CTA Ridership Continues to Grow in 2021

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced its ridership continues to increase in 2021, reaching the highest levels since the before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the company's press release.

“The fall season is typically our highest ridership period for the year, and in 2021, that tradition has resumed,” said CTA president Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “CTA daily ridership has consistently been at or above 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels — one of the strongest among large U.S. transit agencies. As our customers evolve and adapt to the realities of their new schedules and routines, so too will the CTA, but what will remain unchanged is our commitment to provide, affordable, reliable transit service.”

In January 2021, CTA averaged a little more than 400,000 rides on weekdays and around 10.8 million rides for the month. Since then, CTA’s system-wide ridership has essentially doubled, with more than 21 million monthly and nearly 800,000 average weekday rides provided during the month of September.

CTA's ridership surpassed 800,000 five times in September, reaching a peak of 846,000 riders on Sept. 17, during the Riot Fest music festival in Douglas Park. 

Rail ridership to and from the Loop has nearly tripled since the start of 2021 with more than 29,300 average weekday rides provided in September. This is an increase from an average of 9,800 on weekdays in January 2021. 

CTA cites a number of factors behind these changes in CTA ridership, including the extension of the “More Fun, Less Fare” promotional discount on CTA’s  unlimited ride passes.

The pass promotion, introduced Memorial Day weekend and later extended through Nov. 25, helped drive ridership, adding more than 10 million rides during the summer months.

The CTA said it is looking to permanently reduce the price on all of its unlimited-ride passes and eliminate the $0.25 transfer fee as part of its proposed FY2022 budget.

Average weekend ridership (Saturday/Sunday/Holidays) is at 60%-65% of pre-COVID levels.