10 minutes at all other times
1 bus every 7 minutes during weekday rush hours
1 bus every 20 mins 3 am - 5 am for 24 hour buses
1 bus every 15 minutes at all other times.

For reference, current schedules can be found at https://www.transitchicago.com/schedu...

Secondary Demands

Worker Solidarity
Good paying, safe, dignified jobs with room for growth. Create more full time jobs rather than part time jobs, and offer more paths to jobs. Expand second chance programs and opportunities within it. Good benefits, worker say over CTA operations and elimination of the two-tier system. CTA security should be conducted by CTA employees, not private contractors or through routing CTA money to the CPD budget.

Rider Experience
Regular, clean, safe service. Buses and trains should be regularly cleaned, and there should be public bathrooms at every CTA station. Priority light changes for buses at intersections, bus only lanes. Goal of bus shelters with better benches, trash cans, and heat/cooling at every stop. Increase accessibility of train stations to 100% (CTA system currently 70% accessible)

Equity in Service
We need to expand bus and train service lines on the south and west sides, connecting well with metra and pace to give service to cook county suburbs and beyond. We should explore no fare routes/lines or do away with fares to truly provide this as a public good, increase efficiency of entry, and make drivers focus on that job rather than that of cashier. We need greater accessibility for disabled residents across the city and at stations. Ashland or Western light rail to connect Westside.

Environmentally-Conscious Development
Explore electrification of buses and moving away from fossil fuels while understanding the mining of lithium balance of environmental impact in the global south. Explore solar panels on top of stations and other public buildings. Incentivize use of public transit over individual car use, bus only lanes, pedestrian and biking safety infrastructure. Expand access to bike-friendly public transit in underserviced areas in the city and county. Enforce car traffic infractions of parking/driving at bus stops or in bike and bus lanes.

CTA Leadership Accountability
Greater transparency from leadership, clear and honest communication about problems, an end to obfuscation and obfuscating language about cuts/reductions. More accessible leaders who publicly give information at open meetings like city council meetings, explore change of leadership.

What is the scope of the campaign?
Improving public transit, specifically CTA but advocating for quality public transit generally
Understanding CTA funding comes from City, County, State, and Federal funds and governmental votes.
Helping improve working conditions that are primarily set through the 2 ATU contracts covering CTA employees.
This campaign has the potential to connect with the national level Green New Deal Campaign Commissioner and other nationwide transit work.
Exploring opportunities to decrease CPD and private security on CTA.
Exploring entering into a coalition with groups such as ATU, Jobs with Justice, Commuters Take Action, Better Streets Chicago, etc.